OVERVIEW

‘Design for Sustainable Cities’ is an international student competition held by BE OPEN and Cumulus in support of the United Nations’ SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. The competition is open to students and graduates of all art, design, architecture and media disciplines of universities and colleges worldwide. It aims to encourage the creation of innovative solutions by younger creatives.

According to the UN’s SDG Programme data, since 2007, more than half the world’s population has been living in cities, and that share is projected to rise to 60% by 2030. Cities and metropolitan areas are powerhouses of economic growth. However, they cause and face such issues as increased carbon emissions and resource use. Rapid urbanization is resulting in a growing number of slum dwellers, inadequate and overburdened infrastructure and services, worsening air pollution and unplanned urban sprawl.

It takes creative action to tackle all these issues. All the stakeholders in this international competition programme are positive that creativity, or design-thinking, is integral in the shift to sustainable existence. The objective of ‘Design for Sustainable Cities’ is to recognize, showcase and promote the best design ideas and projects that embody the principles and aims of the United Nations’ SDG Programme.

Top design ideas, be it an individual or a team submission can win the following prizes from BE OPEN:
• the Main Prize of €5,000
• the Founder’s Choice prize of €3,000
• the Public Vote prize of €2,000
• the Safe City prize of €2,000
or enter the list of 50 honorary mentions and be featured in the competition’s online gallery.
“Design for Sustainable Cities” is now open for online submissions. See the competition website for details.