Student Competitions
Fall 2021
The Student Ideas Competition at the Chicago Architecture Biennial encourages middle and high school students to share their ideas for how design can play a role in creating shared spaces and shaping communities. Through five competitions, CAB has engaged more than 1,600 students in youth-centered conversations about architecture and the built environment.
CAB's 6th Student Ideas Competition will launch on September 27, 2021.
Pre-register to receive more information as it becomes available.
Submit a Project
All work must be submitted by midnight on December 6, 2021 in order to qualify for jury review.
Entries may include 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional, performative, or written components and can use any media. A photo, video, or digital file of your entry must be uploaded to the competition form. The following elements must be submitted in order to qualify for jury review:
- Project Title
- Project Images (up to 4)
- Written Response (150-200 words)
See the Competition Manual for complete details.
Past Competitions
Spring 2021The Spring 2021 Student Ideas Competition invited young people to respond to the following question:
How can existing urban spaces be reimagined to better reflect the needs and interests of local residents?
Winners were determined by our panel of distinguished jurors:
Kimberly Dowdell | Principal, HOK
Melissa Mister | Chief Program Officer, After School Matters
Caroline O'Boyle | Director of Programs and Partnerships, Trust for Public Land
Walmer Saavedra | Executive Director, Human Scale
Taylor Staten | Founder, TnS Studio
Tricia Van Eck | Founder and Artistic Director, 6018North
Gibran Villalobos | Assistant Curator, Performance and Public Practice, MCA
Tanner Woodford | Executive Director, Design Museum of Chicago
Winners
Honorable Mention
Chloe Acosta, Maya Diaz, Angelynn Jimenez, Montserrat Lopez, Daveon Merrick, Devin Otto, Dominic Ridarelli, Max Rojas, Nicholas Tam, and Michael Wangler
Mia Fritsch-Anderson and Nina L.
The Fall 2019 bp Student Ideas Competition invited young people to respond to the following challenge:
Design a safe community space where young people can share ideas and take action on a local or global issue. Your space can be a physical place, an object, or an event.
Winners were determined by our panel of distinguished jurors:
Catherine Baker | Principal, Landon Bone Baker Architects
Juan Jimenez | Head of Control, Compliance, Financial Risk & Functions, bp America
Karen Rigg | Project Architect, Partners by Design, Inc.
Lydia Ross | Director of Public Art, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
Carrie Shepherd | Reporter, WBEZ
Helen Slade | Executive Director, Territory
RaMona Westbrook | President, Brook Architecture, Inc.
Asif Wilson | Associate Dean, Harold Washington College
View photos of the Awards Ceremony here.
The competition was sponsored by bp America and presented in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Center.
Winners
Honorable Mention
The Spring 2019 bp Student Ideas Competition invited young people to respond to the following question:
How would you transform a vacant or underused space in your community?
Winners were determined by our panel of distinguished jurors:
Geoffrey Baer | Television Personality, Host, and Producer, WTTW Chicago
Lisa M. Daugherty | President & CEO, Lake Area United Way
Roark Frankel | Director of Planning of Construction, Obama Foundation
Vivian Garcia | Manager of The 606, Chicago Park District
Mejay Gula | Lecturer and Gallery Curator, Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Luis Ramirez | Graffiti Artist and Muralist
Ian Spula | Program Operations Specialist, Chicago Architecture Center
Anthony Wells | Chief of Staff, bp America
View photos of the Awards Ceremony here.
The competition was sponsored by bp America.
Winners
Honorable Mention
The 2017 bp Student Design Competition invited young people to respond to challenges in the following two categories:
Architecture: Design a new Chicago Public Library branch.
Graphic Design: Design a Chicago neighborhood bus shelter advertisement.
Winners were determined by our panel of distinguished jurors:
Jeremy Dunn | Director, Teen Services, Chicago Public Library
Eleanor Gorski | Deputy Commissioner, City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development
Kevin Hall | Director of Planning, Design and Engineering, Chicago Housing Authority
Elizabeth "Lee" Kelley | Public Art Administrator, Chicago Transit Authority
Kerl Lajeune | Senior Designer, Public Building Commission of Chicago
Jason Lesniewicz | Director, Cultural Tourism, Choose ChicagoRashaan Meador | Senior Program Coordinator, Chicago Public Schools
Derk Wehner | Head of Operations, bp America
The competition was sponsored by bp America and presented in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Center.
Winners
Honorable Mention
The Fall 2015 bp Design Competition invited young people to respond to the following challenge:
Design a pocket park less than a half-acre in size and within a 10-minute walk of every home in the Dunning, Chicago Lawn, or Roseland community areas of Chicago.
Winners were determined by our panel of distinguished jurors:
Richard C. Bumstead | University of Chicago
Khatija Hasmy | Chicago Park District
Sarah Herda | Graham Foundation
Rashaan Meador | Chicago Public Schools
Michael J. O'Brien | bp America
The competition was sponsored by bp America and presented in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Center.
Winners
Honorable Mention
