Find Fitzrovia: Wayfinding Design Competition 2026
Competition Brief
Find Fitzrovia is a quite new design competition that brings together the London Festival of Architecture and The Fitzrovia Partnership. The competition is a call for various professionals like emerging architects, designers, and artists to explore and rethink the wayfinding system in the Fitzrovia area of London. The creators of the contest want to see new forms of visual markers and art installations, that would not only tell the story of the area through their design but also guide the way from main points like Charlotte Street to hidden destinations thus making the whole urban experience more enjoyable and easier to understand. This project is an extension of a multi-year initiative to test the public realm in the area.
Intent
The competition is a way to see if design can develop more urban activities, more discoveries and more belonging in a quarter that is characterized by its creative and bohemian character. The proposals must not only lead to the right points but also be strongly connected to the place and reflect its identity and Fitzrovia’s character.
Purpose
Find Fitzrovia intends to bring about a change in wayfinding by designing it through an engaging, playful, and of great meaning way that will connect people with the streets, cultural assets, and independent businesses, and at the same time encourage them to explore the neighbourhood’s lesser-known sites.
Requirements
- The contest is open only to the architects, designers and artists who are just starting their careers.
- There can be either individuals or groups as participants taking the same path.
- The proposals must contain elements such as visual markers or installations that will not only facilitate wayfinding but also invite the public to explore.
- The designs submitted for the competition must be practical, priced, and appropriate for temporary installation in the Fitzrovia area.
- The competition will follow a two-stage process that will shortlist up to six teams before the final proposals are developed.
Jury
The jury members for this particular contest have not been made known in the available promotional materials that are released to the public. The procedure consists of two evaluations with picking of the teams who are going to present and then the last appraisal for the winning design.
Fees Table
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Entry Fee | Free |
Rewards Table
| Award | Reward |
|---|---|
| Winning Team Budget | £36,000 + VAT to develop and deliver a fully costed design |
| Shortlisted Teams | Honorarium (if offered per stage) and opportunity to develop proposals |
Budget is provided to the winning team to prepare and install the intervention as part of the London Festival of Architecture in June 2026.
Dates Table
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Shortlist Announcement | January 2026 |
| Winning Team Confirmation | March 2026 |
| Installation Period | June 2026 as part of London Festival of Architecture |
Final proposal is expected to be implemented and visible throughout the festival month.
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
Find Fitzrovia is a competition run by the London Festival of Architecture in partnership with The Fitzrovia Partnership, publicizing limited information about the jury, thus making the ruling criteria and professional supervision less clear. The contest is set on a professional and location-based ground, which is temporary urban wayfinding interventions in a specific area, not promotional. The total budget of £36,000 plus VAT is reasonable in relation to the design, production, and installation requirements. The main value for the participants is in portfolio development and the chance for on-site implementation during a huge public festival rather than in long-term professional accreditation. Lack of detailed jury disclosure is still the primary structural constraint.
Critical Conclusion
The Find Fitzrovia contest reinterprets the boring urban wayfinding to be a design challenge that can facilitate access, curiosity, and interaction in a historic and culturally vibrant area. It pushes the envelope of creativity beyond the bounds of traditional signage by inviting the designers to come up with installations, which are not only useful but also portray the character of Fitzrovia. Nonetheless, the non-disclosure of the jury’s makeup and judging criteria, through publicly available sources, hampers the transparency for the potential participants who might want to get a glimpse of the judging process for their work. Moreover, the financial backing for the winning design, which is remarkable for a temporary intervention, is not accompanied by the detailed information on the support for the shorter-listed teams or stimulating the broader participation, and so on, which may limit the entries from the participants with fewer resources. In spite of that, the contest is in line with the broader goal of experimenting with the public realm’s temporary work as a spark for long-term urban improvements.
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