Memorial Competition 2026 is an independent international architectural initiative dedicated to exploring spatial experiences of memory, dignity, and collective remembrance.
call for entry
In memory of iran’s protesters — Remembering Dey 404
Memorial to the Iranian protesters of the winter 2026 uprisings
Eligibility
Open to Architects, Designers, & Students
Registeration
Now Open for Submission
Language
English
Competition brief
Memorial Competition 2026 invites architects, designers, and students to envision a contemporary architectural memorial that reflects on memory, dignity, and collective presence. Rather than proposing a conventional monument, the competition seeks spatial narratives that engage with absence, light, and the emotional resonance of shared experience.
Under the theme “Remembering Dey 404,” participants are encouraged to explore how architecture can translate loss into meaningful space — creating environments that foster reflection, dialogue, and cultural continuity. The competition positions memorial architecture as a living process, where design becomes a medium for acknowledging history while imagining new forms of collective remembrance.
Proposals may be speculative or site-responsive, but they should demonstrate a strong conceptual vision and sensitivity toward the social and cultural dimensions of memory. Participants are invited to challenge traditional typologies and investigate innovative architectural languages that move beyond symbolic representation toward immersive spatial experience.
The aim is not to define a single narrative, but to open a platform for diverse architectural interpretations — spaces that hold silence, presence, and resilience within their form. Through design, participants contribute to an evolving conversation about how architecture can carry memory across time and geography.
Design approach
The competition encourages participants to move beyond traditional monumentality and explore architecture as an immersive spatial experience. Rather than a singular object, proposals should consider atmosphere, movement, and emotional presence — allowing visitors to engage with memory through light, materiality, and space.
Designs may respond to real or imagined contexts, emphasizing subtlety and reflection over spectacle. Participants are invited to investigate how architecture can hold silence, evoke absence, and create a sense of collective awareness without relying on literal representation.
Through thoughtful spatial strategies, the memorial becomes a place of pause — a threshold between past and present, individual memory and shared humanity.
Submision requirments
Each entry must include:
- One A1 presentation board (portrait format) submitted as a single PDF file.
- Concept diagrams and spatial drawings illustrating the memorial strategy.
- Optional atmospheric renderings or visualizations.
- A short project statement (maximum 300 words) describing the design intent.
- All submissions must remain anonymous, without names, logos, or identifying marks.
Participants are invited to submit a clear and compelling architectural proposal that communicates both conceptual depth and spatial atmosphere. Submissions should prioritize clarity of idea, strong visual storytelling, and thoughtful architectural representation.
timeline
Registration Opens
TBA
Submission Deadline
TBA
Jury Deliberation
TBA
About the initiative
An independent, community-driven initiative dedicated to exploring spatial experiences of memory, dignity, and freedom.
Through an open international architecture competition, this project seeks to foster a collective memorial and sustain shared cultural memory—transforming grief and loss into spaces of reflection, presence, and shared humanity.
Based in Toronto, with a long-term vision for meaningful engagement with sites of memory in Iran.
Memorial Competition 2026 is an international architecture competition inviting designers, architects, and students to propose a memorial honoring the Iranian protesters of the Winter 2026 uprisings.
Under the theme “Remembering Dey 404,” the competition seeks spatial responses to memory, absence, and collective remembrance.
competition@nivodesign.ca