Design Challenges

Design a new school locker

Reimagine the design of a 21st century locker. 

Rapid Design Charrette

Use the design process to redesign an every day object. 

Comics for Climate

Create an eco-comic book to inspire other kids to take climate action.

Design a BRT Shelter for Chicago

BRT is less permanent and less expensive that rail systems (like the EL) and can move people just as effectively in many cities.

Design a Bus Shelter

What might be missing from the current design of your city's bus shelters?

Design a food stand for your school

Design a food stand for a site around your school. 

MINECRAFT CHALLENGE: Redesign A Public Space

Make a great public space in Minecraft. This challenge is to design a space that promotes social interaction and a sense of community.

Redesign Your Bedroom

Let’s get started on the challenge to redesign your dream bedroom.  

Redesign Your Classroom

Reimagine the design of a 21st century classroom that can make your classroom a model for learning today and beyond.

Youth-Authored: SmartGrid Challenge

2015 National DiscoverDesign Competition: Pocket Park Design

The 2015 DiscoverDesign.org National High School Architecture & Design Competition real-world design problem is to design a pocket park for your neighborhood or school.  

2016 National DiscoverDesign Competition: Design an affordable housing prototype

Design an affordable housing prototype for your local town/city or location of your choice.

Community Building: Reimagining My Block

Neighborhoods are unique places.  On one block you can find many resources for the people who live there – homes, shops, stores, parks, and more. Not every block is the same or needs the same things.  What makes your block unique?

Design a Container House

‘Shipping container architecture’ is a growing form of architecture using steel intermodal shipping containers as the main structural element. The steel is not only strong, but meant to withstand heavy loads and harsh weather conditions.

Design a New School Athletic Pavilion

The challenge is to redesign your high school’s athletic facilities into an athletic pavilion.

Design Mash-Up: Popup Pavilion

Parks are great. Most people have been to one and there is usually something for everyone to do. That is why people gather in parks. There might be shade which is a welcome relief on a hot summer day.

DFSS Design a Viaduct Mural

The DFSS Design a Viaduct Mural challenge is a local design opportunity which asks participants to think outside the box and imagine a site-specific viaduct mural for a Chicago area neighborhood.

Redesign your school cafeteria

How is your school's cafeteria designed now?  Start by making notes about what’s working and what isn’t working with the existing design.

Redesign your school library

The challenge is to redesign your high school library and re-think how your school’s library should, or could, function as technology advances and our notion of study and working changes accordingly. 

2017 National DiscoverDesign Competition: Library + Community Space Design

2018 National DiscoverDesign Competition:

Design a community market on a transit-oriented site in Chicago to improve access to resources and provide public gathering spaces for the Marshall Square or McKinley Park neighborhoods in Chicago.

CIRT Challenge: Design a Flexible Home

This challenge is open to the DiscoverDesign community. Yet, to be eligible to compete applicants must be a participating ACE Mentor Program student and enter with a team of three or more students and ACE Affiliate(s).

CIRT Challenge: Envision an Ideal School

This challenge is open to the DiscoverDesign community. Yet, to be eligible to compete applicants must be a participating ACE Mentor Program student and enter with a team of three or more students and ACE Affiliate(s).

CIRT Challenge: Revitalize an Urban Block

This challenge is open to the DiscoverDesign community. Yet, to be eligible to compete applicants must be a participating ACE Mentor Program student and enter with a team of three or more students and ACE Affiliate(s).

CIRT Open Spaces Design Challenge

Reimagining and/or opening space formerly occupied by buildings and/or storefronts that are in disrepair or not any longer used (or fully used) into attractive, inviting, common area or park-like space can bring not only aesthetics back to an urb

CIRT Presidential Library/Museum Challenge

With President Obama leaving office in January 2017, historians, academia, and the general public will turn to the creation of a "Presidential Library," which will also serve as a Museum, to reflect-on and capture the key events of eight years of the O

CIRT Upgrade a Structure Challenge

Upcycled Architecture is defined as the art of redesigning an existing structure for purposes other than those for which it was originally intended. Upcycled Architecture additionally advances an existing building’s sustainable, dynamic

Design a New Technology Wing for Your School

Transform an old computer lab into a digital learning space for 21st Century Learning.

Design an Addition for your School

Many schools were designed for the past and don’t reflect the 21st century learning environment. Some buildings need better ventilation or lighting, while others are simply not large enough to accommodate students comfortably.

Meet Your City: Read an Intersection

A person can learn how to "read" the built environment – including intersections – just like they can learn how to read a book.