Downtown Phoenix – Block of the Future Ideas Competition Entry Deadline

AIA Phoenix Metro, in collaboration with the City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development (CED), invites architects, landscape architects, urban planners, students, and creative thinkers to enter a design ideas competition focused on West Downtown Phoenix.

Participants are asked to propose visionary, conceptual designs for one of three prominent parcels located at the southwest (SW), northeast (NE), and northwest (NW) corners of 7th Avenue and Washington Street. These sites have the potential to become transformative civic anchors, strengthening the connection between the Downtown Phoenix Core and the Arizona State Capitol.

The goal is to create a new urban block typology that elevates civic identity, drives sustainable growth, and fosters an inclusive, 24-hour urban environment.

For more detailed background about the competition, view the design brief PDF at this link, which you can download for your reference. The final deadline to enter is Monday, January 12, 2026.

Fee: All entry fees are paid online as the final step when you submit your entry. 

• $100 per entry for members of AIA or ASLA. 
• $150 per entry for professionals who are not members of either association. 
• $25 per entry for students

Timeline

• Friday, January 9, 2026 – Q&A Period Closes
• Monday, January 12, 2026 – Entries Due Online
• Thursday, January 29, 2026 – Awards Ceremony at the Ark at The Pemberton

Questions on the competition submittal process? Contact AIA Arizona Director of Local Chapters Diana Smith at diana@aia-arizona.org.