DETAIL Architecture Award 2027

International Prize for Building Culture

The DETAIL Architecture Award is one of the world's leading international architecture awards. Since 2005, DETAIL has recognised outstanding completed buildings from around the world that stand out for their architectural quality, technical excellence and contribution to building culture.

Projects of all building types and uses are eligible. The award honours forward-looking architecture distinguished by a convincing overall concept, a comprehensive sustainability strategy, successful structural implementation and a harmonious choice of materials.

Submissions are open from 1 August to 31 October 2026. The award is judged by an independent international expert jury. The jury for the 2027 edition will be announced soon.

Why Participate?

The DETAIL Architecture Award offers architects and planners the opportunity to present their work to an international professional audience and gain recognition through one of the world's leading architecture awards.

Award Categories

The DETAIL Architecture Award 2027 comprises several distinctions. In addition to the DETAIL Architecture Award, the Special Prize - Affordable Housing, the DETAIL Architecture Award for Students & Schools, and the DETAIL Readers' Award will be presented.

DETAIL Architecture Award

The main prize recognises completed building projects from around the world whose architecture is particularly impressive as an overall concept. It is not the size or budget of a project that is decisive, but the quality of the idea and its consistent implementation. The following criteria are assessed: architectural quality, sustainable strategies, constructive implementation, choice of materials, quality of detail.

DETAIL Architecture Award for Students & Schools

The prize recognises completed projects and built prototypes from architecture schools. The focus is on experimental approaches, innovative processes and compelling technical solutions within an outstanding overall concept.

Special Prize - Affordable Housing

How can sophisticated architecture be created within limited financial constraints? This special prize recognises projects that demonstrate that design quality, sustainability and cost-effective construction go hand in hand. We are looking for intelligent concepts, efficient designs and innovative solutions for a sustainable building culture.

DETAIL Readers' Award

The Detail Readers' Award is decided by the architecture community. Readers of Detail vote online to select their favourite project from a shortlist nominated by the jury.

Our jury

An independent international expert jury will decide on the winners of the DETAIL Architecture Award 2027. The jury will meet in Munich on 11 January 2027 to evaluate the submitted projects.

The 2027 jury comprises:

Hiroko KusunokiMoreau Kusunoki, Paris

Kasper PilemandDorte Mandrup Architects, Copenhagen

Jakob SchoofDETAIL, Munich

Inge Vinckajdviv, Brussels

Ludwig Wappnerallmannwappner, Munich

How to Enter the DETAIL Architecture Award 2027

Required Submission Documents


Register your project	DIN A1 landscape format	4 photos	Max. 2,000 characters	Consent of all authors required
Complete all mandatory online fields	PDF, max. 6 MB	Min. 13 x 18 cm	PDF or DOC	Upload signed declaration
	Floor plans, sections & detailed drawings	300 dpi
	Text, graphics & illustrations	Max. 4 MB
		No renderings

Entry Fees

A processing fee applies to all submissions to the DETAIL Architecture Award 2027. Reduced Early Bird fees apply to submissions received by 30 September 2026. Annual subscribers to DETAIL print magazine or DETAIL Inspiration also benefit from discounted entry fees.


Architecture	250 €	290 €	+ 70 € per project
DETAIL Annual Subscribers	150 €	190 €	+ 70 € per project
Students & Schools	60 €	100 €

FAQ

Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions about the DETAIL Architecture Award 2027. If you have any further questions about the award or the submission process, please email us at architectureaward@detail.de.

Is it possible to resubmit a project if it was previously submitted for the DETAIL Award 2024 but did not win an award?: You are welcome to resubmit the project, provided it meets the entry criteria. The DETAIL Architecture Award 2027 is open to projects of any building type completed worldwide after 1 January 2023. New-build projects, renovations, conversions and extensions may all be submitted. Eligible to enter are architects, civil engineers, structural engineers, interior designers, designers and specialist engineers, as well as lecturers at architecture schools.
For the DETAIL Award, may only one detail be presented, or may several details from a single building project be submitted?: You are welcome to present several details as part of the project sheet, which you are free to design as you wish. Please submit the most significant and illustrative detail separately as part of the image material to be submitted.
Is it compulsory to state the construction costs? Will these be published?: It is compulsory to state the construction costs as part of the competition. However, the costs will not be disclosed in the event of any publication, nor is their publication compulsory. For the time being, they are made available for information purposes only to the pre-selection panel and the jury as part of the competition.
What are the costs involved in taking part?: Once the documents have been submitted in full, the processing fee becomes due and must be paid via the Stripe portal.

The processing fee for the DETAIL Architecture Award is 290 EUR for one project, 360 EUR for two projects and 430 EUR for three projects. For the DETAIL Architecture Award for students and higher education institutions, only one project submission is permitted, subject to a processing fee of 100 EUR. If projects are submitted on or before 30 September 2026, the processing fee is 250 EUR for one project, 320 EUR for two projects and 390 EUR for three projects; for student submissions, the fee is 60 EUR.

For annual subscribers to DETAIL print magazine, the processing fees for the DETAIL Architecture Award up to and including 30 September 2026 are 150 EUR for one project, 220 EUR for two projects and 290 EUR for three projects. From 1 October 2026, the fees will be 190 EUR for one project, 260 EUR for two projects and 330 EUR for three projects.

Registration is only considered complete once the processing fee has been received.
What is meant by the following sentence in the competition brief: 'In the case of consortia, each member must provide proof of eligibility to participate and all authors of the design must be named.' What exactly is meant by 'eligibility to participate'?: Those eligible to participate are architects, civil engineers, structural engineers, interior designers, designers and specialist engineers, as well as lecturers at universities of architecture.
Detail is known for its simple, precise presentations. Is it recommended that detailed plans be finalised before submission, or is it possible to submit revised plans?: There are no binding guidelines regarding how the plans must be drawn for the submission. We recommend that you choose the presentation style that, in your opinion, best showcases the quality of your project. The choice of presentation is entirely up to you.
Is it permissible to submit an explanatory video that demonstrates the dynamic or moving aspects of the project? Is it permissible to provide a link to a video on YouTube or a link on one's own website for explanatory purposes? Does a photograph of the room showing three small details that illustrate the special effects of the changing coloured lighting count as an image?: Unfortunately, to ensure the projects can be compared fairly, it is not possible to submit a video. However, you are welcome to include a link to the video in the explanatory text. The photograph of the room showing three small details of coloured lighting effects will be recognised as one image.

We wish you every success with your project.

If you have any questions, please contact architectureaward@detail.de