Ahmedabad Design Challenge 2026 Launched to Reimagine City’s Urban Landscape

Ahmedabad: The Association of Designers of India (ADI), Ahmedabad Chapter, in collaboration with the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC), has launched the Ahmedabad Design Challenge (ADC) 2026, a citywide design competition aimed at reimagining Ahmedabad’s urban and cultural landscape ahead of its potential bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

For the first time, ADC brings together design, architecture, interior design and fine arts to develop creative interventions for the city’s gateways, transit points, heritage routes and public spaces.

The competition has three themes: ‘Welcoming the World’, ‘Celebrate Amdavadiness’ and ‘Building Community Experiences’. The first focuses on improving key entry points and creating a strong first impression for visitors. The second seeks to highlight Ahmedabad’s local identity and cultural character, while the third aims to turn underutilised spaces into vibrant areas for recreation, social interaction and community engagement.

As per the civic body, the challenge emphasises sustainability, circularity, universal accessibility, social integration, innovation and scalability. Participants are encouraged to propose practical and eco-friendly solutions involving resource reuse, zero-waste approaches and carbon reduction, while ensuring public spaces are accessible to persons with disabilities, senior citizens and children.

ADC 2026 is open to professionals and students from India and abroad. Professionals, including independent practitioners, consultants, studios and firms, will pay ₹1,000 per entry, while the student entry fee is ₹150.

In each of the three themes, professional winners will receive ₹2.5 lakh for first place and ₹1.5 lakh for second place. In the student category, the first and second prizes will be ₹60,000 and ₹40,000, respectively.

A jury comprising design professionals, urban thinkers and academic experts will evaluate the entries. Shortlisted works will be displayed at a public exhibition jointly organised by ADI Ahmedabad and AMC. The winning proposals will also be compiled into a manifesto and submitted to the AMC for consideration for possible implementation in Ahmedabad before 2030.

Entries can be submitted through the official ADC 2026 website, www.ahmedabaddesign.org, until 11:59 PM on October 31, 2026. The final jury process is scheduled for mid-November, while the public exhibition and award ceremony will be held in mid-December 2026.

Through ADC 2026, the organisers aim to create a more vibrant, inclusive, sustainable and future-ready Ahmedabad, while strengthening the connection between the city’s heritage, local identity and contemporary urban design. DeshGujarat