Town Housing
Town Housing is the Lyceum Fellowship’s 2027 student architecture competition. It asks entrants to propose housing for a community of 100 people in downtown Clarksdale, Mississippi, together with at least one commercial space that acts as the project’s public face and supports community life.
Eligibility is limited to individual students enrolled in an accredited school of architecture in North America. Team entries are not accepted. The published submission form sets the deadline at 27 May 2027, 8:00 p.m. EDT, equivalent to 28 May 2027 at 00:00 UTC.
Competition overview
| Organizer | Lyceum Fellowship |
|---|---|
| Program author and jury chair | Jonathan Tate, OJT |
| Site | Clarksdale, Mississippi, United States |
| Type | Student ideas competition and traveling fellowship |
| Eligibility | Individual students enrolled in accredited North American architecture schools; specific degree pathways are checked in the application |
| Entry fee | USD 15 |
| Registration | Registration, fee payment and project upload form part of one three-step submission process; no earlier separate deadline is stated |
| Submission | 27 May 2027, 8:00 p.m. EDT — 28 May 2027, 00:00 UTC |
Brief and design scope
The proposal must house 100 people. Entrants choose the mix of one-, two- or three-bedroom homes, co-living or other arrangements, and should define the population and living patterns their model serves. At least one commercial space must connect the new community to downtown and may be programmed to help the town evolve.
The brief encourages a speculative but place-specific response addressing adaptive growth, environmental stewardship and community vitality. It is an ideas exercise; the public call does not promise construction or a client commission.
Submission process
| Step 1 | Register, confirm eligibility and pay the application fee |
|---|---|
| Step 2 | Receive a unique identification number |
| Step 3 | Upload the design project and travel statement |
| Detailed format | The public site directs entrants to the program brief for sheet sizes, file limits and full eligibility rules; those details are not reproduced on the open overview page |
| Team rule | Individual work only, produced independently or in a studio |
Jury and prizes
| Jury chair | Jonathan Tate, OJT |
|---|---|
| Named juror | Harly Hutker, Hutker Architects and Lyceum Fellowship |
| Additional jurors | To be announced |
| First prize | USD 15,000 for three months of travel abroad |
| Second prize | USD 10,000 for two months of travel abroad |
| Third prize | USD 5,000 for one month of travel abroad |
| Other recognition | Discretionary Jon McKee Prize and merit certificates |
The stated awards are travel fellowships, not unrestricted design fees. Winners must begin travel within 15 months and develop an itinerary with the Fellowship. The open pages reviewed do not state publication or intellectual-property terms in sufficient detail; entrants should read the downloadable program before payment and uploading.
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
The competition combines a concrete housing population with freedom to define household types and a civic-facing commercial program. That balance can reveal how an entrant connects dwelling patterns, public life and small-town urban repair rather than treating housing as an isolated object.
Its main limitation is access: eligibility is restricted to individual students in North American accredited schools. The travel awards are substantial, but they are tied to travel duration, and the incomplete public jury list and brief-gated technical requirements mean applicants should download and check the governing document early.
Related competitions — Editors’ selection
For other student and community-focused briefs, see William Gladstone School New Academic Wing and Future of Harem Bus Station.
Time remaining for submission
Official deadline: 27 May 2027 at 8:00 p.m. EDT, equivalent to 28 May 2027 at 00:00 UTC.
Official competition page
Review the current overview, obtain the full program brief and use the organizer’s submission form.
