The Contemporary Home
between Buildner and ArchDaily, that aims to
explore “The Contemporary Home”.
Learn more here.

Competition introduction
People are living longer than ever before, and as a result, an aging population is struggling to find a place to live out their golden years. While there are, of course, often concerns about healthcare and support, there are a huge number of factors that affect older generations that aren't always considered. Many in the older generation struggle to adapt to the changes in their lifestyle. They're unable to do everything they used to, they're not working or interacting with their community as much, and of course, many will be dealing with the loss of loved ones.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is also being felt, as staff shortages, tighter budgets, and new health and safety restrictions make the supply of suitable retirement housing even smaller.
The Portugal Elderly Home competition is tasking participants with designing a retirement home in central Portugal.
Portugal is one of the most popular countries in the world for retirement living, having ranked 4th in International Living's Global Retirement Index for 2022. In addition to great weather and a combination of stunning coasts, countryside, and cities, retirees in Portugal love the country's friendliness and sense of community.
Portugal is one of the most popular countries in the world for retirement living, having ranked 4th in International Living's Global Retirement Index for 2022.
The Portugal Elderly Home competition is tasking participants with designing a retirement home in central Portugal. It will need to house 60 residents and ten support staff comfortably. It should also include several features, including a small library, a gathering room, a chapel, a kitchen, and a dining room, as well as a private area that could function as a nurse's room and therapy room for psychological support.
By putting accessibility at the forefront of design and creating a space that meets the unique requirements of an aging population of residents, architects and designers have the chance to reinvent accessible architecture.
The Portugal Elderly Home competition is a chance for participants to explore how architecture can offer support to those who need it most. How can architecture influence how a person moves through a home? How can it help people to feel safe, comfortable, and independent?
Download the full competition brief for more information!
The 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.
Full competition brief
The full competition brief can be downloaded as often as required; no additional information will be provided after registration.
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- (!) FULL COMPETITION BRIEF
- Règles de compétition
- Reglas de la competencia
- Regolamento del concorso
- SITE PHOTOGRAPHS
Prizes
Certificate of Achievement
Certificate of Achievement
Certificate of Achievement
Certificate of Achievement
+ 50 Points Buildner Architecture University Rankings
Publications
Certificate of Achievement
CERTIFICATE:
Buildner will also acknowledge the outstanding performance of all winners and honourable mentions with Certificates of Achievement.
Publicity campaign
The Buildner’s extensive global publicity campaign for the competition winners:
- "SEEN BY" ONE MILLION Results published on buildner.com - one of the leading websites in the industry and is visited by over one million unique visitors each year.
- "SEEN BY" 800 000 MORE Publications on Buildner's social networks (over 600,000 followers) and newsletter campaigns (over 200,000 subscribers).
- INTERVIEW Exclusive interview published with the results and shared on Buildner's social networks.
- MOVIE The competition winners will be granted and opportunity to submit a movie about themselves. The video will be published on the Buildner's website and social networks.
- MEDIA PARTNERS The competition results will get international art and design media coverage and will be featured in the world’s leading architecture media outlets.
Jury panel
Jury members shall under no circumstances be contacted by competition participants or their representatives. Participants who attempt to contact jury members, shall be disqualified.
All jury members are involved in the evaluation based on their availability at that time. All communication regarding the competition should only be carried out with Buildner staff. For any questions please contact us on [email protected]










Key dates
Closing date for registration
19 April, 2023
Closing date for project submission
31 May, 2023 (11:59pm London time)
Announcement of the winners
05 July, 2023
Competition Q&A deadline: 24 April, 2023
In order to guarantee equal opportunities to all competition participants,
no new questions will be answered after this deadline!
Registration fees
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Registration Deadline26 January - 19 April
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Architects / Enthusiasts / Companies155 €Full award packageThis registration provides a complete set of prizes, including certificates of achievement, monetary rewards, and potential construction benefits.110 €No monetary awardThis registration offers a comprehensive set of prizes, including recognition through publicity, certificates of achievement, and potential construction-related benefits, without any monetary awards.
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Students125 €Full award packageThis registration provides a complete set of prizes, including certificates of achievement, monetary rewards, and potential construction benefits.85 €No monetary awardThis registration offers a comprehensive set of prizes, including recognition through publicity, certificates of achievement, and potential construction-related benefits, without any monetary awards.
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 request from your university email address along with basic information about yourself and your university/school. Please note that only recognized university staff can apply for the reduced student rate.
Competition results in media

























