#GC2022 is accepting submissions - 25d 27h 05m 44s

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Finalists #GC2022 are out!

GC2022 is now live! Accelerating self-build community projects worldwide.

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| Esperanza School, Ecuador - © Al Borde

90% of architects spend all of their time on the richest 10% of the world’s customers. A--D’s mission is to put architecture into the hands of many, not just a few. 

60,000+ professionals

Every day, professionals dedicated to sustainable development in rural-urban
communities are joining our network.

448+ probono experts

Many registered members offer their talents and skills for free to projects in need.

88+ countries

Our members and ambassadors spread over 88 countries have a wide outreach to local communities & NGOs.

Global Challenge 2022

Our Global Challenge program makes a unique selection of community self-build initiatives aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Architecture in Development (A--D) is launching the 3rd Global Challenge in September 2022.

Get in touch
Global Challenge 2022

Our Global Challenge program makes a unique selection of community self-build initiatives aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Architecture in Development (A--D) is launching the 3rd Global Challenge in September 2022.

Get in touch
Meet our partners
Lead a new, inclusive practice

Your support and investment will help these projects to achieve greater impact in Sustainable Development Goals.

Lead a new, inclusive practice

Your support and investment will help these projects to achieve greater impact in Sustainable Development Goals.

Connect to community initiatives

You can nominate expert(s)to join the accelerator to coach the community teams, directly contributing to their project development.

Connect to community initiatives

You can nominate expert(s)to join the accelerator to coach the community teams, directly contributing to their project development.

Influence the selection of the finalists

During the jury process, you can nominate a representative to the jury boardand select the finalists together with other jurors.

Influence the selection of the finalists

During the jury process, you can nominate a representative to the jury boardand select the finalists together with other jurors.

What's going on?
Updates
Why partner with us?
We facilitate the Do-It-Together movement in three ways.
Access to new networks

Connect to world-wide self-built, communities in the emerging markets and practices.

Tangible outcomes

Contribute directly to the realisation of community challenges.

Partnerships for SDG

Lead and demonstrate a new practice that exists only through local-global partnerships.

By actively participating in real community challenges, you play a role in advancing the UN SDG’s.

Best practices 2021
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  • best practices 2021
    Granby 4 Streets, UK

    After several decades of top-down planning to regenerate this run-down neighborhood in Liverpool, it was a bottom-up approach led by the local residents that made the difference.

  • best practices 2021
    El Tr3bol, Bogotá, Colombia

    In an informal settlement in Bogotá, local community and experts have collaborated to revive a community gathering place, El Tr3bol, that has become a vibrant community hub.

  • best practices 2021
    ModSkool, India | finalist of 2016 Global Challenge

    In one of Delhi’s slums, local community activists, leaders, architects have joined forces to build back a school that responds to future evacuations and climate conditions.

  • best practices 2021
    The Chamanga Cultural Center, Ecuador

    After the earthquake in April 2016, local residents, civil society organizations and academia collaborated to rebuild this Afro-Ecuadorian cultural house in San Jose de Chamanga.

  • best practices 2021
    De Ceuvel, the Netherlands

    De Ceuvel is a clean tech playground located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Converted from an industrial wasteland, today it is home to a thriving community of entrepreneurs and artists.

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Global Challenge 2021 Submissions
 health & sanitation
Test bananoszajuk
Amsterdam, Netherlands
 health & sanitation
testproject updates
amsterdam, Netherlands
FAQ
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What is the Global Challenge?

The Global Challenge is a competition that recognises the best community projects and helps accelerate their development. We select the most impactful initiatives, promote them amongst our global network of partners and connect them through meaningful collaborations.

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What type of projects can I submit?

We accept bottom-up, community driven architectural initiatives in the early phases of development. The project must involve the local community who, as a group, commit to improving their collective living, working or learning conditions. The community must be involved through the different phases of the design, development and building process.

Eligible projects must be collective spaces such as schools, libraries, meeting places, community centers, co-housing or factories - but are not limited to these.

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When are the important dates and deadlines?

dates

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Who is eligible to submit a project?

A project can be submitted by a community architect or representative who acts as the ‘gatekeeper’ for the community, who is committed to leading the development process under challenging circumstances. Please note that your project will be prioritised  if you can demonstrate exceptional leadership, project management skills, design experiences, or any relevant track record. By submitting a project, you will be the project owner who is responsible for the project page, campaign and communication with other stakeholders.

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What are the assessment criteria?

Eligible projects will be pre-selected and published on our website based on the submission criteria (Team capacity, Community involvement, Architectural added value, Urgency). During the jury process, we will select a shortlist as well as finalists based on the following assessment criteria:

  • Impact: the project contributes to the long-term development of the community beyond the program period by building various capacities of the community. It presents strategies and tangible solutions that address at least two of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Feasibility: the project has a viable development model for its specific context. The total budget should be specified, and initial funding (20%-30% of the project’s total budget) should be raised.
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What else do I need to know before submitting a project?

You can download the Program Guidelines (pdf) with all the additional information.

Please also check the best practices to learn more about the projects we love.

Architecture-in-Development

We are a global community that believes the future of architecture is together.
Only by forging new alliances, facilitating cross-cultural collaboration and connecting groups previously invisible to each other can we tackle the most pressing social and environmental challenges of our time.

What's going on?
Updates