Energising the Frontline
Strengthening Island Tourism Through Resilient Design Solutions
till phase I submission deadline
Overview
About the ISA-iSUN Design Challenge
The ISA-iSUN Design Challenge is a global design competition focusing on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) where architecture and engineering institutes worldwide are invited to participate in designing a climate-resilient resort, bringing together architecture and solar technology, in select SIDS nations. This Challenge is hosted by The International Solar Alliance (ISA), powered by ISA Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), executed by GRIHA Council, with the support of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
The competition bridges global vision with grassroot actions by inviting students to develop resort projects (live and hypothetical) for the SIDS specifically for Maldives, Mauritius and Fiji. It encourages students to design a climate resilient resort which is scalable and replicable in nature, primarily focusing on embedding solar energy in the design.
View Design BriefArchitecture and engineering institutes are eligible for the competition. See the full eligibility and team composition requirements in the Design Brief.
The Road Ahead
Key Dates and Milestones
The Design Context
Three Islands. Three Contexts.
Participants may select the site they want to submit their design proposal for. A maximum of three entries can be submitted by each Institution (one submission per Site). Explore each site's full design brief below.
From Context to Concept
Strengthening Island Tourism Through Resilient Design Solutions
Understand the island, climate, culture and local context.
Develop a climate-resilient resort response.
Make solar energy an integral part of the architecture.
Create a solution that can be adapted across SIDS.
The Evaluators
Meet the Jury
Architects, sustainability experts and industry leaders evaluating the next generation of resilient island architecture.
Recognition
Ideas that shape the future
A total prize pool will be awarded to winners and runners-up.
View Full Awards
Frequently Asked Questions
View all FAQs01 Who can participate in the ISA-iSUN Design Challenge?
The challenge is open to student teams guided by faculty members and industry experts in architecture, planning and engineering. Refer to the Participation Guidelines section for more details.
02 Is there a registration fee?
No. There is no registration fee.
03 Can our team choose more than one site?
Each institution may submit a maximum of three entries, i.e. one entry per site.
04 Will our identity be visible to the jury during evaluation?
No. All submissions must be free of names, logos or institution marks so that the jury evaluation stays fully anonymous through the entire evaluation stage.
05 How and when will we know if we're shortlisted?
Once the evaluation team finalises the Phase 1 shortlist, results are published on the website and emailed to all registered teams, along with instructions for shortlisted teams on the Phase 2 submission window.
Contact Us
Get in Touch
Most queries are addressed within 48 hours by our team.