Design Concrete competition winners 2026
Design Concrete is a national student competition which encourages students of architecture and the built environment to explore the benefits of designing sustainably with concrete. The competition has been developed to fit within, or complement, the syllabus of undergraduate and post graduate degree courses of Architecture and the built environment in the UK. The 2026 competition prize fund was generously sponsored by Cordek Ltd.
The 2026 brief was to submit innovative designs for a sustainable museum of mudlarking on a choice of two sites, on the Canvey Island seafront. The competition aims to upskill students, giving them agency to make more informed, responsible and sustainable decisions when designing and specifying concrete in practice. The competition is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students studying at schools of architecture, landscape architecture and the built environment in the UK, and is free to enter.
The judging panel reviewed many excellent submissions and wish to say a huge thank you to all of the universities and students who took part in the 2026 competition.
The shortlisted and winning submissions were announced at The Concrete Centre’s Next Generation Concrete event on the 2nd July.
The full list of the shortlisted and winning students are as follows:
Overall winner:
Thames Mudlark Discovery Centre: Overall winner was awarded to Mert Akgul from Ravenbourne University.
Judges comments: This excellent submission studied local suppliers and imaginative, but realistic concrete mixes to create this great scheme. The design really stood out to the judges with its uses colour and form to create a welcoming approach and blend with the landscape, with a beautiful roof line which hugs site boundary In all, a really great scheme which recognised the benefits of concretes local supply chain and circular economy.
Postgraduate winner:
Sea Secrets: Postgraduate winner was awarded to Aimee Brookes from Liverpool University.
Judges comments: This scheme created tranquil courtyard shielded from the coastal conditions. The design was understated but very buildable; using a cast insitu frame and precast board marked cladding panels. It met all the criteria of the competition demonstrating a good understanding of the components of concrete, using local aggregates and calculated Embodied carbon. The scheme used the thermal mass of the concrete and a natural ventilation strategy to keep the building temperature comfortable. Overall, a mature, practical response that demonstrated a good attempt at detailing using concrete.
Joint highly commended:
Tidal Archive: Ivan Law, Helen Lin, Zhang Manqi and Mingyu Ren from University College London
Judges comments: The team clearly spent some time considering how the structure is put together and can be commended for considering how to adapt the building over time. The Judges loved the stunning roof shape and the interior; with interesting varying cross sections and thinking behind how people with interact with the display.
The Archive: Kieran Savory from Coventry University
Judges comments: The judges particularly liked the massing of this scheme and the integrating into the landscape, and tidal environment with pools and green roofs. The scheme showed a good exploration and clear description of different ways of using concrete, from onsite to precast and also innovative ways of using it. The night time visuals gave a real feel for the spaces internally and externally
Artefacts: Ayda Tahami Zarandi from Ravensbourne University
Judges comments: This scheme utilised thermal mass and natural ventilation well and experimented with a range of varying colourful daylit spaces. The scheme was sculptural inside and out, at both macro and micro level, changing form and colour as the user moves around the building.
Shortlisted students:
- The Alluvial Return - Mohammad Riyaadh Salam from Coventry University
- Mudlark Museum - Shahaf Elian from Ravensbourne University
- The Edge of Canvey - Ceren Ozen from Ravensbourne University
- Museum of Microforms - Fatimah Al-Tameemi from Ravensbourne University
Students and tutors interested in finding out more about the next student design and sustainability competition can register here to receive more information.