The Social Hub 2.0 Student Competition

DiscoverArch's The Social Hub 2.0 asks architecture and design students to reimagine a museum, memorial, library or community hub on a site they choose; late registration closes 10 November 2026.

illustrarch Editoral Team30 October 20262 Mins read1

Image: courtesy DiscoverArch

Competition 13 days left

Category: Student
Organizer: DiscoverArch
Location: Online
Project site: Any site with a cultural, historical or social identity, chosen by the entrant
Eligibility: Undergraduate and postgraduate students currently enrolled in architecture, urban planning, landscape design or related programmes worldwide. Individuals or teams of up to four, plus an optional faculty mentor.
Language: English
Registration deadline: 10 November 2026
Submission deadline: 12 November 2026
Results announcement: 31 January 2027
Fees: INR 300 or USD 4 per member until 2 Nov; INR 500 or USD 6 until 10 Nov
Prizes: INR 20,000 in total, plus 10 honourable mentions
Jury: Sabeena Khanna (Studio KIA), Silvia Covarino (German University Cairo), Shreya Srivastava (studio shunya), José Manuel Pinto De Carvalho (MIA / ISMAT), Minakshi Jain (NIT Hamirpur), Palav Dhananjay Desai (S.V.I.T. Vasad)
Submission requirements: Up to two A1 sheets in PDF, max 50 MB in total, with site plan, site narrative diagram, floor plans, sections, elevations, a detail drawing and 3D renders. Unique ID in the top right corner, no names, colleges or logos. All text in English. Selected entrants present to the jury on a laptop. Deadline 11:59 pm IST.

Prize breakdown

First prize: INR 10,000
Second prize: INR 6,000
Third prize: INR 4,000
10 honourable mentions with certificates and publication on DiscoverArch
Top 50 shortlist in the DiscoverArch project archive
Participation certificates for all completed entries

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Brief and registration

DiscoverArch has opened The Social Hub 2.0, the second edition of its international student competition “Reimagining Community Spaces”. Late registration runs until 10 November 2026, entries are due by 11:59 pm IST on 12 November 2026, and the winners will be announced on 31 January 2027. The prize pool is INR 20,000.

The brief

Entrants design a socio-cultural building that brings people together, such as a museum, memorial, library, convention centre, spiritual centre or community hub. Each team chooses its own site with a rich cultural, historical or social identity and turns its story into an architectural experience, setting up a dialogue between past, present and future.

Sustainability sits at the core of the brief: proposals should aim for a low carbon footprint, climate-responsive strategies, local and recyclable materials and spaces that can adapt over time, while staying inclusive and accessible. All registered participants also get access to a live webinar on sustainable design.

The jury will look at the concept, functionality and spatial planning, innovation and sustainability, the response to community and context, the presentation, and how the site’s story and heritage shape the user experience.

Eligibility

The competition is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students currently enrolled in architecture, urban planning, landscape design or related programmes anywhere in the world. Students can enter alone or in teams of up to four, with an optional faculty mentor who does not count towards the team fee.

Prizes and fees

First prize: INR 10,000
Second prize: INR 6,000
Third prize: INR 4,000
10 honourable mentions, a top 50 shortlist and certificates for every completed entry

Registration is charged per member and is non-refundable. The standard fee is INR 300 in India or USD 4 elsewhere until 2 November 2026, and the late fee is INR 500 or USD 6 from 2 to 10 November 2026. The early bird tier closed on 1 October.

The jury is made up of Sabeena Khanna, Silvia Covarino, Shreya Srivastava, José Manuel Pinto De Carvalho, Minakshi Jain and Palav Dhananjay Desai.

How to enter

After registering, each team receives a unique ID code. Submissions are up to two A1 sheets in PDF format, no more than 50 MB in total, with a site plan, a site narrative diagram, floor plans, sections, elevations, a detail drawing and 3D renders. The ID goes in the top right corner, and names, college names and logos are not allowed. All text must be in English, and selected entrants will present their work to the jury on a laptop. Registration and the brief are available via the competition website.