First Edition · 2026–2027

Forma
International
Design Prize

Recognising Design That Shapes the World — landscape, architecture, and the spaces between.

Register Interest
Days Remaining
31 Oct
2026 Deadline
6
Award Categories
Award-winning landscape architecture
Landscape Architecture
Now Accepting Entries Deadline 31 October 2026 127 Sub-Categories Open Worldwide Winners Announced January 2027 Independent International Award Landscape · Architecture · Urban Design Now Accepting Entries Deadline 31 October 2026 127 Sub-Categories Open Worldwide Winners Announced January 2027 Independent International Award Landscape · Architecture · Urban Design
About the Prize

Design That Endures

Forma International Design Prize is an independent international award dedicated to celebrating exceptional achievement in landscape architecture and built environment design.

We believe the most significant design shapes communities, preserves culture, and advances sustainability. Each edition focuses on a distinct theme, inviting submissions from practitioners, academics, and emerging designers worldwide.

Guided by an international jury of distinguished professionals and academics, Forma upholds rigorous standards of critical evaluation — recognising work that is technically accomplished and genuinely meaningful.

Open
Submissions Now Accepted
31 Oct
2026 Entry Deadline
Jan 2027
Winners Announced
127
Sub-categories Across 6 Disciplines
Landscape design
Landscape Design
Architecture
Architecture
Urban design
Urban Design
Prize Categories

Six Disciplines, One Vision

Select a category to explore eligible sub-categories and submission criteria

01
LD · Landscape Design
Landscape Architecture & Public Realm

The primary category of Forma, celebrating outdoor environments that serve communities and define collective experience. From ecological restoration to urban green infrastructure, this category honours landscape projects at every scale — evaluated for design quality, ecological sensitivity, cultural responsiveness, and lasting social value.

Public RealmParks & Open SpaceEcological DesignWaterfrontCampus LandscapeResidential Landscape
Eligibility
Open to landscape architects, designers, firms, and institutions worldwide. Built and proposed projects completed 2020–2026.
Judging Criteria
Design quality & spatial composition · Ecological performance · Cultural and community relevance · Technical resolution · Innovation and originality
Sub-Categories — Landscape Design
LD·001Balcony & Terrace Design
LD·002Biodiversity Landscape New
LD·003Climate-Responsive Landscape New
LD·004Commercial Landscape
LD·005Concept / Speculative Design
LD·006Corporate Landscape
LD·007Cultural Heritage Landscape
LD·008Educational Landscape
LD·009Garden & Private Landscape
LD·010Hotel & Resort Landscape
LD·011Industrial Landscape
LD·012Innovative Landscape
LD·013Interiorscape Design
LD·014Large-Scale Landscape Project
LD·015Master Planning
LD·016Mixed-Use Landscape
LD·017Native Plant Landscape
LD·018Nightscape & Illuminated Landscape
LD·019Parks & Open Space
LD·020Playspace & Recreational Landscape
LD·021Productive Landscape New
LD·022Public Landscape
LD·023Regenerative Landscape New
LD·024Residential Landscape
LD·025Rooftop & Green Roof Design
LD·026Rural Landscape Design
LD·027Sculpture & Land Art
LD·028Small-Scale Landscape Project
LD·029Temporary & Event Landscape
LD·030Therapeutic Landscape New
LD·031Tourism & Destination Landscape
LD·032Transportation Corridor Landscape
LD·033Vertical & Green Wall Landscape
LD·034Water-Wise & Waterscape Design
LD·035Wetland & Riparian Design
02
AD · Architectural Design
Architecture in Landscape Context

Architecture does not exist in isolation. This category recognises buildings, structures, and pavilions whose design achieves meaningful dialogue with their natural or urban landscape setting. Projects are evaluated on how the relationship between built form and landscape is central to the design narrative.

Cultural BuildingsCivic & PublicPavilionsHospitalityResidentialAdaptive Reuse
Eligibility
Open to architects, designers, and firms worldwide. Projects where landscape is integral to the architectural concept. Completed 2020–2026.
Judging Criteria
Architectural quality · Dialogue with landscape & site · Structural and material innovation · Contextual sensitivity · Programmatic resolution
Sub-Categories — Architectural Design
AD·001Adaptive Reuse & Renovation
AD·002Arches, Bridges & Gateways
AD·003Beach & Coastal Architecture
AD·004Biophilic Architecture New
AD·005Civic & Government Buildings
AD·006Cultural & Arts Buildings
AD·007Educational Buildings
AD·008Exhibition Galleries & Art Spaces New
AD·009Green Roofs & Vertical Gardens
AD·010Healthcare & Wellness Facilities
AD·011Hospitality & Hotels
AD·012Industrial & Infrastructure
AD·013Landmarks & Symbolic Structures
AD·014Memorials & Sacred Spaces
AD·015Mixed-Use Architectural Design
AD·016Museum, Exhibits & Pavilions
AD·017Off-Grid & Remote Architecture
AD·018Pop-Ups & Temporary Architecture
AD·019Public Art & Installation
AD·020Religious & Spiritual Buildings
AD·021Residential in Landscape
AD·022Resilient Architecture New
AD·023Rural & Vernacular Architecture
AD·024Small-Scale & Micro Architecture
AD·025Smart & Technology-Integrated Building
AD·026Sports & Recreation Facilities
AD·027Sustainable & Green Architecture
AD·028Visitor Centres & Interpretation
03
ID · Interior Design
Interior Design with Landscape Connection

Interior environments that extend, mirror, or respond to the landscape beyond. This category celebrates interior spaces where the boundary between inside and outside is dissolved — through material, light, biophilic elements, or conceptual alignment with nature.

Biophilic InteriorsPublic InteriorsHospitalityResidentialCultural Spaces
Eligibility
Interior designers, architects, and design firms. Projects must demonstrate a discernible connection to landscape, nature, or outdoor environment. Completed 2020–2026.
Judging Criteria
Spatial quality · Indoor-outdoor dialogue · Material and sensory experience · Innovation in biophilic design · Functional excellence
Sub-Categories — Interior Design
ID·001AI-Assisted Interior Design New
ID·002Balcony & Patio Design
ID·003Biophilic Interior Design
ID·004Civic & Public Interior
ID·005Cultural & Gallery Spaces
ID·006Educational Interior
ID·007Healthcare & Wellness Interior
ID·008Hospitality & Hotel Interior
ID·009Interiorscape & Indoor Garden
ID·010Neuroaesthetic Design New
ID·011Office & Workplace
ID·012Religious & Spiritual Interior
ID·013Residential Interior
ID·014Restaurant, Bar & Hospitality
ID·015Showroom & Exhibition Design
ID·016Spa, Fitness & Wellness
ID·017Sustainable Interior Design
ID·018Therapeutic & Healing Interior
04
UP · Urban Design & Planning
Urban Design, Planning & Placemaking

Cities are the most complex landscapes we create. This category celebrates urban design, planning, and placemaking projects that reimagine cities as humane, ecologically intelligent, and culturally vibrant environments.

Urban Master PlanningPublic SpacePlacemakingTransit-Oriented DesignSmart City
Eligibility
Urban designers, planners, landscape architects, and research institutions. Built and unbuilt proposals at district or city scale. 2020–2026.
Judging Criteria
Urban coherence & legibility · Public realm quality · Social equity and inclusion · Environmental performance · Implementation feasibility
Sub-Categories — Urban Design & Planning
UP·001Campus & Institutional Planning
UP·002City Branding & Identity
UP·003Coastal & Waterfront Planning
UP·004Community-Led Design
UP·005District & Neighbourhood Planning
UP·006Heritage Urban Regeneration
UP·007Housing & Mixed-Use Development
UP·008Infrastructure Landscape
UP·009Master Planning
UP·010Pedestrian & Active Transport Networks
UP·011Plazas & Civic Squares
UP·012Post-Industrial Regeneration
UP·013Rural & Regional Planning
UP·014Smart City Infrastructure New
UP·015Streetscape Design
UP·016Tactical Urbanism & Placemaking
UP·017Transit-Oriented Development
UP·018Urban Agriculture & Food Systems
UP·019Urban Green Corridors
UP·020Urban Heat Island Mitigation New
UP·021Urban Park & Greenway Design
UP·022Urban Waterway Restoration
05
SE · Sustainable & Ecological Design
Sustainable Design & Ecological Practice

Design has a duty to the planet. This category celebrates projects where sustainability and ecological thinking are not add-ons but fundamental to the design concept — showing that ecological responsibility and aesthetic ambition are not in conflict.

Regenerative DesignNet ZeroEcological RestorationCircular DesignClimate Adaptation
Eligibility
Any design discipline. Projects must demonstrate quantifiable ecological or sustainability outcomes. Research projects with real-world applications also eligible. 2020–2026.
Judging Criteria
Ecological performance metrics · Innovation in sustainable materials · Community and social co-benefits · Scalability and replicability · Design quality alongside ecological intent
Sub-Categories — Sustainable & Ecological Design
SE·001Adaptive Reuse for Sustainability
SE·002Biophilic Design Systems
SE·003Carbon Neutral & Net Zero Design
SE·004Circular Economy Design New
SE·005Climate Adaptation Design
SE·006Constructed Wetland Design
SE·007Ecological Restoration
SE·008Energy-Efficient Design
SE·009Food Forest & Agroforestry
SE·010Habitat Creation & Wildlife Corridor
SE·011Indigenous Plant & Seed Conservation
SE·012Low-Impact Materials & Construction
SE·013Passive Design & Natural Systems
SE·014Post-Disaster Landscape Recovery
SE·015Productive Urban Landscape
SE·016Regenerative Agriculture Landscape
SE·017Soil Health & Land Restoration New
SE·018Sponge City & Flood Resilience
SE·019Stormwater Management Design
SE·020Urban Biodiversity Corridors
SE·021Water-Sensitive Urban Design
SE·022Zero Waste Landscape Design New
06
EC · Emerging & Conceptual Design
Emerging Practice, Research & Conceptual Design

The future of design belongs to those willing to question its limits. Open to students, recent graduates, academic researchers, and designers working in speculative or experimental modes — evaluated on intellectual rigour, originality, and potential for real-world impact.

Student DesignThesis ProjectsAcademic ResearchAI & Digital DesignSpeculative Futures
Eligibility
Students, graduates (within 5 years), academic researchers, and experimental practitioners. Built, unbuilt, digital, and research-based work all eligible. 2020–2026.
Judging Criteria
Originality of concept · Intellectual depth & research rigour · Design communication quality · Innovation & boundary-pushing thinking · Potential for future application
Sub-Categories — Emerging & Conceptual Design
EC·001Academic Research Project
EC·002AI-Assisted Design New
EC·003Ageing & Inclusive Futures
EC·004Biomimicry & Nature-Inspired Design
EC·005Climate Fiction & Speculative Futures
EC·006Community Co-Design Research
EC·007Competition Entry
EC·008Computational & Parametric Design
EC·009Cultural Identity in Landscape
EC·010Data-Driven Urban Design New
EC·011Decolonial Landscape Design
EC·012Experimental Material Research
EC·013Future Heritage & Memory
EC·014Human-Nature Interaction Research
EC·015Indigenous Knowledge & Design
EC·016Installation & Temporary Art
EC·017Metaverse & Virtual Landscape New
EC·018Post-Disaster Design Research
EC·019Regenerative Design Theory
EC·020Social & Participatory Design
EC·021Student Thesis Project
EC·022Urban Acupuncture & Micro-interventions
EC·023Visionary & Futuristic Landscape
EC·024Wearable & Portable Landscape New

General Eligibility

Who May Enter
Open to designers, architects, academics, and students worldwide — individual practitioners and teams both welcome. Any nationality.
Project Window
Built, proposed, and research-based projects created or completed between 2020 and 2026. Conceptual work eligible in Category 06.
Submission Materials
Project name, firm, design team, description (300–600 words), cover image, and 8–10 high-resolution project photographs.
Landscape architecture award

"The most significant design shapes communities, preserves culture, and advances sustainability."

Forma International Design Prize · Mission Statement

Key Dates

First Edition Calendar

April 2025
Competition Opens
Submissions now accepted from worldwide applicants
31 October 2026
Entry Deadline
Final date for all submissions — no extensions
Nov – Dec 2026
Jury Review
International jury deliberation, shortlisting and final judging
January 2027
Winners Announced
All award recipients announced globally via formadesignprize.com
Early 2027
Award Ceremony
Winners celebrated at the inaugural FIDP ceremony
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