The Hong Kong Institute of Urban Design (HKIUD), with the support of the other four Founding Institutes of the Greater Bay Area Urban Designer Alliance - CURB Center for Architecture and Urbanism – Macau, Guangzhou Urban Planning Association, Urban Planning Society of Shenzhen and Zhuhai Planning Exploration and Design Industry Association, , strive to improve cross boundary collaboration, develop joint standards and accreditation, and promote the value of quality urban design in improving livability within the Greater Bay Area.
Following the tremendous successes in the 2020, 2022 and 2024 editions of the Greater Bay Area Urban Design Awards (GBA Urban Design Awards), HKIUD will, together with the support of the Greater Bay Area Urban Designer Alliance, continue to organise this bi-annual event, with the next edition to be undertaken in March to November 2026.
The GBA Urban Design Awards aim to elevate the overall urban design standard through recognition of excellence in urban design related projects, research and publication whilst fostering collaboration and exchange among urban designers and other urban design related professionals, companies and organisations in the Greater Bay Area.
The GBA Urban Design Awards are comprised of Professional Category and Student Category.
Professional Category
1. Awards Sub-Categories
The Professional Category has following sub-categories, namely Completed Project, Completed Project- Urban Intervention, Planned Project and Research & Publication.
2. Eligibility of Nominated Projects
- Projects nominated for entries must be located inside the geographical area of the GBA.
- Projects must be nominated by professional members or group members of the Founding Member Institutes of the GBA Urban Designer Alliance, or members of the professional institutes/organisations recommended by these Founding Member Institutes.
- Projects nominated for categories of Completed Project, Completed Project- Urban Intervention must be completed physically between 1 January 2016 and 11 June 2026.
- Projects nominated for categories of Completed Project- Urban Intervention are for small-scale interventions that have been completed physically and made a significant contribution to the urban environment, for example:
a. One or a group of small buildings of a total building area of not more than 2000 m2 ;
b. A landscape area or public space of a total building area of not more than 3000 m2 ;
c. Small urban elements, e.g. pavilion, shelter, street furniture, lighting, public art, gateway; or
d. Other forms of temporary or permanent interventions. - Design or study nominated for category of Planned Project must be completed and accepted between 1 January 2016 and 11 June 2026 by the Government departments concerned or clients who commissioned the projects.
- The nominated projects shall in no way be associated with any members of the Jury Panel.
3. Entry & Specifications
Nominators should download, complete and return the Nomination Application Form, all the documents required and nomination fee (Please refer to the nomination form for details). Please note, nomination must be made by a member of any of the Founding Member Institutes from the GBA Urban Designer Alliance, or their recommended professional institutes/organisations.
4. Types of Honour
There would be Grand Award, Merit Award and Nominated Award for shortlisted projects for each sub-category. The number of awards would depend on the quality and the number of entries. However, the Jury Panel reserves the right of not awarding any award if the entries are not up to standard. The decision of the Jury Panel shall be final.
5. Professional Category Jury Panel
Jury Panel for the Professional category(Completed Project, Completed Project- Urban Intervention, Planned Project) shall consist of international or Mainland academia or practitioners in urban design outside the Greater Bay Area. Impartiality and reputation of the Awards will be safeguarded by a sound adjudication process.
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Ms. Kirsten BAUER, Global Design Director, ASPECT Studios (Australia) |
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Mr. Soren HANSEN, Urban Development and Design, Urban Advisory Partners (Demark) |
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Mr. Dennis PIEPRZ, Principal, SASAKI (USA) |
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Ms. Paromita ROY, Cities Planning and Design Leader, Arup (India) |
6. Fees
HK$2,800 per submission. It is open for both professionals and companies in urban design in the GBA to participate.
Research / Publication
- There is no limitation in the Urban Design project size or scope.
- Research can be presented as an academic paper, academic report or as a published consultancy investigation.
- Academic research should identify and address contributions in urban design in a systematic manner with consideration to timeframe and resources. Evidence of literature review is required for academic publication.
- Academic research must be investigative as well as generative.
- For academic research, the methodology must include rational argumentation that meaningfully connects answers to questions i.e. methodology proposed must be argued as to how they will help to answer the research questions and sub-questions.
- Research may be presented in hard copy as a full paper or a summary report of not more than 8,000 words
- Publication may be in the form of educational, illustrational, investigative, or representational material. There is no restriction in size or length, print or digital publication, however the material must have been published by an independent third party.
- Publications may be submitted as follows: - a) full, original copy; b) summary report of not more than 8000 words (not including abstract, list of illustrations, tables, bibliography) and in A4 format;
Research & Publication Jury Panel
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Prof. TM Vinod KUMAR, retired Prof and former Dean, School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi |
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Mr. Anthony LUK, Deputy Director of Planning/ Territorial, Planning Department |
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Prof. Mee Kam NG, Emeritus Professor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong |
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Prof. ShiFu WANG, Director, Greater Bay Area Planning Innovation Reseach Center (SCUT) |
Download the Nomination Form>> (PDF)
Download the Nomination Form (Word)
Student Category
1. Urban Design Theme
“Urban Design in the Era of Low Altitude Economy”.
2. Eligibility
- Open for all full-time urban design, architecture, landscape architecture and town planning full-time students who are studying in Hong Kong, Macau and other cities in the Greater Bay Area cities.
- Students are eligible to form a group to enroll the Student Awards Category. Please note that the maximum number of student participants in a group entry should be ten including a group leader as the contact representative. Information such as full names, name of Institution and study programme of team members should be clearly stated in the form.
- No limitation on the geographical location of the project.
- The applicants and the submitted project shall in no way be associated with any members of the Jury Panel.
3. Submission Requirement
Students should download, complete and return the Entry Form and submit all the documents required.
Free submissions for all full-time urban design, architecture, landscape architecture and - town planning students who are studying in Hong Kong, Macau and other Greater Bay Area cities.
4. Types of Honour
- Gold Award
- Silver Award
- Commendation Award – for shortlisted projects
Student Category Jury Panel
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Prof. Alain CHIARADIA, Honorary Associate Professor, the University of Hong Kong |
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Prof. Ge WANG, Vice Dean, School of Architecture and Allied Arts (SAA) of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts (GAFA) |
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Prof. Xiaochun YANG, Vice Dean, Professor, School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shenzhen University |
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Ms . Shan ZHONG, Certified Urban-Rural Planner，Chief Engineer of Urban Design Department, Zhuhai Institute of Urban Planning & Design |
Download the Nomination Form>> (PDF)
Download the Nomination Form (WORD)
Key Dates
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11 March 2026 |
Open for Nomination and Submission |
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12 June 2026 |
Nomination and Submission close at 3:00pm (HK Time) |
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July - August 2026
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Awards Adjudication (First screening for shortlisting submission will be held in July, and assessment of shortlisted entries will be held in August) |
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October to November 2026 |
Result Announcement and Awards Presentation Ceremony in Hong Kong |
GBA Urban Design Awards 2026 - Event Secretariat
Ms. Cherry Lau
Email: inq@hkiud.org
Tel: (852)2235 9057