The Denver Affordable Housing Challenge calls on architects, designers, and urban planners worldwide to rethink how affordability and design excellence can coexist. Organized by AIA Colorado, the City of Denver, and Buildner, this international ideas competition seeks forward-looking proposals that respond to the city’s urgent housing needs while contributing to a more vibrant, inclusive, and resilient urban fabric.
Participants are invited to submit concepts at various scales—from innovative housing units to neighborhood-wide strategies or policy frameworks—offering new approaches to materials, construction, urban integration, and sustainability. The competition encourages solutions that are scalable, adaptable, and deeply rooted in the specific environmental and social context of Denver.
Submission Requirements
- Up to four (4) A2 landscape-orientated presentation boards (must not exceed 10MB per board) with sketches, renderings, plans, sections, elevations, diagrams, and/or other presentation tools to explain their proposal.
Prizes
- 1st Prize: $10,000
- 2st Prize: $5,000
- 3st Prize: $3,000
- Buildner Student Award: $1,000
- Buildner Sustainability Award: $1,000
- 6 honourable mentions
Eligibility
- Denver Affordable Housing Challenge is open to all
- Design proposals can be developed individually or by teams (4 team members maximum)
- People who have direct personal or professional relationships with jury panel members or organizers may not participate in this competition
