Sommerentwerfen Competition of Competitions 2026

The three architecture/design departments in Vienna – located at the Academy of Fine Arts, at the University of Applied Arts, and at the Technical University – are pleased to announce the third edition of their joint educational initiative: September School – The Competition of Competitions.

September School takes the form of a contest among several groups of multidisciplinary participants, each led by a duo of professors or instructors from participating institutions. The groups are not going to design anything, but will develop briefs for an imagined international competition focused on a specific site in Vienna. 

Over the course of four days, participants will craft a compelling conceptual rationale and programmatic framework for the future development of the selected site—addressing both the why and the what. They will also define how the competition itself should be organised, including phasing, jury composition, and selection criteria.

This year’s edition focuses on the highly charged site of the former headquarter of the Austrian Workers' Compensation Board, the AUVA building on Adalbert-Stifter-Straße in the 20th district. Completed in 1976, this monumental research and administrative centre, designed by architect Kurt Hlaweniczka and civil engineer Kurt Koss, is considered a prime example of Austrian post-war modernism and the first of its kind.

Placed under the protection as a historical monument by the State Heritage Committee, the former headquarters site has remained empty since 2021. That year, the AUVA moved out due to structural deficiencies, high energy costs, and expensive fire safety regulations at its old location. Since then, the standstill has cost millions annually and repeatedly sparked debate.

Opportunities for radical rethinking of such a significant ensemble are rare. September School will offer a younger generation of designers and researchers a platform to contribute to the critical discourse around its future—a conversation that has, until now, been largely shaped by city authorities, select experts, and the owner.

What to do with this formidable monument? How to re-use, re-program or re-design it in 2026? What does heritage preservation mean today, and how proactive could it be? 

Participants from diverse backgrounds and disciplines are invited to define a design brief of their own, rather than respond to one that is pre-determined. Together, we will reflect on the purpose of this urban redevelopment project and critically examine the potential of large-scale protected monuments in contemporary cities. 

September School sees its participants not as students, but as proactive ideators with distinct expertise. Group leaders will serve as inspirational interlocutors and process moderators, forming a horizontal, intergenerational coalition rather than a traditional teacher-student dynamic. The program also encourages cross-institutional collaboration, drawing on the diverse educational cultures and pedagogical approaches of the three schools.

On the final day, an international jury will review the submitted briefs and select a winning proposal, which will be awarded a monetary prize. 

The results of September School will be shared widely across press and social media platforms. We hope that the ideas developed during this inter-institutional workshop will inspire and inform the future competition brief for the site’s transformation.

Curators 
Ute Schneider (TU Urbanism), Brigitte Felderer (Social Design), Lisa Schmidt-Colinet (IKA), Anastassia Smirnova-Berlin (IKA/TU)
Hosting organisations
Technical University Vienna; The University of Applied Arts Vienna; Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

Who can apply
_ Master’s students in architecture; urban, industrial and landscape design; urban planning; social design; urban and cultural studies;
_ Recent graduates (not more than 1 year ago) of the Bachelor’s programs in architecture; urban, industrial and landscape design; urban planning; social design; urban and cultural studies;
Jury: international experts 
Prize for the winning team: monetary

Admission: Free
Language: English
ECTS: 3 points (for the students of partnering institutions) 
Location: Österreichische Postsparkasse
Location of the Award Ceremony: Österreichische Postsparkasse
Jury: international experts 
Prize for the winning team: monetary 

APPLY: Send a Letter of motivation (300 words) and a Bio (150 words) to stb@tuwien.ac.at before 23.00 on 15.07.2026. Please, state your name/surname, current program of studies, name of the institution. Only 40 applicants will be accepted as a result of the selection procedure.