Dewan Architects + Engineers, a leading multidisciplinary design consultancy firm, is proud to announce the launch of the Dewan Award for Architecture 2026, held in association with the Tamayouz Excellence Award. This year’s competition invites architects, students, designers, and studios from around the world to envision an AgriTectural Village in Badiyat Al-Samawa, southern Iraq — a vast desert landscape in the shadow of ancient Uruk, where human civilisation first emerged.
Today, the region faces extreme heat, water scarcity, rural decline, and environmental stress. Participants are encouraged to respond to both the weight of this history and the urgency of the present by proposing a new and replicable model for integrated rural living. Submissions should explore how agriculture, settlement, and landscape can function as a single, interdependent system — with architecture playing an active role in shaping a more resilient and sustainable rural future.
The top three winners will be selected by an independent panel of judges. The first-place winner will receive $6,000 or a fully paid six-month employment opportunity at Dewan Architects + Engineers — one of the world’s top 50 architecture practices. The runner-up will be awarded $3,000, and third place will receive $1,000, with up to seven Honourable Mentions. All prize winners will be invited to attend the Tamayouz Biennial Ceremony in 2027.
Reflecting on the award's continued impact, Dr Mohamed Al Assam, Executive Chairman and Founder of Dewan Architects + Engineers and founder of the Dewan Award for Architecture, said:
“The Dewan Award for Architecture continues to challenge participants to engage with some of the most pressing issues facing Iraq today. This year’s theme calls for a rethinking of rural life — one that integrates environmental resilience, agricultural productivity, and community living. We look forward to seeing innovative proposals that respond to these challenges while drawing inspiration from Iraq’s rich cultural and historical context.”
Dewan Award for Architecture 2026 Launches with Focus on Rural Resilience in Iraq
