Mission, competition & patrons

The IOC and IAKS are united in promoting excellence in the design and operation of inclusive, accessible, and sustainable sports and leisure facilities—indoors and out.

At the heart of the IOC IAKS 2025 Architecture and Design Award for Students and Young Professionals is a call for visionary ideas and creative concepts that inspire active living, support environmental responsibility, and make sport and recreation accessible to all.

This international competition seeks forward-thinking designs that:

  • Enhance the human experience in sports and leisure
  • Ensure dignified, functional access for people of all abilities
  • Address climate change and global sustainability goals through smart design and materials

As cities around the world strive to become healthier, more livable communities, the role of inclusive and inspiring recreational spaces is more important than ever. The IOC and IAKS invite the next generation of architects and designers to bring their passion, creativity, and sense of social responsibility to shaping the future of active spaces.

By encouraging inclusive design early in their careers, the hope is that young professionals will carry this mindset forward—making accessibility a natural part of their design philosophy.

The IAKS is proud to organize and manage this international competition.

IOC IPC IAKS Architecture Prize 2023

Prize

The entries selected by the jury will be awarded the

IOC IAKS Architecture and Design Award for Students and Young Professionals

Each award winner will receive a prize money of 500 Euros. 

In addition, winners will receive financial support to cover their travel expenses to the prize-giving ceremony.

Publicity and benefits

The prize-giving ceremony for the competition will be held at the 29th IAKS Congress in Cologne, Germany on 28th October 2025.

The award-winning designs will be presented to the international public with an Awards Gala Night and high-grade exhibition at the IAKS Congress in conjunction with FSB, the international trade fair for public space, sports and leisure facilities in Cologne from 28 to 31 October 2025. Furthermore, they will be presented in detail in “sb” – the IAKS’ international magazine for sports, leisure and recreation facilities.

The IOC and the IAKS will announce the winners in the course of their respective public relations activities (magazines, websites, newsletters, social media etc.) and communicate them to all relevant press across the world.

The winners have the right to use their successful participation for promotional purposes.

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Copyright: Kölnmesse, Uwe Weiser

Eligibility and formalities

Eligible to enter the competition is any kind of design work that focuses on the creation of spaces and areas to be used for sports and leisure activities in the broadest sense. The design strategy must encourage youth to practise sport. By bringing sports activities to young people, e.g. in their urban environments, the project should aim at creating a high sports legacy.

The Award aims at students in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, interior design and general design, and at young professionals in their first two years of professional practice. All participants must be under the age of 30 years at the date of the submission deadline.

Submissions coming from young professionals must not be part of design projects from professional teams or design firms.

Each participant must submit a copy of his / her student matriculation document or a copy of his / her diploma. Each participant must also send a list of his / her submitted documents and a declaration that he / she is entering the competition, with details of his / her place of residence.

The IAKS is entitled to disqualify any submission which does not conform to the mandatory requirements for the competition.

Due to the current situation in Ukraine, the IAKS kindly asks parties from Russia and Belarus to refrain from submitting a project.