The Role of Architectural Competitions in Promoting Environmental Sustainability

This study examines the relationship between architectural competitions and sustainability, emphasizing that competitions—through their innovative, pluralistic, and dynamic structures, as well as their pioneering character—can play an important role in building a sustainable future. Within the scope of the study, 15 competitions held in Turkey during three different periods (2004, 2014, and 2024) were analyzed through their briefs, jury reports, and descriptions of award-winning projects. A qualitative content analysis was conducted using concepts critical to environmental sustainability found in these documents. The analysis revealed that such concepts were not present in competitions during the initial period, but over time, they became more visible, and by the latest period, their presence had significantly increased. In fact, examples from 2024 show that sustainability was addressed more holistically in competitions, with concepts such as ecological restoration, ecosystem integrity, and climate change adaptation. Additionally, during this process, both juries and design teams expanded to include members from various disciplines—an especially important development for a multifaceted issue like sustainability. By embracing bold and innovative ideas, architectural competitions can play a significant role in shaping a built environment that is more environmentally conscious, resilient, and ecologically responsible. To enhance this impact, it is crucial that sustainability criteria are clearly included in the definition and evaluation processes of competitions, that designs integrating environmental sustainability dynamics are rewarded, and that winning projects are implemented.