Dezeen has teamed up with Bentley to launch a global design competition seeking bold architectural proposals to modernise historic buildings while preserving their heritage.

The Radical Renewal Competition tasks participants with selecting a building of historical significance – whether an iconic landmark, a celebrated local structure or an overlooked building in need of revival – and proposing a forward-thinking design transformation to rejuvenate it.

We are looking for ideas that balance old and new, simultaneously celebrating tradition and embracing progression to create spaces that respond to the needs of the future while maintaining a strong link to the past.

The contest is free to enter for anyone over the age of 18 in any country around the world, with total prize money of £30,000 for the three best designs.

The competition is open for entries until 25 June 2025. The winner and runners-up will be published on Dezeen in September 2025.

Brief

The competition coincides with the unveiling of Bentley's new Design Centre, which will open in July this year.

An Art Deco building originally constructed in 1938 as a reception hub for Bentley's factory in Crewe, United Kingdom, the building has been carefully reimagined as a state-of-the-art home for Bentley's design team, blending original historical elements with contemporary materials and technology.

The building exemplifies the brand's expertise in combining seemingly opposing qualities without compromise. This results in cars that offer both power and refinement, high performance and luxurious comfort.

Similarly, the competition seeks proposals to breathe new life into historic buildings by simultaneously embracing innovation and celebrating their heritage.

Entrants should choose an existing building and propose how they would modernise it. This could be an iconic landmark that's no longer fit for purpose, a much-loved local structure that is at risk of demolition, an overlooked architectural gem that needs revitalising, or any other building of the entrant's choosing.

We are looking for ambitious and imaginative architectural visions, and entrants are encouraged to think outside the box.

Social and environmental sustainability is critical – entrants must be able to justify why their chosen building is in need of modernisation and explain how the proposed changes will positively contribute to people and the planet.

The competition is seeking speculative and future-thinking proposals. Completed renovations or retrofits will not be considered.

Who can enter

The competition is free to enter for anyone over the age of 18 in any country around the world, regardless of whether they are a professional designer, non-designer or a student.

Entries from individuals or teams will be accepted, and entrants may enter more than one design if they wish. However, entrants will need to fill out and submit a separate entry form for each design they submit.

How to enter

Contestants will need to submit their entry via this form and include the following information:

• Name of the proposal
• A description of the existing building and an explanation of why it was chosen (maximum 250 words)
• A description of the proposal to modernise it, explaining how it meets the brief (maximum 500 words)
• A minimum of five and a maximum of 15 images showcasing the proposal, including at least one of the existing building
• (Optional) Video or animation showcasing the design
• A declaration about any artificial-intelligence (AI) tools used

Each submitted image should be a single image, free from any logos or text. They should be JPGs with a minimum resolution of 72 dpi and a maximum file size of 1MB each.

The optional video or animation should be uploaded to an external hosting platform (such as YouTube or Vimeo) and submitted via a URL.

For teams, one member of the team should submit the entry with the rest of the team credited in the appropriate field on the form.

If an entrant wants to submit multiple entries, they should fill out and submit a separate entry form for each entry.

All entrants must read and agree to be bound by the competition terms and conditions before entering.

Judging criteria

Judges will be looking for bold architectural proposals to modernise historic buildings while preserving their heritage. Entries will be judged on the following criteria:

• Innovation: How original and ambitious is the proposal?
• Heritage: How well does the proposal preserve and celebrate the building's history?
• Progression: How well does the proposed new building serve present and future needs?
• Sustainability: How does the design positively contribute to its environment and local community?
• Visual presentation: How strong is the submitted imagery and how well is the overall concept presented?

Use of generative AI tools

Entrants are free to use generative AI tools for their submission but must disclose what tools they have used and how.

As per Dezeen's AI policy, we favour publishing human-authored visuals and illustrations over AI-generated images. Original, characterful and visually distinct imagery created by a human will score higher for visual presentation than generic images that have been created entirely by AI.

Judges

Competition entries will be judged by a panel of designers from Bentley and journalists from Dezeen.

Closing date

All entries must be received by midnight PT (Pacific Time) on 25 June 2025. Any entries received after this date will not be considered.

The finalists will be announced and published on Dezeen in September 2025.

Prizes

There is £30,000 of prize money available: a top prize of £15,000 for first place, £10,000 for second place and £5,000 for third place.

Terms and conditions

Full terms and conditions for the competition can be viewed here. All entrants must read and agree to the participation terms and conditions before entering.

Contact

Any questions about the competition and all press enquiries should be emailed to [email protected].