The stair is one of the most elemental and enduring components of architecture. It is a structure in motion—a connector of levels, a sculptural form, a spatial sequence, and a symbol of ascent, descent, and transition. It guides the body and engages the mind. It is at once practical and poetic.
From ancient stone steps carved into cliffs to futuristic floating staircases in contemporary design, the stair has served far more than a functional role. It punctuates the rhythm of space, dictates circulation, and often becomes a central visual and emotional anchor in architectural composition. It holds narrative power—inviting pause, procession, and perception.
This competition invites architects, designers, and creative thinkers to explore the stair as a pure expression of architectural language. Participants are asked to reflect on its symbolism, geometry, movement, and potential—free from constraints of program, material, or scale. There are no limitations on style, function, context, or dimension. Whether monumental or minimal, abstract or inhabitable, real or speculative—what matters is the clarity and creativity of the concept.We are not looking for compliance with regulations or typical stair design solutions. Instead, this is a conceptual exploration of an essential architectural element, reimagined as a means of expressing your unique design philosophy. How can a stair tell a story? How can it embody spatial ideas, emotions, ideologies, or atmospheres? How can it become a metaphor, a movement, a manifesto?
Take a step and make a statement! The stair is your subject—but your imagination defines its boundaries. Celebrate it. Deconstruct it. Transform it.
Download the full competition brief for more information!
Competition is open to all. No professional qualification is required. Design proposals can be developed individually or by teams (4 team members maximum). Correspondence with organizers must be conducted in English; All information submitted by participants must be in English.
The full competition brief can be downloaded as often as required; no additional information will be provided after registration.
Full Competition Brief
3,500 €
1,500 €
1,000 €
Buildner will acknowledge the outstanding performance of all winners and honourable mentions with Certificates of Achievement.
The Buildner’s extensive global publicity campaign for the competition winners:
The results are published on buildner.com, a leading website in the architecture industry, attracting over one million unique visitors annually. Additionally, the campaign extends to Buildner's social networks, which boast over 800,000 followers combined, and through newsletter campaigns reaching over 200,000 subscribers.
Winners will have the opportunity to submit a movie and an interview, boosting their recognizability and helping to build their name in the industry.
Buildner leverages an extensive network of media industry leaders to publish the competition results. This broadens the audience further, ensuring that participants' work is showcased across multiple platforms known for their influence and reach in the architecture and design sectors.
Publicity
As part of the collaboration between Buildner and ArchDaily, the competition winners will be showcased on ArchDaily, a leading architecture news platform.
This feature will greatly boost the winners' visibility to millions of architecture professionals and enthusiasts worldwide, increasing their chances for new opportunities, attracting new clients, and establishing their reputation in the industry.
Read more about Buildner and ArchDaily partnership
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Currently, the jury panel for the The Architect's Stair #1 Architecture Competition has not yet been published. However, you can see the jury panels from previous competitions at the following link: https://architecturecompetitions.com/guest-jury
Buildner is committed to selecting the most qualified industry professionals to comprise its jury panels. These panels consist of architects and professionals from other relevant fields to ensure the most objective competition results. All communication regarding the competition should only be carried out with Buildner staff. For any questions, please contact us at [email protected].
In order to guarantee equal opportunities to all competition participants.
No new questions will be answered after this deadline.
In order to guarantee equal opportunities to all competition participants.
No new questions will be answered after this deadline.
STUDENT REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
Contact us to receive special student rates for group registrations (discount applies for 3+ registrations from one university/school) and to receive further information and support for getting your students involved in architecture competitions.
Send us ([email protected]) a request from your university email address and basic information about yourself and your university/school. Only recognized university staff can apply for the reduced student rate.
