World Habitat Awards 2026

World Habitat Awards 2026 is now open for entries!

World Habitat Awards 2026 : World Habitat Awards 2026, international architecture competition organised in collaboration with UN-Habitat, has been recently opened for entries looking for the world’s best housing solutions and invites all individuals, organisations or governments who have addressed housing challenges to participate.

➜ Short description

World Habitat, in collaboration with UN-Habitat, is looking for the world’s best housing solutions through the 2026 World Habitat Awards competition.

The Awards recognizes and highlights innovative, outstanding and sometimes revolutionary housing ideas, projects and programs from across the world.

Eligible for entry are projects from around the world that focus on affordable and adequate housing, that are in progress or have been completed in the last ten years and project that have been designed and/or delivered in close collaboration with the residents/local community. Those that are at design stage only or in the very early stages of development will not be considered.

Housing projects and approaches are sought that:

➜ demonstrate practical, innovative and sustainable solutions to current housing issues faced by countries all around the world
➜ can be transferred or adapted for use as appropriate
➜ are already being implemented or are completed ie not at design stage or very early stages of development
➜ view the term habitat from a broad perspective and bring other benefits as well, such as energy or water saving, income generation, social inclusion, community and individual empowerment, health benefits, capacity building or education.

You can enter more than one project or programme. Entries can be submitted now in English, Spanish or French.

All entries are assessed and up to 40 projects will be shortlisted by an assessment committee. These shortlisted projects will be then evaluated by an independent advisory group.

➜ Who may enter?

The Awards are open to all individuals, organisations or governments who have addressed housing challenges.

➜ Prize:

Two winners of the 2026 World Habitat Awards will receive a Gold Award and £10,000. Trophies will also be presented to the Gold Award winning projects and travel and accommodation costs are met for one representative of each project to attend the awards ceremony.