ARCASIA Thesis of the Year (TOY) Awards 2026

The 23rd ARCASIA Forum 2026, curated and hosted by the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA), will be held from 8–12 September 2026 across Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, India, bringing together architects and institutions from across Asia under the theme “Bringing Back… Vernacular Wisdom.”

As part of the Forum, the ARCASIA Thesis of the Year (TOY) Awards 2026 recognises outstanding graduating theses that reinterpret regional knowledge systems into sustainable and future-ready architectural solutions.

A. Competition schedule

Announcement of Competition: 10 April 2026

Submission of 3 Finalists from each Member Institutes to TOY IIA: 10 July 2026

Compilation: 11 July 2026 – 15 July 2026

Final judging and notification of the finalists tentative: 6 August 2026 – 15 August 2026

B. Submission requirement

All entries must include the following:

B.1 Presentation Board (PDF)

• One (1) A1 size board (594 mm × 840 mm), Portrait format. (Sheet template attached for reference)
• The presentation board must include all essential drawings and information the student wishes to showcase, such as the concept note, site plan, development strategy, plans, elevations, sections, and views. Students may also include any additional drawings or details they consider important to clearly explain their thesis.
• The file must be submitted as a single compiled PDF created from JPEG output, with a minimum 300 dpi resolution. External links will not be accepted.

B.2 Details Sheet (PDF – Text Only) (Template attached)

A separate PDF must be submitted with the following details:

• Name of the submitting ARCASIA member institute
• Contact person’s name, address and contact details
• Student name(s)
• Degree programme name and duration (e.g., 5-year B.Arch / B.S. Arch. as applicable)
• Name of department and university
• Postal address, Email ID, and phone number

B.3 Anonymity of Submission

• This is an anonymous selection process.
• No identification (student name, institute name, logos, signatures, etc.) should appear on the presentation board or any other submission material, except the details sheet
• The participant(s) must confirm that they hold the legal rights and copyrights for all submitted material.
• The participant(s) must keep the entry confidential and ensure it is not shared with any third party until the official public announcement of results.

B.4 Language

• The complete thesis entry must be presented in the English language.

C. Thesis of the Year (TOY) 2026 Guideline

C.1. Objectives of the Competition

C.1.1 Encourage Research-Based, Contextual Design: The competition encourages students to develop proposals backed by strong research and a clear understanding of the local context. Entries should reflect awareness of climate, materials, culture, community needs, and ground realities, so that the design is rooted in place and not a generic solution.

C.1.2 Promote Vernacular Thinking for Today’s Challenges: The competition aims to motivate students to learn from vernacular knowledge and reinterpret it in a fresh, relevant way. The focus is not on copying the past, but on using traditional principles like local building methods, crafts, typologies, and climate-responsive design to create solutions that are sustainable and suitable for the future.

C.1.3 Prioritise Sustainable and Responsible Design: The competition aims to encourage students to think of sustainability as an essential part of design and planning. Participants are expected to understand how their thesis can contribute to broader goals such as responsible resource use, climate resilience, inclusive development, and long-term community well-being, aligned with the spirit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

C.2. Competition Details

C.2.1 Who Can Apply: The competition is open to architecture students from ARCASIA member countries. Each member institute shall follow its own internal selection process and may submit a maximum of three (3) entries to the TOY ARCASIA Committee for final evaluation by the TOY ARCASIA Judging Committee.

C.2.2 Eligible Theses: Only theses completed as part of a student’s first professional degree in Architecture (such as B.Arch / B.S. Arch., as applicable in the respective country) are eligible to participate. Masters’ Thesis is Not Eligible. Theses from post-professional or postgraduate Master’s programmes pursued after completion of the first professional degree (for example, a Master’s programme taken after B.Arch or equivalent qualification) will not be considered for this award.

C.2.3 Thesis Completion Period: The thesis must be recent and should not be older than two academic years from the date of the award. For example, if the award is presented in September 2026, the thesis should have been completed between September 2024 and September 2026.

C.2.4 Entries may be submitted as either individual or group work

C.2.5 Entry Characteristics

The entry should meet any one or more of the following characteristics, keeping in mind the theme “Bringing Back… Vernacular Wisdom.”

C.2.5.1 Thesis with High Social Relevance: The thesis should respond to real social needs and challenges through design that is rooted in local context and culture. It may address areas such as housing, community infrastructure, rural or urban development, or climate resilience. The work should show how vernacular thinking can improve quality of life, inclusivity, hygiene, safety, and overall community well-being.

C.2.5.2 Thesis with High Innovation and Originality: The thesis should present fresh ideas and original thinking inspired by vernacular principles. Innovation may be reflected through the use of traditional materials in new ways, revival of craft and construction methods, climate-responsive strategies, adaptive reuse of old typologies, or the use of modern technology to strengthen local knowledge systems.

C.2.5.3 Thesis with High World Orientation: The thesis should connect local design thinking with wider global concerns. While rooted in local identity, the project should respond to larger challenges such as sustainability, resilience, equity, and environmental responsibility showing how locally grounded solutions can add value to global architectural discussions.

C.2.5.4 Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The thesis should contribute towards achieving one or more of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, or their future global roadmap. This may be through climate-responsive design, sustainable use of materials, conserving cultural heritage, or planning that supports community development and long-term ecological balance.

D. Convenor and Jury

Convenor 

Ar. Preethi Agrawal, Member of The Indian Institute of Architects (IIA)

Jury  

1. Ar. Umar Saeed (Chairman ACAE)
2. Ar. Jonathan V. Manalad (IPC ACAE)
3. Ar. Sumitra Ghalley (Bhutan Zone A)
4. Ar. Suwardana Winata (Indonesia Zone B)
5. Ar. Shinezaya Enkhbat (Mongolia Zone C)

E. Submission

E.1. Students must submit their work to the Architecture Institute of their respective countries to be nominated by the Institute to TOY ARCASIA 2026.

E.2. Submission of 3 national winners’ work to TOY 2026: toy2025.arcasia@gmail.com

F. Convenor’s Helpdesk : toy2025.arcasia@gmail.com