Festival des Architectures Vives
Competition Brief
Festival des Architectures Vives invites installations for Montpellier’s historic courtyards in 2027. The theme is Shared Happiness. This is a built, temporary intervention programme: a convincing image must translate into an experience that people can occupy safely.
Eligibility and Submission
International professional teams may apply; students are excluded and at least one member must hold an architecture qualification. Entry is free. Submit one signed application, individual CVs (one A4 page each), portfolio, one-page concept and perspective in a single PDF, maximum 10 MB. The published submission requirements do not explicitly settle the accepted language.
The website and PDF contain different application links. Enter through the current official call page and confirm the form with the organiser if its identity is unclear; we could not independently verify the form contents.
Funding and Delivery
The call seeks ten installations. Each selected team receives €1,500 inclusive of tax after the festival, covering production and associated expenses. Assembly and removal are the team’s responsibility. Drilling, nailing or gluing to heritage surfaces is prohibited. Authors may retain their installations; a complete publication-rights licence and cancellation terms are not specified in the reviewed brief.
The grant is a contribution to delivery costs, not a separate prize or guaranteed professional fee. Payment after the event means that teams need an upfront funding plan.
Organiser and Jury
Champ Libre has organised the festival since 2006. Its official archive documents environmental awards, including À vos briques ! by Marine Manchon in 2024 and Sablier by Collectif Nou(e)s in 2026. This provides a record of realised projects, rather than proof of every future commitment.
Chris Younès, a philosopher working on architecture and inhabitation, is the 2027 patron. Patronage does not establish jury membership. A named selection panel and numerical assessment weights were not found in the reviewed call.
Dates
Applications close 7 December 2026 at 23:59 French time (UTC+1), or 22:59 UTC. Results: late December/early January; installation: 9–14 June 2027; public festival: 15–20 June; dismantling: 21 June.
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
The architectural opportunity lies in making shared use tangible. A proposal could change how strangers sit, move or notice one another without overwhelming the courtyard. Adaptability matters: a delicate composition tied to one precise wall may be less resilient than a freestanding system.
Before entering, draw the assembly sequence and a modest cost plan alongside the perspective. Include freight, tools, labour and removal. Reused materials can reduce purchases, but sorting and fastening still consume time. The strongest proposal will explain how the encounter works and how the object leaves without damage.
Reviewed 30 September 2026 against the official call, application brief and organiser history, under ArchUp’s competition transparency policy. The featured image is an archive illustration from the official website, not a 2027 design.
