The First Annual iNTA Design Competition:

Theme:
Entrants are challenged to rethink tropical housing as an ecological interface, a cultural artifact, and a platform for community action. Housing in tropical regions must respond to extreme weather, promote natural ventilation, harness renewable energy, enable water management, and foster healthy livable environments. Submissions should also reflect regional identities and social priorities, embracing both traditional knowledge and innovation.

Competition Objectives:

• Inspire climate-responsive housing designs suited to tropical environments.

• Promote the integration of local materials, vernacular knowledge, and contemporary technologies

• Address resilience to extreme tropical weather conditions (cyclones, heavy rainfall, drought, high heat).

• Explore the roof’s potential in energy generation, water collection, biodiversity, and community use.

• Demonstrate housing’s potential for energy generation, water collection, biodiversity enhancement, and community engagement.

• Emphasize recycling, reuse, and circular design principles to minimize environmental impact and maximize resource efficiency

• Launch: June 1, 2025
• Submission Deadline: September 1, 2025 @ 11:59 HAST
• Winners Notified: September 15, 2025
• Awards Ceremony: Saturday December 6, 2025, at the INTA 2025 in Honolulu, Hawai’i

Host or Publisher SHADE Institute