Architecture Competitions and COVID-19 Pandemic

 

The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused economies around the world to slow down. With isolation measures in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, architecture is just one of the industries that has been impacted. Offices and worksites are closed, investment in new projects is virtually nil, and designers and architects are having to work remotely if they’re able to work at all.

This is a stressful time for all of us, and we have no idea when things will return to normal. So here are 7 reasons why taking part in an architecture competition might be beneficial during this difficult time.

1. Keep yourself challenged

Depending on your situation, it’s likely that the amount of available work has reduced significantly. If you’re a freelancer, contractor, or a student, then work might have stopped altogether. Going from an active and challenging working or studying environment to sitting at home watching Netflix is going to be a shock to the system. Keeping yourself challenged and motivated during this time is important, and starting a new project like this could be just what you need to distract you from the constant news updates about coronavirus.

2. Virtual collaboration

As more and more countries go into lockdown, people have been relying on virtual connections in order to keep themselves sane. Collaborating with friends and colleagues on an architecture competition project is a great opportunity to connect virtually with others on a regular basis.

3. Healthy distraction

When connecting with friends and family online, do you spend most of the time talking about coronavirus? While it’s lovely that your family wants to check in and see how you’re doing, there’s only so much you can talk about seeing as you’re stuck indoors all day. Taking part in a competition would mean that when you do connect with your teammates you’ll have something else to talk about, providing you all with a healthy distraction.

4. Develop your portfolio

Developing your portfolio is a benefit of architecture competitions all year round, but especially since the recent events have caused such a slow down in the construction industry, this is a chance to keep developing your back catalogue of work.

Some of the former Buildner architecture competition winners

If you’re an architecture student or you’re just starting out, this economic slowdown will hit especially hard, drastically limiting the amount of work you have to showcase your experience. An architecture competition will allow you to continue working on new ideas and honing additional skills such as collaboration and presentation.

Even the most experienced architects out there will be affected by the slowdown, and a competition is a great opportunity to try something completely new. If your day-to-day work isn’t keeping you busy these days, a competition is a chance to kick-off a brand new project, working in fields and disciplines that you may not get that chance to tackle.

5. Grow your skills

 Coffee House - Coffee Bug // Maria Law, Razvan Pop, Joe Harris and Stefan Munteanu // The Big Tiny Coffee House Architecture Competition Honorable Mention 

This is another year-round benefit of architecture competitions, as taking part in projects that aren’t connected to your regular working routine gives you the chance to explore new areas and grow your skills. This could be working on challenging abstract concepts, planning developments in new locations, using new tools to create your work, or focusing on a totally different side of the creative process. Architecture competitions are a great opportunity to develop new skills without the pressure of a client or a commission.

6. Recognition

Hong Kong Pixel Homes winners featured on CNN.  Whether your designs are ever actualised as real life structures or not, architecture competitions are still a fantastic way to earn recognition for your work. Large-scale media publications such as CNN, ArchDaily, Sky News, and Dezeen have all published winning designs from Buildner architecture competitions.

All Buildner competition winners and runners-up are featured on architecture websites and in industry publications around the world. This is a great opportunity, especially for those at the beginning of their careers, to achieve some well-deserved recognition for their work and creativity.

7. Monetary reward

While you shouldn’t enter architecture competitions simply with the goal of winning some money, it can be a nice added incentive. And with many industries taking a hit during the COVID-19 crisis, that prize money could be a helpful boost to your income.

Take part in an architecture competition - register online today!

Ready to exercise your creativity, grow your portfolio, pitch for clients, or gain international recognition? Then take part in one of our open architecture competitions now, either as a group or as an individual. Find out more here.