Architecture at Zero 2026 (Californie)

Architecture at Zero is a design competition for decarbonization, equity, and resilience, open to students and professionals worldwide. It serves to engage the fields of architecture, design, engineering and planning in the pursuit of sustainable design. 

The competition will be the design of the La Plaza Cultural Center at the Multi Agency Resilience Center, Antelope Valley, CA, a year-round educational and cultural venue that will transform into a resiliency asset during regional emergencies, offering critical support for evacuees, first responders, and multi-agency operations.

Challenge

The Architecture at Zero 2026 competition program is to design a year-round educational and cultural venue (La Plaza) that will transform into a resiliency asset during regional emergencies (Emergency Operations Center), offering critical support for first responders and multi-agency emergency operations. The vision for the project is bold: it invites designers to envision more than just a single-use structure; it is an opportunity to design a space with dual purpose and profound impact.

In daily life and milestone events, the building will serve as a versatile community facility, adaptable to multiple social and educational uses. La Plaza, the subject of this competition, will be a two-story, 10,000 sq ft building that will host lectures, community events, performances, and exhibitions. With interactive programming, cultural events, and educational exhibits, La Plaza will integrate both cultural and resiliency goals to create a multifunctional space that is both forward-thinking and community-centered.

In times of crisis, the building will undergo a dramatic transformation, becoming a command post — a vital hub for emergency management and coordination. During an emergency, this building will be used by first responders. Adjacent to the building, first responders and/or evacuees will find respite from the intensity and stress of the emergency.

The challenge is to create a design that is both functional and inspiring, balancing utility with architectural vision, thereby creating a cultural landmark that serves the community at its best moments and sustains it in its most critical times.

Eligibility

Architecture at Zero is a design competition for decarbonization, equity, and resilience, open to students and professionals worldwide. It serves to engage the fields of architecture, design, engineering, and planning in the pursuit of sustainable design.

Prize money

$25,000

More information on the official website.