Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026

The VELUX Group invites students of architecture to participate in Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026, continuing the legacy of the International VELUX Award for students of architecture. The 2026 competition and award represent the 12th edition, which until now has collectively received over 6,000 exciting daylight projects from more than 800 schools of architecture around the world. 

Light of Tomorrow by VELUX continues the legacy set out by the International VELUX Award for Students of Architecture, first launched in 2004. Since then, it has grown into what is probably the largest competition for students of architecture working with daylight — the architects who will shape the buildings of our future.

The competition and award invite students to explore the role of daylight in architecture and inspire new thinking. The aim of the competition and award is to encourage and challenge students of architecture, and to create a deeper understanding of this specific and ever-relevant source of energy, light, and life.

The student teams will submit their project under the theme “Light of Tomorrow” with special prizes given to the best projects demonstrating ‘Natural light in new buildings’, ‘Daylight in building transformation’, and ‘Daylight Investigations.’

Register now 

Registration for participation is now open.

To participate in the competition and award, the first step for students is registration with an email address and a phone number. The students are then encouraged to gather their team, connect with their teacher, and start developing their project. Students have until April 2026 to develop their ideas into innovative and out-of-the-box daylight projects to submit.

Register here.

The key dates 

30 March 2026: Deadline for registration

06 April 2026: Submission deadline; project upload (deadline 23:59 UTC+12)

April 2026: Jury meeting and announcement of Regional Winners

26 June – 02 July 2026: Regional Winners workshop / Presentations to the jury / Global winners

Find the award brief and information on how to take part in Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026 at https://www.daylightandarchitecture.com/lightoftomorrow 

Follow Light of Tomorrow by VELUX on Instagram  and Facebook for all the news and updates.

A source of inspiration 

Light of Tomorrow by VELUX is part of the Daylight and Architecture community initiated by VELUX. Rounding up a range of unique content created by architects, journalists, and researchers, the website daylightandarchitecture.com  offers a rich library of filmed lectures, daylight talks, and articles.

These are especially valuable for students of architecture participating in Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026, for finding inspiration and expanding their understanding of the importance of daylight for life on Earth.

About Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026

The competition and award aim to encourage and challenge students and their teachers all over the world to explore the theme of daylight in the widest perspectives and understanding of the subject – responding to the theme “Light of Tomorrow”.

Launched in 2004 and held biennially, the competition and award seek to challenge the future of daylight in the built environment by inspiring creative explorations on daylight from the world’s leading future architects.

The competition and award are organised in close collaboration with the International Union of Architects (UIA) and are acknowledged by the following educational organisations: The European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE), The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), the Architectural Research Centers Consortium (ARCC), and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA).

For more information about Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026, visit https://www.daylightandarchitecture.com/lightoftomorrow.

About the VELUX Group 

VELUX roof windows have been bringing daylight and fresh air into people’s homes around the world for more than 80 years, creating better living environments. We offer a range of products including roof windows and modular skylights, decorative blinds, sun screening products, and roller shutters, as well as installation and smart home solutions. They help create bright, healthy, and energy-efficient places for people who live, work, learn, and play under the roof. We work globally – with sales and manufacturing operations in 37 countries and around 12,000 employees worldwide. The VELUX Group is owned by VKR Holding A/S, a limited company owned by the Villum Foundation and members of the Kann Rasmussen family. In 2024, the VELUX Group had a total revenue of EUR 2.96 billion while VKR Holding had a total revenue of EUR 3.87 billion. The same year, the Villum Foundation and the VELUX FOUNDATION donated a total of EUR 169 million in charitable grants.