Design Beyond Walls
1. Competition Introduction
Structa Engineering and Contractors proudly presents the Structa House Design Challenge 2026, a national-level design competition created to identify outstanding architectural talent among students and professionals across Sri Lanka.
As one of Sri Lanka’s leading design and construction firms with over 2,000 completed projects locally and internationally, Structa continues to create platforms that encourage innovation, excellence, and future-ready residential design.
This year’s challenge invites participants to design a luxury 7-bedroom villa on a 30-perch land in Vavuniya, combining creativity, technical thinking, tropical design intelligence, and luxury living standards.
2. Why This Competition Matters
The competition is designed to:
- Discover emerging architectural and design talent
- Encourage practical luxury residential solutions
- Promote climate-responsive tropical design
- Create direct exposure to industry professionals
- Strengthen design thinking in Sri Lanka
Winning designs will be publicly showcased during a major construction exhibition at BMICH.
3. Competition Categories
Student Category
Open to:
- Architecture students
- Civil Engineering students
- Interior Design students
- Quantity Surveying students
- Related built-environment disciplines
Professional Category
Open to:
- Architects
- Engineers
- Designers
- Design consultants
- Independent studios
4. Design Brief
Participants must design a luxury villa with the following mandatory requirements:
Land Information
- Site size: 30 perches
- Location: Vavuniya, Sri Lanka
- Dry-zone climate to be considered
Mandatory Villa Requirements
Bedrooms
- 7 bedrooms minimum
- Master suite must be premium
Bathrooms
- Multiple attached bathrooms
- Guest powder room mandatory
Kitchens
- Open kitchen
- Closed heavy-use kitchen
Public Areas
- Main living
- Formal dining
- Family lounge
- Guest reception area
Private Areas
- Bedroom cluster
- Private family circulation
Courtyards
- Multiple courtyards/open sky spaces mandatory
Parking
Large garage for:
- 4 SUVs
- 5 racing bikes
Outdoor Luxury Features
- Swimming pool
- Jacuzzi
- Outdoor relaxation deck
Detached Structures
Separate detached:
- Maid’s quarters
- Driver’s quarters
5. Strongly Encouraged Design Features
Participants are encouraged to include:
- Passive cooling
- Sun shading
- Cross ventilation
- Courtyard cooling strategies
- Water features
- Natural light optimization
- Sustainable material thinking
6. Submission Deliverables
Participants must upload:
Mandatory Files
- Concept statement (max 500 words)
- Site plan
- Ground floor plan
- Upper floor plan (if applicable)
- Elevations
- Sections
- 3D renders
File Format
- PDF only
- Maximum size: 25MB
Optional Bonus
- Animation
- Digital walkthrough
- Physical model (for finalists only)
7. Judging Criteria
| Criteria | Weight |
|---|---|
| Creativity | 20% |
| Functional Planning | 20% |
| Luxury Experience | 15% |
| Climate Responsiveness | 15% |
| Buildability | 15% |
| Presentation Quality | 15% |
8. Competition Timeline
Announcement
12 March 2026
Registration Opens
12 March 2026
Registration Closes
31 March 2026
Submission Deadline
10 May 2026
Jury Review
2nd week of May
Finals
3rd week of May
Exhibition
Last week of May
9. Awards
Main Award
🏆 LKR 100,000 for Best Overall Design
Additional Awards
- Best Student Design
- Best Professional Design
- Provincial Winners
- Sustainability Excellence Award
- Public Favourite Award
10. Exhibition Opportunity
Winning and shortlisted entries will be displayed at the Structa Exhibition Stall at BMICH before developers, investors, media, and the public.
This creates rare national exposure for participants.
11. Detailed Rules
Originality Rule
All submissions must be fully original.
No Previously Published Work
Previously submitted designs are prohibited.
Team Rules
Maximum 3 persons per team.
One Entry Rule
One entry per participant/team.
Category Integrity
Participants must enter only one category.
Deadline Rule
Late submissions will not be accepted.
Identity Rule
Submission boards must not display participant names on design sheets if blind judging is used.
File Naming Rule
Format:
Category_Name_ProjectTitle.pdf
12. Intellectual Property Rules
Ownership
Participant retains authorship.
Usage Rights
Structa reserves rights to:
- Publish
- Exhibit
- Promote
- Use in media materials
with participant credit.
13. Disqualification Conditions
Entries will be rejected if:
- incomplete
- copied
- AI-generated without disclosure
- offensive
- technically non-compliant
14. Jury Decision
The jury decision is final.
No appeal process.