The European Platform for Architectural Design Competitions

ARCH-E is a project co-funded by the European Union under the Creative Europe framework (CREA). Its main objective is to promote high-quality architectural solutions for the built environment by increasing the use of architectural design competitions (ADC) in Europe and overcoming cross border market barriers in the market for architectural services; ADC structures determined by national frameworks and traditions and due to a lack of information exchange, there is very low transnational participation. This information lack excludes many architects from participating in the (cross border) market and thus hinders competition. Small/micro-enterprises - with an above- average proportion of female and/or young architects - are particularly affected, which has a detrimental effect on their professional career. Promoting ADCs will lead to a better implementation of the Davos Declaration for Baukultur and of the New European Bauhaus in European planning and building projects on a daily basis and will help to meet the climate challenge and to improve the quality of the built environment.

Main outputs are the ARCH-E Map, a comparative description of national ADC systems, the multilingual ARCH-E Glossary with technical terms and the Architects' Needs Report. The newly developed ARCH-E online platform provides a widerange information on ADC systems (with a special focus on consideration of Baukultur und New Bauhaus standards) and facilitates transnational participation; core element is a network of >500 architects from >20 countries, from which transnational working groups can be quickly recruited for participation in ADCs which is especially important for women and young professionals who usually have less transnational business contacts. In a White Paper we inform policymakers about the project results and provide recommendations how the internationalisation of careers, equal treatment and the Green Deal goals can be achieved best in architecture.

Our Consortium reaches over 560,000 architects across Europe who benefit from the project results.