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 Architect’s Stair / Edition #3 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].
Norman Foster Foundation
Spain
Creator
France
Farshid Moussavi Architecture (FMA)
United Kingdom
Alison Brooks Architects
UK
Neri&Hu Design and Research Office
China
Founder, AL_A
Founding Partner, Mecanoo
Netherlands
Founder and Principle, UNStudio
Netherlands
Co-Founder, WORKac; Columbia GSAPP
United States
Adjaye Associates
UK
Interiors Principal, SOM
USA
Founder, ArchDaily
Germany
Partner at Foster + Partners
UAE
Director of Zaha Hadid Architects
UK
Director, Zaha Hadid Architects
UK
Director, Zaha Hadid Architects
UK
Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, Merge
United States
Google and Michelle Kaufmann Studio
United States
GSAPP and MOS
United States
Marlon Blackwell Architects
United States
GLUCK+
United States
Director, Zaha Hadid Architects
UK
Director of Zaha Hadid Architects
UK
Olson Kundig
United States
Steven Holl Architects - SHA
China
Grimshaw
United Kingdom
Snøhetta
Norway
Director, Snøhetta
Norway
Managing Partner at SOM
USA
Partner at MVRDV
Netherlands
Studio Fuksas
Italy
Founder, MVRDV
Netherlands
Associate Partner, MAD Architects
USA
Partner at BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group
USA
BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group
Denmark
Director, MIT Senseable City Lab
USA
Calatrava Grace and Calatrava International
UAE
Studio Seilern Architects
UK
Partner, MVRDV
Netherlands
Director of Graduate Studies, PhD Program, School of Architecture, Princeton University
United States
Architect and Professor at TU Berlin
Germany
Safdie Architects
USA
Founder and Partner, Peter Pichler Architecture
Italy
Practice for architecture and urbanism: PAU
USA
TenBerke Architects
USA
JDS Architects
Denmark
Princeton University, MOS
USA
Editor in Chief, ArchDaily
Lebanon
Participants will have the option to request a personalised in-depth design assessment of their project for a fee after the competition results are published.
This feedback highlights the strengths of each submission and identifies areas for refinement, offering participants valuable insights into their work.
The design assessment serves as both a learning tool and a reflection of a project's performance. It helps participants better understand their submission, see how it compares with other entries, and identify opportunities for growth in future projects.
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.
years of experience
