CPDI Africa 2026

The CPDI Africa Competition invites professionals and students from the global design community to develop contemporary prototypes guided by the CPDI Africa 5 Elements of African-Centered Architecture—a framework rooted in authentic design expressions across African ethnic identities.

The competition seeks innovative residential prototypes that reinterpret Africa's rich architectural heritage through a contemporary design approach. Participants are invited to develop functional, scalable, and context-sensitive housing solutions that respond to the evolving challenges of residential development while celebrating the continent's cultural identity.

A distinguished jury of Africanists, architects, artists, urban planners, developers, and engineers select winning entries for design-build opportunities across Africa, and for inclusion in CPDI Africa’s published design compendiums.

Winning participants receive cash awards, international recognition, and opportunities to further develop and implement their ideas. The competition is open to built environment practitioners worldwide, including participants from Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. Entries may be submitted individually or as collaborative teams of designers, artists, engineers, and planners. CPDI Africa encourages cross-continental collaboration and welcomes participants of all backgrounds.

What Africa would you design if given the opportunity to shape its built environment through its own identity?

Join us in advancing new architectural languages that restore Africa's voice to the forefront of the global built environment! 

https://cpdiafrica.org/competition-2026