Premise
The Cooling Pavilion for Hot Cities competition invites architects and designers to respond to rising urban heat conditions through small-scale, impactful interventions. The challenge centers on designing a pavilion that acts as a microclimate refuge within dense, heat-prone environments such as Phoenix, USA.
Participants are encouraged to rethink passive cooling, shade strategies, and sensory comfort. The pavilion should not only provide relief from extreme temperatures but also foster social interaction, inclusivity, and environmental awareness. Solutions may integrate water elements, vegetation, innovative materials, or responsive systems that enhance thermal comfort while remaining resource-efficient and visually compelling.
Objective
The primary objective is to create a pavilion that significantly reduces perceived heat and improves outdoor usability in extreme climates. Designs should demonstrate a clear understanding of passive cooling techniques such as shading, ventilation, evaporative cooling, and material selection. The pavilion must be functional, accessible, and adaptable, offering a welcoming space for rest and gathering. Innovation is highly encouraged—whether through kinetic structures, modular systems, or climate-responsive skins. The proposal should balance aesthetics with performance, ensuring that the pavilion becomes both a practical urban solution and an iconic public feature that can be replicated in other hot cities globally.
Site
The competition site is conceptually located in Phoenix, USA, known for its extreme desert climate. Participants may choose a specific urban context such as a public plaza, park, transit stop, or street corner, or develop a generic adaptable prototype. Suggested site dimensions range between 50 sqm to 300 sqm, allowing flexibility in scale while maintaining a human-centered approach. The pavilion footprint should ideally not exceed 150 sqm, though slight variations are acceptable. Designers should consider sun orientation, wind patterns, and urban heat island effects. Integration with existing infrastructure, pedestrian flow, and surrounding landscape is encouraged but not mandatory.
Constraints
Design proposals must prioritize passive cooling strategies over energy-intensive systems. The use of sustainable, locally available, or recyclable materials is strongly recommended. Water usage should be efficient and justified, especially considering arid conditions. The structure should be feasible for construction, with attention to durability under extreme heat and UV exposure. While there are no strict height limits, a recommended range of 3m to 8m ensures usability and shade effectiveness. बजेट-conscious design thinking is important, though conceptual innovation is equally valued. Accessibility, safety, and minimal maintenance requirements should also be addressed in the proposal.
Evaluation Criteria
Submissions will be evaluated based on a combination of environmental performance, design innovation, and user experience. Key criteria include:
Effectiveness of cooling strategies and thermal comfort improvement
Creativity and originality of the architectural concept
Integration of sustainability principles and material efficiency
Feasibility and constructability of the design
Visual and spatial quality, including user interaction and inclusivity
Judges will also consider how well the proposal addresses real-world challenges in hot climates and its potential for scalability or adaptation in other urban contexts facing similar environmental conditions.
Budget
Participants should propose a realistic construction budget, ideally within the range of $10,000 to $100,000 USD, depending on scale and complexity. The budget should account for materials, labor, transportation, and basic installation. While there is flexibility, overly expensive or impractical solutions may be penalized. Cost-effective innovation is encouraged, especially solutions that maximize impact with minimal resources. Designers should also consider lifecycle costs, including maintenance and durability. A brief cost breakdown is recommended to demonstrate feasibility and economic viability.
Competition Schedule & Entry Fees
Phase Deadline Standard Entry Student Entry
Competition Launch 15 March 2026
Early Bird Registration 15 April 2026 $29 $19
Standard Registration 20 May 2026 $49 $29
Late Registration 30 May 2026 $69 $39
Final Submission 5 June 2026
Valid student ID required during submission.
Schedule and Fees
Early Registration: 15 April 2026 GMT/UTC ($29 USD)
Final Registration & Submission: 31 May 2026 GMT/UTC ($69 USD)
Results Announced: 20 June 2026
Submission Requirements
1 x A1 Sheet: Explaining the value proposition or design (PDF, at least 150dpi, max 20 MB)
Outcome
Winner x 1: Proposal for Building + Media Outreach and Exposure + Certificate (shareable link forever)
Runners Up x 4: Media Outreach and Exposure + Certificate (shareable link forever)
Participation Certificates: For everyone (shareable link forever)
