A' Design Award opens 2026 entries for city planning and urban design

A' Design Award & Competition has opened its 2026 call for entries for city planning and urban design projects worldwide. The program highlights sustainable, resilient, people-centered urban work and offers winners publicity, exhibition and ranking benefits.

Why it matters: - The competition gives urban planners, municipalities and design professionals a global platform for projects that can influence how cities grow, move and recover. - Winning entries can gain exposure, rankings and promotional tools that may help projects reach more stakeholders and decision-makers. - The awards focus on urban work tied to sustainability, resilience and quality of life.

What happened: - A' Design Award & Competition announced the 2026 call for entries for the A' City Planning and Urban Design Awards. - The competition is open to urban planners, municipalities and design professionals worldwide. - Urban planning and city development projects completed within the last 10 years are eligible. - The awards cover masterplans, public spaces, mobility networks and urban regeneration strategies.

The details: - Entries are judged anonymously by an international jury of more than 300 academics, architects, urban planners, engineers, policymakers and design professionals. - The judging criteria emphasize innovation, sustainability and planning excellence. - The A' Design Prize for professional-edition laureates includes a Design Excellence Certificate, a lifetime license to use the winner logo, a yearbook of best designs, exhibitions in Italy, an award trophy and an invitation to the gala night. - Winners also receive translation of awarded works into foreign languages, access to Prime Clubs, and inclusion in World Design Rankings, Designer Rankings, Camping Gear Design Classifications and Design Legends platforms. - Laureates receive an exclusive interview for Designer Interviews and inclusion in press kits. - The press kit package includes the interview, award-announcement release, design images, photographs of the designer, logos and dozens of high-resolution photos. - Press kits will be distributed to thousands of accredited press members, and dozens of press partners have already agreed to publish selected winning projects. - The press kit preparation, distribution service and A' Design Prize are free for laureates. - The competition lists sub-categories and descriptions at Award description. - Participants can register at Entry portal. - Past winners are available at Previous winners.

Between the lines: - The award program is built to convert recognition into media coverage, not just a trophy. - The combination of anonymous jury review and large-scale press distribution is meant to signal credibility while amplifying visibility. - The materials also highlight the competition’s broader branding strategy around rankings, exhibitions and global promotion.

What's next: - The entry deadline is Sept. 30, 2026. - Winners will be announced May 1, 2027. - Laureates will then receive the prize package and associated publicity support. - More information is available at A' Design Award.