Linha do Horizonte
SUMMARY
International open competition for a low-impact residential complex in UNESCO-listed Cidade Velha; submit up to four A1 boards by 12 October 2026 for €20,500 in prizes.
ESSENTIAL DATA
| Organizer | ARCH CHALLENGE, a brand of MGM Cape Verde |
|---|---|
| Competition type | International open architecture competition |
| Location | Cidade Velha, Santiago, Cape Verde |
| Eligibility | Open to architects, designers, students, companies, professional practices, and multidisciplinary teams; solo or team; no age limit |
| Registration fees | Early Bird €90 / Standard €120 / Late €150; Accessibility Fee €45 / €60 / €75 for eligible countries |
| Submission deadline | 12 October 2026, 23:59 GMT |
| Prize pool | €20,500 |
| Language | English |
| Official website | archchallenge.net Registration: archchallenge.net/join-now |
ABOUT THE COMPETITION
Linha do Horizonte is the first competition launched under the ARCH CHALLENGE platform. It asks participants to design a residential development for Cidade Velha, on the island of Santiago, within a setting the organisers present as both historically charged and development-sensitive.
The site sits inside a UNESCO World Heritage context. That status turns heritage, views, coastline, topography, and visual restraint into primary design conditions rather than background information. The brief frames the plot as part of a wider cultural landscape shaped by forts, ruins, stone construction, ocean exposure, and long Atlantic history.
The stated goal is to test how contemporary housing can fit this environment without overwhelming it. The competition is not a public tender and does not guarantee a commission, yet the rules state that one of the awarded schemes may later be selected for further development and possible realization through a separate process.
WHAT IS REQUIRED?
| Project type | Residential complex with a premium positioning and low visual impact |
|---|---|
| Unit count | Approximately 10 to 18 dwellings |
| Typologies | T0, T1, T2, and T3 |
| Allowed configurations | Independent villas, grouped apartments, or a combination of both |
| Maximum height | Two levels above ground |
| Density | Low density; the plot must not be fully built up |
| Shared elements | Landscape-integrated swimming pool and a compact technical room, with possible minimal changing use |
| Technical spaces | Service areas, maintenance paths, and required systems or equipment for the complex |
| Access strategy | Arrival, pedestrian circulation, and parking must be designed as part of the architectural concept |
| Parking approach | Avoid large exposed parking surfaces; prefer distributed, shaded, or visually integrated solutions |
| Terrain response | Work with the slope, views, orientation, wind, and landscape profile |
| Heritage obligation | Protect visual relationships, reduce impact from the seafront and sea, and integrate volume and materials with the setting |
| Feasibility note | Participants are invited to include a short explanation of construction logic, material strategy, technical challenges, and adaptable versus essential elements |
The brief allows real formal freedom within those limits. It does not prescribe a single housing model, aesthetic language, or fixed internal arrangement. It does require a coherent response to the site boundaries, which are to be read from the technical files supplied after registration.
SUBMISSION MATERIALS
| Item | Official requirement |
|---|---|
| Boards | One PDF file, up to 4 pages, A1 format (594 × 841 mm), portrait or landscape, maximum 20 MB |
| Concept text | Design genesis, maximum 1,500 characters including spaces, in English |
| Graphic drawings | Plans, sections, and elevations in sufficient quantity and scale to explain the proposal |
| 3D images | Renderings, sketches, or model photographs |
| Site plan | Scale 1:500, showing the relationship with the landscape |
| General project plan | Scale 1:200 |
| Dwelling plans | Significant unit plans at 1:100 and/or 1:50 |
| Section | At least one significant section at 1:100 showing integration with the terrain |
| Cover image | One JPG or PNG, 1920 × 1080 px |
| Board file name | teamname_A1_LDH.pdf |
| Cover file name | teamname_cover_LDH.jpg |
| Language | English; substantial text in other languages may lead to exclusion |
| Anonymity | No names, logos, offices, universities, social handles, QR codes, or watermarks inside the boards or cover image; team name may appear only in the file name |
| AI disclosure | If AI was used, an AI Use Statement must appear within the boards |
| Upload method | Upload through the participant dashboard after login |
| Final submission rule | Files may be replaced until “Confirm & Submit” is clicked; after confirmation, no modification, replacement, or withdrawal is allowed |
IMPORTANT DATES
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Early Bird registration | 1 July 2026 – 31 July 2026, 23:59 GMT |
| Standard registration | 1 August 2026 – 15 September 2026, 23:59 GMT |
| Late registration | 16 September 2026 – 30 September 2026, 23:59 GMT |
| Submission deadline | 12 October 2026, 23:59 GMT |
| Winner announcement | 6 November 2026 |
The rules also refer to a questions phase, a technical check phase, and jury evaluation dates, but no public dates for these were visible in the reviewed materials.
PRIZES
| Award | Amount |
|---|---|
| First Prize | €10,000 |
| Second Prize | €5,000 |
| Third Prize | €2,500 |
| Best Environmental Integration | €1,000 |
| Best Parking Integration | €1,000 |
| Best AI-Assisted Vision | €1,000 |
| Total prize pool | €20,500 |
The organiser may decide not to grant one or more awards if the submitted work does not meet the required quality level. Prizes are paid to the registered participant or the team leader. One awarded scheme may later be considered for development, but no automatic commission is created by winning.
JURY
| Name | Current position |
|---|---|
| Sonia Tavares | Architect |
| Giuseppe Stefano Buccilli | Entrepreneur |
| Edson Rodrigues | Architect and Urban Planner |
| Marcello Gatto Monticone | Founder, MGM Cape Verde |
The homepage names four jurors, while the Challenge 01 page still marks the full panel as TBA. Three additional seats have not been publicly identified.
At present, only partly: the named group is relevant, but with three of seven seats still undisclosed, the panel cannot yet be judged as fully weighty.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Participants keep the intellectual property in their own proposals unless another written agreement is made later. Entrants also confirm that they are the authors or co-authors of what they submit and that third-party rights have not been infringed.
At the same time, entry grants the organiser a non-exclusive, royalty-free right to use, reproduce, publish, display, adapt, and translate the submitted material, in whole or in part, for competition-related purposes. That permission covers the website, social media, exhibitions, newsletters, press releases, partner communications, and print or digital publications. The organiser may also make reasonable graphic adjustments for layout and communication.
One clause deserves attention: the rules reserve the right to develop, adapt, combine, or reinterpret ideas arising from the competition in a later phase, subject to the stated intellectual-property provisions. Competitors retain ownership, but the usage licence is broad and commercially meaningful.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
| Eligible profiles | Architects, designers, students, professional practices, companies, and multidisciplinary teams |
|---|---|
| Age limit | None |
| Entry mode | Solo or team |
| Team requirement | Each team must appoint one team leader responsible for registration, payment, uploads, and official communication |
| Project limit | One project per completed registration |
| Conflict-of-interest rule | Participants must not have relationships with jury members or the organiser that could compromise independent evaluation |
HOW DOES REGISTRATION WORK?
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 01 | Choose participant type: Solo or Collective |
| 02 | Enter main contact and billing information |
| 03 | Create the account and dashboard access |
| 04 | Provide team information and team name |
| 05 | Review terms, rules, and privacy conditions |
| 06 | Complete payment |
Payment is handled through the official platform and is stated as PayPal-based in the reviewed registration flow. Fees are non-refundable except where the organiser cancels the competition or states otherwise in writing.
ACCESSIBILITY FEE — ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES
The competition offers a 50 percent reduced fee to participants whose declared country of residence appears on the official Competition Accessibility List. The organiser may request proof, especially from shortlisted or awarded teams. False claims can lead to exclusion and loss of prize eligibility.
| Region | Countries listed by the organiser |
|---|---|
| Africa | Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
| Asia | Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam |
| Europe | Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine |
| North America | Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua |
| South America | Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru |
WHAT OFFICIAL FILES AND SUPPORT CHANNELS ARE MENTIONED?
| Item | Status in the reviewed sources |
|---|---|
| Competition brief | Available |
| Competition rules | Available |
| Technical files | Mentioned as downloadable |
| Site photographs | Mentioned as downloadable |
| Site boundaries | Stated to be included in the technical materials |
| Reference documents | Mentioned in the rules as possible official materials |
| Submission instructions | Available on the platform and within the rules |
| FAQ document | Mentioned in the rules as a possible official supplement, but no public FAQ file was visible in the reviewed materials |
| Questions channel | Email: info@archchallenge.net |
| Reply timing | The rules state replies are sent within one week of receipt |
Where technical and design instructions differ between the rules and the brief, the rules state that the brief prevails.
HOW IS AI TREATED?
| Permitted uses | Research, visualization, organization, text development, and creative exploration |
|---|---|
| Not accepted as a substitute | AI cannot replace authorship, site interpretation, architectural concept, or design decisions |
| Mandatory disclosure | AI Use Statement inside the boards if AI tools were used |
| Required contents of statement | Tools used, purpose, process stage, and where AI-supported material appears in the submission |
| Penalty for using AI | None in itself; the statement exists for transparency and fair evaluation |
WHAT CAN LEAD TO EXCLUSION?
| Risk | Effect under the rules |
|---|---|
| Late submission | Possible exclusion |
| Incomplete, corrupted, or unreadable files | Possible exclusion |
| Wrong file format or non-compliant materials | Possible exclusion |
| Substantial text not in English | Possible exclusion |
| Breach of anonymity | Possible exclusion |
| Names, logos, QR codes, or other identifiers inside the submission | Possible exclusion |
| Contacting or attempting to influence jury members | Possible exclusion |
| Conflict of interest | Possible exclusion |
| Publishing or sharing the proposal publicly before results | Possible exclusion |
| Non-original material or third-party rights infringement | Possible exclusion |
| False information during registration | Possible exclusion |
| Improper use of the Accessibility Fee | Possible exclusion and possible withholding of prizes |
| Failure to follow the brief, rules, or official submission instructions | Possible exclusion |
LEGAL NOTES THAT MATTER
| Tender status | This is not a public procurement process and not a direct professional commission |
|---|---|
| Possible next phase | One awarded proposal may be selected for further development and possible realization through separate studies and agreements |
| Refund policy | Registration fees are non-refundable except in limited cases such as competition cancellation or written exception by the organiser |
| Schedule changes | The organiser reserves the right to amend dates, procedures, requirements, or materials |
| Suspension or cancellation | The organiser may suspend, postpone, or cancel the competition for technical, legal, force-majeure, or participation-related reasons |
| Governing law | Swiss law |
| Jurisdiction | Courts of Lugano, Switzerland |
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
Linha do Horizonte is stronger than the average ideas competition because the site is real, the constraints are specific, and feasibility is openly part of the judging framework. The brief gives participants a serious architectural problem: how to place market-rate housing in a UNESCO-protected coastal settlement without turning heritage into backdrop. The prize pool is respectable for a first edition, and the category awards reveal what the organiser values most: environmental fit, parking intelligence, and transparent AI use. The main caution points are procedural rather than architectural. Three jurors remain unnamed, no public FAQ file was visible in the reviewed sources, and the organiser reserves broad rights to use submitted material. For competitors comfortable with landscape-sensitive housing and historically charged sites, this is a substantive brief worth considering.
Final Thoughts
ARCH CHALLENGE – Challenge 01: Linha do Horizonte asks for a low-impact residential complex in Cidade Velha, Santiago, Cape Verde. The submission deadline is 12 October 2026 at 23:59 GMT, results are due on 6 November 2026, and the prize pool totals €20,500. Register through the official platform, download the brief and technical files, protect anonymity, and do not assume missing jury or FAQ details have been settled unless the organiser publishes them.
Submission Deadline
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🔍 Editorial Perspective:
The competition brief itself appears thoughtful and the UNESCO context offers genuine architectural value. However, the timing raises an interesting question. Following Cape Verde’s sudden global visibility over the past few days, one cannot help but wonder whether this initiative is entirely independent or partly benefiting from the current wave of international attention.
Architecture competitions should be driven by long-term cultural and urban value—not by short-lived trends or media momentum. There is nothing wrong with launching a competition in Cape Verde, but it is important that architecture does not become another vehicle for riding temporary publicity. We will be interested to see how this platform develops over time and whether its commitment extends beyond the current moment.