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Open Call: Architectural Essay Writing, 7th Cycle: 'Thresholds of Movement'


Architectural Essay Writing Contest, 7th Cycle is the twenty-seventh initiative of the Architectural Journalism & Criticism Organization founded by architect Pappal Suneja to spread awareness about this subject and sow the seeds of inspiration to explore and write about Architecture and allied fields from a researcher’s perspective.


The theme for the Series in this cycle is ‘Migration & Immigration’


Brief


“Migration is an expression of the human aspiration for dignity, safety, and a better future.” — Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General.


Migration and immigration are among the most defining forces shaping contemporary societies globally. Beyond statistics and policy debates, they involve questions of identity, belonging, borders, labor, and culture. As movement between borders follows haphazard and unplanned motives and routes, it becomes the responsibility of architects, urban planners, and designers to work alongside policymakers and governments around the world to intervene in the built environment and present solutions that not only speak to the convenience of residents but also to the dignity of those immigrating.

Another aspect that has been a defining factor in movement is migration. As economies and populations burgeon around the world, as of mid-2024, the global number of international migrants reached a record 304 million, representing approximately 3.7% of the total world population. This figure has nearly doubled since 1990 (see: https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/migration).


As the world order shifts toward greater fluidity, it becomes increasingly important to design our spaces with these possible scenarios in mind. This competition invites participants to critically examine migration not just as movement across geography, but as a condition that transforms individuals, communities, and the built environment.


This essay writing calls to look at how migration reshapes architecture, cities, territories, labor conditions, and public life. How do borders influence the experience of movement and settlement? How do migrants negotiate questions of memory, belonging, displacement, and identity through space? What kinds of built environments emerge from temporary occupation, informal adaptation, and transitory living? Consider the city from the perspective of those who arrive, settle, wait, work, and survive within unfamiliar environments. The migrant worker, the refugee, the student, the displaced family, and the undocumented resident each experience space differently.


Migration and immigration are deeply entangled with politics, economics, and social systems, often influencing our everyday routines in visible and invisible ways. This competition encourages an experiential and critical approach. Reflect on lived realities, urban encounters, border conditions, camps, transit infrastructures, informal settlements, and collective memories associated with movement. Public spaces, shelters, checkpoints, housing clusters, stations, and neighborhoods become active sites through which systems of inclusion and exclusion are negotiated.


Can migration be understood not merely as a crisis, but also as a productive force that reshapes the cultural and spatial imagination of cities? Through observation, analysis, and reflection, explore how migration and immigration transform the ‘everyday’ life of the built environment.


- Megha Balooni (Curator for 7th and 8th Cycles, AJC Essay Writing)


We welcome entries from Collegians, Professionals, Academicians; Researchers & Design Enthusiasts (Open to All)


Submission Guidelines:


  • Submissions are open to all writers in English. International submissions are welcome.

  • Maximum two entries/essays per registrant are allowed.

  • The Essay/entry may be accompanied by an Illustration/Photograph (with proper credits and permissions if required).

  • Each essay should not exceed 1500–2500 words.

  • The entry along with the registration screenshot, should be sent to ajc.competition@gmail.com with the subject line Essay Writing Contest, 7th Cycle - Category (collegians, and Open) in a word document with 12 pt., Arial font, single-line spacing.

  • All entrants must mention any of their social media handles with the submission (Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, etc.)

  • The submission should be an original work of the entrant and will go through a plagiarism and AI bot test.

  • We will announce the winners in September 2026.


Jury Panel for the Competition comprises



Timeline:


Submissions window for the Series: 1st June 2026 – 31st August 2026 (11:59 pm IST / 8:29 pm CEST)


●      Early Bird Registration till 15th July 2026, (1200 INR for participants from India and 25 Euros for International Participants)


Indian Participants can follow the link to register and International Participants can enter here.


●      Standard Registration till 30th August 2026, (1800 INR for participants from India and 30 Euros for International Participants)


For Queries, contact: plusajc@gmail.com

 

Winning Prizes for the Competition are

 

Citation Award

An AJC curated set of books worth 18000 INR/200 USD.

 

Special Mention

An AJC curated set of books worth 9000 INR/100 USD.

 

Besides this, we shall send attested E-Certificates of Participation to all the entrants, and the winning entries shall be featured on several web architectural portals. Also, the best entries shall be compiled as an Anthology with ISBN No. after the successful run of all the cycles (6th to 12th) under this Series. For further updates regarding the outreach activities and events, Visit the Instagram and Facebook handle of the Organisation.


Competition Poster by Team AJC+


 

 

 
 
 

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