International Excellence Awards Competition 2026

Competition Brief

International Excellence Awards Competition 2026 is a global contest for architects and designers that, as the name implies, recognizes the top tier of the innovative, original, and excellently designed works in the different fields of architecture and design. It reviews the proposals according to their creative power, clarity of the design and the usability of the concept using a scoring system based on merit, which allows for more than one project to have the same level of award based on the scores. The evaluation of the projects is done anonymously in order to reduce bias as much as possible.

Intent

The main idea of the contest is to discover and award the projects that will exhibit the highest standards of excellence in design through their defined markers. Besides this, it will also be a way to get recognition and critically validate the designers who have proven to be sources of great ideas, unyielding in their technical skills, and are well-connected to current problems.

Purpose

The aim is to create a well-organized venue where the creators can show their work to a panel of the world’s finest experts in the field, get the recognition of their peers, and increase their professional visibility, all without putting the works against each other in the usual first/second/third way. The evaluation scale divides the hat from Bronze to Platinum.

Requirements

Submissions should consist of new works that are not older than 7 years. The applicants are required to send the project descriptions in English, along with a maximum of 8 photographs and narrative text that complies with the technical format rules. Students get a 50% discount on entry fees and compete in their own category. Fees are not refundable, and projects are subject to initial technical review before jury evaluation.

Jury

1. Hatem Ibrahim – Professor in the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Qatar. An established scholar in Urban and Regional Planning focusing on sustainable development strategies, housing studies, and urban informatics. His work bridges academic research and practical consultancy on high‑profile planning projects.
2. Jimena Meza Bustamante – Architect, Founder of Arandano Arquitectura, Peru. With over fifteen years of experience, she leads residential, commercial, and landscape projects. She also teaches interior architecture, bringing a combined practice and academic perspective to the jury.
3. Haisheng Xu – Co‑Founder of LYT‑X Studio, USA. An architectural designer whose work integrates emerging technologies with design systems. His practice and research explore parametric tools, expressive spatial systems, and collaborative experimental methodologies.
4. Inna Lysetska – Senior Project Designer, Co‑Founder of IDL Construction, USA/Ukraine. A designer and project manager with over twenty‑five years of experience spanning residential, commercial design, furniture consultation, and construction management.
5. Naresh V Narasimhan – Managing Partner at Venkataramanan Associates, India. Architect and urbanist with three decades of experience, active in civic and cultural initiatives, urban interventions, and strategic public space design.
6. Daria Yang Du – Founder and Architecture Designer at DD STUDIO/RIOS, USA. A multidisciplinary designer and artist involved in projects across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, with recognition from international design awards and exhibitions.
7. Dr Ana Vasiljevic Celar – CEO, Fashion Designer, and Professor at the Faculty of Design and Multimedia, University Donja Gorica, Spain. An experienced designer in fashion and education with a strong focus on sustainability and cultural heritage.
8. Xianghan Wang – XR/Motion Designer at Apple, USA. An award‑winning designer focused on immersive experiences, collaborating with international brands and serving on juries for design and hackathon competitions.
9. Ilana Seleznev – Founder of Studio RDD, Israel. A leader in product strategy, industrial design, and business transformation with extensive experience in global markets and diversity initiatives.
10. Zhaoxiong Han – Architectural Designer at Gensler, USA. Known for sustainable, functional, and culturally responsive design approaches across adaptive reuse and interiors.
11. Olga Bogdanova – Architect and Founder of Bogdanova Bureau, Ukraine. Her work blends modern aesthetics with sustainability and craftsmanship across residential and product design.
12. Khalil Taleeslami – Architect, Inventor, and Director of Development at Bu‑Ali Sina University, Iran. With over twenty years of practice, he is noted for innovative design solutions and educational contributions.
13. Laila Al‑Yousuf – Design Director and Partner at SAY Studio, United Arab Emirates. Recognised for transformative interior design work and advocacy for diversity, sustainability, and mentorship.
14. Haoming Li – Founder and Designer at hm‑LI Studio, USA. Distinguished in both architecture and furniture design, integrating Eastern and Western aesthetics.
15. Enrique Néstor Laumann – Designer and Founder of EAGLE Braseros y Parrillas, Argentina. Known for functional product innovations and recognition in international design competitions.
16. André Romitelli & Martina Brusius – Creative Directors and Co‑Founders of Pistache Ganache, Brazil. Their narrative‑driven design practice explores emotional connections and sustainable experiences.
17. Erin Denkovska – Senior Associate, Lighting Design Lead at Delta Lighting Design, United Arab Emirates. Specialist in immersive lighting design for high‑end projects.
18. Hamidreza Khademi – Architect at Stantec, USA. Experienced in BIM and architectural design with international project management exposure.
19. Yelin Turer Evcen – Partner and Architect at Gönye Project & Design, Türkiye. Recognised for diverse interior architecture and involvement in education and professional mentorship.
20. Birger Linke – Executive Creative Director at VML, Germany. A seasoned creative leader with extensive awards history and experience in interdisciplinary design and marketing.
21. Mihaela Plesca – Founder of Neurodesign, Romania. Multidisciplinary designer with expertise across product, interior, fashion, communication design, and architecture.
22. Marcos Santa Ana – Founder of Alloi, USA. Architect and design‑build expert with a culturally diverse education and holistic design philosophy.
23. Yixuan Cai – Designer at Perkins&Will, USA. Specialised in architectural visualisation and digital environments with multiple international awards.
24. Benjee Mendoza – Founding Partner at BAADSTUDIO, Philippines. Leads work spanning architecture, interior architecture, and community planning.
25. Sarvenaz Sharifi – Founder and CEO of Sarvenaz Sharifi Architects, Iran. Lead designer of high‑end contemporary projects across multiple countries.
26. Yihuang Zhou – Senior Designer at Mother Design, China. A multidisciplinary designer blending graphic, industrial, and digital design work.
27. Ronn Lee – Creative Director at BEAMY, China. Brings over two decades of experience in brand, concept, and interactive design.
28. Paolo Cappello – CEO of Paolo Cappello Design Studio, Italy. Industrial designer with extensive international recognition.
29. Chloe Fan – CEO of Design with FRANK, USA. Architect and AI design platform innovator, working with emerging digital tools.
30. Roberta Rampazzo – Designer and Founder of Roberta Rampazzo Design, UK. Known for timeless product and interior design with sustainability focus.
31. Niko Kapa – Design Director at Studio Niko Kapa, United Arab Emirates. Acclaimed architect and industrial designer with multiple international awards.
32. Alberto Ribeiro – Architect and Founder of A2OFFICE, Portugal. Recognised for residential and interior architecture achievements.

Fees

Rewards

Dates

✦ ArchUp Competition Review

Design Skill Magazine has put together the International Excellence Awards Competition 2026, which rates the works submitted using a merit-based scoring method that permits the awarding of similar awards to numerous projects instead of the customary ranking system. Not only that, but the jury information is very detailed and consists of world-renowned specialists in the fields of architecture and design, which contributes to the trustworthiness of the competition; however, the scoring procedure and detailed category criteria are still not completely open. In a manner of speaking, the competition is a professional and academic one that mainly centers on the issue of recognition rather than advertising activities. The prize levels are non-monetary, corresponding to the award tiers, and consequently, the practical value of the prizes is mainly in the portfolio of the winner and professional visibility rather than direct financial gain, as the winner was.

Critical Conclusion

The International Excellence Awards Competition 2026 applies a merit-based scoring system instead of a traditional rank ordering, thereby enabling a number of projects to attain the very same level of award. Its fee structure increases gradually over the competition period and this may create a barrier for budget-limited participants. Although student discounts alleviate this to some extent, financial difficulties still remain. The international representation of the jury implies a wide range of evaluative perspectives; on the other hand, the thoroughness of scoring and category specifics is not made public. The competition’s primary focus of recognition and visibility packages may attract those returning for a profile boost, however, the absence of first/second/third ranking might lessen the comparative prestige of some participants.

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