Deadline: December 15, 2026
2026 International Design Competition: Protective Shelter at Tell es-Sultan/Ancient Jericho, State of Palestine
UNESCO, in cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA); financially supported by Italy through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS); endorsed by the International Union of Architects (UIA)
State of Palestine, Jericho (Tell es-Sultan/Ancient Jericho Archaeological Site, located northwest of Jericho City, 40 km east of Jerusalem, 10 km northwest of the Dead Sea)
- Competition Launch: July 24, 2026
- Deadline for Submitting Questions: August 25, 2026 (5:00 PM Palestine time, GMT+3)
- Responses to Questions Published: September 25, 2026
- Registration and Submission Deadline: December 15, 2026 (5:00 PM Palestine time, GMT+2; digital submission only)
- Jury Meeting and Deliberation: January 2027
- Announcement of Winner: January–February 2027 (exact date TBC)
- Architecture Design
- Archaeological Site Conservation
- Structural Design
- Cultural Heritage Preservation
- Protective Building Design
- Open to architects or teams of architects and engineers authorized to practice in their country of residence worldwide
- Team leader must be an architect with at least 8 years of professional experience in architectural design
- The team must include at least one structural engineer with 10 years of professional practice (preferably with experience in long-span structural design)
- May participate as individuals, companies, or joint ventures; companies must clearly name the lead architect
- Each competitor may register only once, as part of one team, and submit only one project; variants are not allowed
- All participants must meet UN eligibility criteria (not on the UN exclusion list, UN Security Council Consolidated Sanctions List, or World Bank Group exclusion list)
- Submissions are anonymous — only the User Identification Number (UIN) may appear on materials; logos, company names, or identifying marks will result in disqualification
Free
- 1st Prize: USD 30,000 + the contract for the development of the detailed design and supervision of the Tell es-Sultan protective shelter (the winner must partner with an experienced local Palestinian professional, architectural office, or educational institution)
- 2nd Prize: USD 20,000
- 3rd Prize: USD 10,000
- The jury may also allocate honorary mentions at its discretion
- All submitted designs (including those disqualified) will be exhibited on the competition website for four weeks following the announcement of results, together with the signed jury report
This competition is launched by UNESCO in cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, with financial support from Italy through AICS, and endorsed by the UIA. It seeks a winning design for the construction of a protective shelter over Trench I at the Ancient Jericho/Tell es-Sultan Archaeological Site in the State of Palestine. The site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in September 2023 (under criteria III and IV) as one of the earliest urban sites in the world, covering approximately 5.93 hectares. Trench I, excavated between 1952 and 1958, reveals 29 distinct phases of habitation spanning nearly 10,000 years — from the Neolithic period to the Early and Middle Bronze Ages — and is home to the Neolithic Tower (a semi-conical structure with an 8.5-metre base diameter, 7.75–8.25 metres in height, and 22 internal steps). Currently unsheltered, Trench I is exposed to harsh environmental conditions including direct sunlight, wind, rainfall, and increasing visitor pressure, threatening erosion and damage to fragile archaeological layers. The competition aims to select an adaptable protective system that meets the specific needs of Trench I while offering a guiding model for other excavated areas of the site. Beyond its protective function, the shelter should enhance public understanding through carefully framed views, controlled access, and respectful integration into the cultural landscape. Submission requirements: all documentation in English, consisting of one A4-format report (maximum 1,000 words) and four A1-format panels (PDF format, max 40 MB per panel, up to 300 dpi resolution). The international independent jury comprises architects from Palestine, Morocco, Mexico, Portugal, Bangladesh, Switzerland, and Italy, with UIA representation.
