You are currently viewing an archive site of the LFA’s 2021 Festival. For our current website click here.

The LFA has a tried-and-tested model of running architectural competitions. Our competitions are designed to find the best emerging architectural talent for your project. LFA competitions are well respected amongst the architectural community for their fairness, transparency and the diversity of the entrants and winners. But more than that, the right competition can provide you with a range of design solutions from which to choose. We will:

  • Create an ambitious and inspiring brief to an agreed timeline
  • Promote the competition to a wide festival audience through the Festival’s PR and media channels – helping both to generate interest in the competition and the specific area as part of a broader narrative. We pay particular attention to ensuring that competitions are open – and seen to be open – to underrepresented minorities and communities
  • Use the tried-and-tested festival competition model – which ensures the competition is seen as fair, open and transparent. This also ensures the competition is well received by architects – avoiding negative publicity associated with some competitions.
  • Carefully engage the community in either the brief or shortlisted entries (viz. our Thessaly Road competition in Wandsworth)
  • Ensure that the shortlisted architects are briefed to engage the community at the appropriate stage
  • Manage the submission of entries through the Festival website and submission process – reducing your administrative work.
  • Leverage our extensive network of high-level contacts to put together an impressive judging panel
  • Manage all aspects of establishing and running the judging panel
  • Manage communications with both successful and unsuccessful entrants
  • Promote the shortlisted entries to a wide trade and general media audience
  • Promote the winning entry through our Festival PR and media channels.

Where an LFA competition is intended to be built for the LFA, we can, for some projects, provide limited project management assistance to oversee the build (depending on the scale and scope of the project this may involve additional cost) Build costs for installations vary and would be in addition, but can range from £5k – £15k for smaller simple installations (e.g. benches, parkletts) up to £50k+ for major pavilions.

Our recent competitions have included: Dulwich Pavilion (with Dulwich Picture Gallery), Sitting Pretty Benches (for Network Rail), River View (for City of London Corporation and Illuminated River), Thessaly Road (for Wandsworth Council), Tooley Street Triangle (for Team London Bridge), City Benches and St Paul’s Plinth (for Cheapside Business Alliance and City of London), City Parklets (for City of London)

For more information please email Rosa Rogina or call 0207 299 1280.

Open Calls


Designers Talk

Competition |

Designers Talk

We’re delighted to introduce Designers Talk. A new video series featuring exclusive interviews with winners of past and present LFA…

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Open Call: Pop up Bike parking

Competition |

Open Call: Pop up Bike parking

The LFA and Network Rail have launched a new open call competition for creative and innovative solutions for pop-up, flexible…

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Past Competitions


Pride Pop Up: Winner Revealed

Competition |

Pride Pop Up: Winner Revealed

‘Rainbow After The Storm’ – a colourful and interactive pavilion designed by a team of young architects working at Foster…

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Tell us the theme for LFA 2022

Competition |

Tell us the theme for LFA 2022

Since 2006, each year the LFA has selected a theme which helps to set the direction of the festival. And…

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London Festival of Architecture and Architecture LGBT+ launch Pride Pop Up competition

Competition |

London Festival of Architecture and Architecture LGBT+ launch Pride Pop Up competition

The LFA and Architecture LGBT+ have launched a design competition for a ‘Pride Pop Up’ in the gardens of St…

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Curating Concourses: Installation Revealed

Competition |

Curating Concourses: Installation Revealed

“As You’re Passing By” exhibition design by Muslim Women in Architecture debuts at Euston Station   A new prototype design…

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Architecture Bake Off 2021: Overall Winner + Special Prizes Announced

Competition |

Architecture Bake Off 2021: Overall Winner + Special Prizes Announced

We are delighted to announce the overall winner of the 2021 Architecture Bake Off. Earlier this month, the judges selected…

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South Ken Outdoor Trail: Winners revealed

Competition |

South Ken Outdoor Trail: Winners revealed

South Ken Outdoor Trail winning teams revealed   The LFA and Discover South Kensington have announced the winning teams in…

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Showroom Showcase Installations Unveiled

Competition |

Showroom Showcase Installations Unveiled

A series of six temporary installations – the results of collaborations between a new generation of architects and designers with…

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City Benches 2021: New benches revealed in Cheapside and Aldgate

Competition |

City Benches 2021: New benches revealed in Cheapside and Aldgate

Nine new public benches have been unveiled in Cheapside and for the first time, Aldgate, to mark the 2021 edition…

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Meet the Designers: City Benches 2021

Competition |

Meet the Designers: City Benches 2021

This month the LFA revealed the winning benches for the fourth edition of City Benches. Over the last few weeks…

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Curating Concourses: shortlisted entries

Competition |

Curating Concourses: shortlisted entries

LFA and Network Rail have announced Muslim Women in Architecture (MWA) as the winners of the Curating Concourses competition. Their…

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Curating Concourses: Winners revealed

Competition |

Curating Concourses: Winners revealed

Muslim Women in Architecture announced as winners of Curating Concourses competition   LFA and Network Rail have announced Muslim Women…

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City Benches 2021: Winners revealed

Competition |

City Benches 2021: Winners revealed

The LFA, Cheapside Business Alliance and Aldgate Connect BID have announced the nine design teams who have been selected as…

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Architecture Bake Off 2021 – sponsored by Smeg

Competition |

Architecture Bake Off 2021 – sponsored by Smeg

Ready, steady bake… Architects love getting things built. And they love nothing more than getting things built quickly from initial…

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Competition shortlist: Curating Concourses

Competition |

Competition shortlist: Curating Concourses

The LFA and Network Rail have revealed the six teams shortlisted for the ‘Curating Concourses’ competition, which will see a…

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Competition open call: New Growth on Exhibition Road

Competition |

Competition open call: New Growth on Exhibition Road

  The LFA, V&A and Discover South Kensington have launched a new competition for an innovative series of installations supporting…

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Competition open call: Showroom Showcase

Competition |

Competition open call: Showroom Showcase

This year’s London Festival of Architecture sees some of London’s most respected design brands – such as Vitra and Poliform…

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LFA 2021 Symposium: Call for Papers

Competition |

LFA 2021 Symposium: Call for Papers

  Architecture and inequity: New practices of Care   This week, in partnership with the Royal Academy of Arts, we’re…

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Competition open call: City Benches 2021

Competition |

Competition open call: City Benches 2021

The London Festival of Architecture, Cheapside Business Alliance and Aldgate Connect Business Improvement District have launched the fourth edition of…

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Competition open call: Curating Concourses

Competition |

Competition open call: Curating Concourses

The LFA and Network Rail have launched a new open call competition for a reusable prototype exhibition concept – including…

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Competition winner revealed: Arch 42 Gateways

Competition |

Competition winner revealed: Arch 42 Gateways

  Emerging architecture practice Projects Office are revealed as the winners of the Arch 42 Gateways competition, organised by the London…

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Competition open call: Traditional Police Box Reimagined

Competition |

Competition open call: Traditional Police Box Reimagined

Traditional Police Box to be transformed for the digital age in the City of London A new competition is being…

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Meet the Designers: Pews and Perches, Autumn 2020

Competition |

Meet the Designers: Pews and Perches, Autumn 2020

Last month, the LFA revealed the winning benches for the second edition of Pews and Perches. Over the last few…

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Pews and Perches: Winning benches unveiled

Competition |

Pews and Perches: Winning benches unveiled

A series of five new benches designed by emerging architects – the winners of a competition organised the LFA and…

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Competition winner revealed: Reimagining Butler’s Wharf

Competition |

Competition winner revealed: Reimagining Butler’s Wharf

The Tide Line – an evocative landscape designed by Ludwig Willis Architects with Structure Workshop and Howard Miller Landscape and…

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Competition shortlist: Empowering Platforms

Competition |

Competition shortlist: Empowering Platforms

The LFA Westminster City Council and the Northbank Business Improvement District have announced the six design teams shortlisted to create…

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Help us choose our 2021 theme

Competition |

Help us choose our 2021 theme

Since 2006 the LFA has selected a theme each year which helps to define the direction of the festival.  We…

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Competition shortlist: Arch 42

Competition |

Competition shortlist: Arch 42

The LFA and Wandsworth Council have revealed the shortlisted practices and teams in their Arch 42 Gateways design competition. Over…

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Pews and Perches: Winners of second edition revealed

Competition |

Pews and Perches: Winners of second edition revealed

The LFA and the Royal Docks Team (RDT) have revealed the 2020 cohort of the annual ‘Pews and Perches’ design…

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Sitting Pretty: Station Installations Unveiled

Competition |

Sitting Pretty: Station Installations Unveiled

A series of witty and challenging benches by emerging architects and designers are unveiled this week at some of London’s…

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Meet the Designers: Sitting Pretty

Competition |

Meet the Designers: Sitting Pretty

Earlier this year, the LFA ran a competition for architecture and design students, recent graduates and emerging practitioners to consider…

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Reimagining Butler’s Wharf: The virtual exhibition

Competition |

Reimagining Butler’s Wharf: The virtual exhibition

Last month, together with Butler’s Wharf Riverside Trust (BWRT), we were delighted to revealed the 6 shortlisted design teams for…

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Competition open call: Arch 42 Gateways

Competition |

Competition open call: Arch 42 Gateways

The LFA and Wandsworth Council have joined forces to transform a historic railway arch and a key public route leading…

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City Benches: New benches revealed in Cheapside

Competition |

City Benches: New benches revealed in Cheapside

Five new public benches – specially designed by young architects and designers to celebrate the LFA – have been unveiled…

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Competition Shortlist: Reimagining Butler’s Wharf

Competition |

Competition Shortlist: Reimagining Butler’s Wharf

The LFA and Butler’s Wharf Riverside Trust (BWRT) have revealed the six design teams shortlisted in the ‘Reimagining Butler’s Wharf’…

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Competition open call: Pews and Perches

Competition |

Competition open call: Pews and Perches

The LFA and the Royal Docks Team (RDT) have launched a new edition of the ‘Pews and Perches’ design competition,…

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The Tooley Street Triangle: A welcome back to London from the LFA and Team London Bridge

Competition |

The Tooley Street Triangle: A welcome back to London from the LFA and Team London Bridge

The LFA and Team London Bridge have unveiled The Tooley Street Triangle – a new wayfinding beacon designed by Charles…

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Architecture Bake Off: Overall Winner Announced

Competition |

Architecture Bake Off: Overall Winner Announced

We are delighted to announce the overall winner of our first online Architecture Bake Off. In June our judges selected…

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Meet the Designers: Pews and Perches

Competition |

Meet the Designers: Pews and Perches

In late 2019, the London Festival of Architecture ran a competition for emerging architects to design a bench, which could…

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Competition open call: Reimagining Butler’s Wharf

Competition |

Competition open call: Reimagining Butler’s Wharf

The LFA and Butler’s Wharf Riverside Trust (BWRT) have launched a new design competition inviting architects, landscape architects, designers and…

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City Benches: winning teams revealed

Competition |

City Benches: winning teams revealed

The LFA and Cheapside Business Alliance have announced the six design teams that have been chosen to develop a series…

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LFA and Network Rail reveal ‘Sitting Pretty’ designs

Competition |

LFA and Network Rail reveal ‘Sitting Pretty’ designs

The LFA and Network Rail have revealed the winning teams and designs for new seating to be installed in some…

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Competition Shortlist: Power Walks!

Competition |

Competition Shortlist: Power Walks!

The LFA and the City of London Corporation have announced the design teams shortlisted to create an eye-catching and interactive…

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Open call: Empowering Platforms – reimagining the Thames Riverfront

Competition |

Open call: Empowering Platforms – reimagining the Thames Riverfront

The London Festival of Architecture, Westminster City Council and the Northbank Business Improvement District have launched a new design competition…

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‘Rose’: St Paul’s Plinth 2020 winner announced

Competition |

‘Rose’: St Paul’s Plinth 2020 winner announced

A contemporary interpretation of the long-lost Rose Window at the Old St Paul’s Cathedral has been announced as the winning…

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Competition shortlist: ‘Sitting Pretty’

Competition |

Competition shortlist: ‘Sitting Pretty’

LFA and Network Rail have announced the design teams shortlisted to develop a new take on station seating, to brighten…

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Competition open call: ‘Power Walks!’

Competition |

Competition open call: ‘Power Walks!’

LFA and the City of London Corporation have launched a new design competition for a series of on-street interventions within…

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Competition open call: City Benches

Competition |

Competition open call: City Benches

The LFA and Cheapside Business Alliance have announced their latest design competition for a new series of one-off public benches…

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LFA Symposium: Call for Papers

Competition |

LFA Symposium: Call for Papers

The LFA, in partnership with the Royal Academy of Arts has launched its call for papers for the annual LFA…

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LFA and Royal Docks Team reveal new series of waterside benches

Competition |

LFA and Royal Docks Team reveal new series of waterside benches

‘Pews and Perches’ – a series of benches designed by emerging architects as part of the London Festival of Architecture…

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LFA and Cheapside Business Alliance launch contest for the next ‘St Paul’s Plinth’ installation

Competition |

LFA and Cheapside Business Alliance launch contest for the next ‘St Paul’s Plinth’ installation

The London Festival of Architecture and the Cheapside Business Alliance have announced a design competition to create a new installation…

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LFA and Network Rail announce design competition for train station benches

Competition |

LFA and Network Rail announce design competition for train station benches

LFA and Network Rail (NR) have announced ‘Sitting Pretty’ – an open call for new ideas for seating for the…

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LFA and Royal Docks Team announce winners of Pews and Perches competition

Competition |

LFA and Royal Docks Team announce winners of Pews and Perches competition

The LFA and the Royal Docks Team (RDT) have announced the five design teams chosen to create a playful series…

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LFA and City of London Corporation reveal Wolfgang Buttress’ winning ‘Liminal’ installation

Competition |

LFA and City of London Corporation reveal Wolfgang Buttress’ winning ‘Liminal’ installation

Forming an unmissable addition to the LFA’s ongoing season of events and installations and the City of London Corporation’s outdoor…

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What a buzz! LFA and Team London Bridge reveal new substation project

Competition |

What a buzz! LFA and Team London Bridge reveal new substation project

One of the capital’s favourite food destinations, London Bridge thrives with the bustle of restaurants, pavement cafes, pubs and street…

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LFA and Wandsworth Council reveal transformed Thessaly Road Railway Bridge

Competition |

LFA and Wandsworth Council reveal transformed Thessaly Road Railway Bridge

Happy Street – the transformation of a south London railway bridge by visual artist Yinka Ilori – has been revealed.…

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LFA and the Royal Docks Team launch call for waterside bench designs

Competition |

LFA and the Royal Docks Team launch call for waterside bench designs

The LFA and The Royal Docks Team have announced ‘Pews & Perches’ – a design competition that will see an…

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Co-Mooring brings the Grand Union Canal to life for the London Festival of Architecture

Competition |

Co-Mooring brings the Grand Union Canal to life for the London Festival of Architecture

A stretch of the Grand Union Canal in west London has burst into life as the latest element of the…

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LFA and Westminster City Council reveal Harrow Road competition winner

Competition |

LFA and Westminster City Council reveal Harrow Road competition winner

A design team of WY Design, tomos.design, COMPENDIUM and Studio Yu has been selected as the winner of a competition to…

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The Colour Palace is revealed

Competition |

The Colour Palace is revealed

A partnership of the London Festival of Architecture and Dulwich Picture Gallery   The ‘Colour Palace’ – designed by Pricegore…

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A public space fit for a festival – City Parklets revealed for LFA

Competition |

A public space fit for a festival – City Parklets revealed for LFA

Three city parklets – specially designed by London-based architects and designers to celebrate the London Festival of Architecture (LFA) –…

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