The House of Death and Life

The House of Death and Life contest is an open invitation to architects, designers, and creative minds to present their ideas through a house that combines life and death. The competition that was held on the fiftieth anniversary of Sigurd Lewerentz explores the dualities of the two through architecture. The brief is very flexible and the house can be any of the above such as a metaphorical, literal, symbolic, a building, a pavilion, a conceptual installation, or a non-traditional spatial idea. The competition also motivates participants to deal with the basic human conditions and to think of architecture as a space of meaning, ritual, or metaphysical dialogue.

Being a part of this competition provides a great opportunity to deal with architecture as a philosophy, memory, and art. The designers will have to think about not only the shape and the use of the building but also the existential reflection. The competition allows beginners in architecture to get rid of their creative shackles and offers the veterans a chance to take on the traditional architectural routes with their unconventional approaches. Theoretical aspects like human finiteness and survival are the basis upon which the competition highlights the need for a design that is aesthetic, performs spatially, and resonates emotionally at the same time. This competition is a one-off opportunity to bring the question of the role of architecture and its power to human experiences in a very deep manner to light.

Competition Brief and Requirements

As a tribute to the architect, the participants will create The House of Death and Life. The term house is interpreted in a wide sense. It could be a conventional home, a symbolic space, a pavilion, or an abstract representation. The competition is open to all sizes, formats, and scales. All submissions must be sent digitally to ICARCH. There is no registration fee. The last day for receiving the papers is December 29, 2025, which marks the fiftieth anniversary of Lewerentz’s passing.

Conceptual Scope and Intent

The competition is based on Lewerentz’s works, which usually have, as their theme, the idea of death and the afterlife. Participants are invited to work with death as the very concept of the design. The architects can treat architecture as a means of going through memory, loss, continuity, and even resurrection. The competition calls for a deep thinking about the nature of life and architecture as a place for the soul’s rest and meditation.

Submission Timeline

Stage	Date
Submission Deadline	December 29, 2025

The competition has no entry fees.

Themes and Interpretive Directions

The brief is vague and metaphorical at the same time with no predefined typologies. Some of the possible directions are:

The symbolic memorial or the architectural mausoleum
Spatial installations that are abstract or conceptual
Pavilions that discuss existential themes
Interpretations of living and non-living spaces that are innovative
The Hybrid spaces that intertwine life, ritual, memory, and departure

Evaluation Criteria

Next, the designs will be evaluated on the following:

The depth of concept and the engagement with death and life
The poetic resonance and the capability to produce emotions and thoughts
The spatial imagination and the inventiveness in the use of space, light, and materials
The interpretive boldness and the readiness to confront the traditional architecture

Architectural Analysis

The competition urges participants’ designs to be grounded in existential questioning. The logic does not start from functions but rather goes through the channels of meaning, mortality, and memory. The materiality and the arrangement of the space express destructibility and renewal. A design might employ heavy or rough materials to imply death, while at the same time, it might introduce light or airy elements to represent life and memory. One way spaces can be designed is that they will take the visitors through a process from being confined to being in the open or from darkness to light, which is a reflection of the journey of life. The context will be human experience, memory, and spirituality but not geography. The competition tempts contestants to develop architecture that will serve as a medium for transition and reflection rather than mere utility.

Competition Importance

This contest not only challenges architects and designers to think about the formal and functional aspects but also asks them to open up to the engagement of the philosophy and feelings. It demonstrates that architecture could be a means of communication through rituals, memories, reflections, and dialogues about one’s existence. The competition dares to propose beyond the conventional typologies like housing, offices, and commercial spaces, the new areas of symbolic, memorial, spiritual, or conceptual architecture. Moreover, it remains pertinent to a society where crises, loss, confusions of identity, and the search for meaning are common occurrences. Young designers will be completely uninhibited in their experimentation, while veteran architects will have the opportunity to step back into a world of the art and contemplation of architecture.

✦ ArchUp Competition Review

The House of Death and Life competition is a very creative and philosophical themed global contest organized by ICARCH to mark the half-century of Sigurd Lewerentz’s death. The contest invites architects, designers, and creative minds all over the world to build a house that represents the coexisting contrasting forces of death and life. Not only is the competition free of charge but it is also an open event allowing for submission in any format or scale with the closing date of December 29, 2025. The project proposal pushes the writers to think in terms of and with metaphors, stating that the main purpose of the buildings is nothing but to speak about the existence of people and their needs. The organizer is well-established, the conditions are straightforward and adaptable, and the judging is based on the idea behind the project, the visualization of the space, and the connection to feelings. In general, the contest gives a rarechance for both the up-and-coming and the seasoned architects to see and treat architecture as a form of art and a contemplative practice.

Conclusion

The competition “House of Death and Life” can be considered as a direct challenge to architects to provide solutions to the human condition. The proposals consist of a house that represents the two opposites, death, and life, this will result in dwelling places that are strong in the philosophical, reflective, and emotional aspects. The competition is not determined by practical use or market needs. It is all about the significance of architecture when that significance is existence and memory. Creation of different kinds of mortalities and rebirths through the use of materiality, spatial experience, and symbolism is what the architects are encouraged to do. Only in this manner will architects present their works as those that are mind-opening, feeling generating, and overturning the traditional architectural idea. Life and death are the themes, then, the participants are making a contribution towards the improvised role of architecture: the one of being a medium for the contemplation, memory, and poetic expression.

Explore the Latest Architecture Exhibitions & Conferences

ArchUp offers daily updates on top global architectural exhibitions, design conferences, and professional art and design forums.
Follow key architecture competitions, check official results, and stay informed through the latest architectural news worldwide.
ArchUp is your encyclopedic hub for discovering events and design-driven opportunities across the globe.

Competition Website