Habitare Design Competition 2026
The theme of the competition is Plot Twists
The Habitare Design Competition, organised annually by Habitare and Aalto University, highlights emerging talents in architecture, art and design. Now held for the 22nd time, the competition is supported by the Finnish Fair Foundation (Suomen Messusäätiö) and is open to students studying design and architecture in Finland, as well as students of the University of the Arts Helsinki and the teams they form.
The theme of the Habitare Design Competition 2026 is Juonenkäänteitä / Plot Twists.
The brief invites participants to develop an idea, object or concept suitable for the home environment that introduces an unexpected turn to everyday life. The theme celebrates creativity, unpredictability and the delight that arises when familiar objects, forms or materials take on new roles. Participants are encouraged to explore how design can surprise, challenge conventions and transform the atmosphere of a space.
“This year’s competition theme, Plot Twists, offers an opportunity to explore the home environment and its objects from a new perspective – what if things aren’t quite what they seem at first glance? It’s a playful and imagination-stirring theme that allows designers to create entirely new and unexpected solutions,” says jury member, Professor of Practice and designer Irina Viippola.
The jury will select the finalists, whose entries will be on display at Habitare at the Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Center from 2 to 6 September 2026. The winner will be announced on the opening day of Habitare, 2 September 2026.
The grand prize of the Habitare Design Competition 2026 is a €5,000 scholarship, donated by the Finnish Fair Foundation.
The competition task description
The design competition has two categories:
- Furniture, lighting or interior design objects
- Conceptual experiences, which may be interactive or immersive
Entries in the first category will be presented at Habitare as prototypes. Entries in the second category will be presented as concept films or posters.
The language of all competition entries is English.
Who can participate?
The competition is open to students studying design and architecture in Finland, as well as students of the University of the Arts Helsinki and the teams they form. Team size is not restricted.
The competition organisers encourage participants to form multidisciplinary teams, allowing for an open-minded and experimental interpretation of the brief. All participants, including all team members, must be enrolled at the above-mentioned educational institutions at the time of the competition launch on 16 December 2025.
The Competition Schedule
The deadline for submitting entries for the first stage of the two-stage competition is 24 April 2026 at 4 pm (EET).
The jury for the first stage consists of:
- Tomek Rygalik, Designer and Professor, Aalto University
- Katrin Greiling, Designer and Professor, Aalto University
- Simo Puintila, Industrial Designer and Lecturer, Aalto University
- Irina Viippola, Designer and Professor of Practice
The jury is chaired by Päivi Helander, Creative Lead at Habitare and Lecturer at Aalto University.
The jury will select the finalists, whose entries will be exhibited at Habitare from 2 to 6 September 2026.
The winner of the competition will be selected by the head judge, Mika Nenonen, Lead Industrial Designer at Oura, and announced on the opening day of Habitare.
Evaluation Criteria
The jury will evaluate the competition entries based on their artistic and design quality, originality and interpretation of the theme. The entries will also be assessed according to their functional, material and structural characteristics, as well as the overall strength and clarity of the concept.
Competition rules
Habitare Design Competition 2026
Habitare and the School of Arts, Design and Architecture at Aalto University organise the Habitare Design Competition. The two-stage competition is open to students of design and architecture in Finland, as well as students of the University of the Arts Helsinki and the teams they form.
Theme: Plot Twists
The theme celebrates creativity, unpredictability and the joy that arises when familiar objects take on unexpected roles. The aim of the competition is to creatively explore an idea or concept suitable for the home environment—one that delights and transforms our everyday surroundings.
Design brief
Participants are challenged to create a design that embodies a symbolic plot twist. Students are encouraged to think creatively and develop their ideas into something surprising, playful or unconventional.
How can a familiar object be given new functions, or a familiar form be challenged? How can a new approach to materials enrich our living environment, and what else—beyond objects—makes up a home? Participants may explore how their idea interacts with its surroundings, alters the atmosphere of a space, or creates new narratives within the home.
Competition categories
The design competition has two categories:
- Furniture, lighting or interior design objects
- Conceptual experiences, which may be interactive or immersive
Entries in the first category will be presented at Habitare as prototypes. Entries in the second category will be presented as concept films or presentation boards.
The language of all competition entries is English.
Recycled elements or materials may be used. The final execution must fit within a 2 m × 2 m × 2 m space at full scale (1:1).
Evaluation criteria
The jury will evaluate the entries based on their artistic and design quality. Proposals will also be assessed according to their functional, material and structural characteristics.
Eligibility
The competition is open to students studying design and architecture in Finland, as well as students of the University of the Arts Helsinki and the teams they form. Team size is not restricted.
The organisers encourage the formation of multidisciplinary teams, enabling an open-minded and exploratory interpretation of the brief. All participants, including all team members, must be enrolled at the above-mentioned institutions at the time of the competition announcement on 16 December 2025.
Jury
Stage 1
- Tomek Rygalik, Designer and Professor, Aalto University
- Katrin Greiling, Designer and Professor, Aalto University
- Simo Puintila, Industrial Designer and Lecturer, Aalto University
- Irina Viippola, Designer and Professor of Practice
The jury is chaired by Päivi Helander, Creative Lead at Habitare and Lecturer at Aalto University.
Stage 2
The finalists selected from Stage 1 will be evaluated by the head judge, Mika Nenonen, Lead Industrial Designer at Oura. The head judge will select the overall competition winner.
Competition schedule
The competition is organised in two stages and will be launched on 16 December 2025.
The first stage closes on 24 April 2026 at 4:00 pm (EET). By this deadline, all competition materials must be submitted both electronically and by post. Detailed submission instructions are provided below.
The Stage 1 jury will select 3–5 proposals to proceed to the second stage. The finalist works selected for Stage 2 will be exhibited at Habitare from 2 to 6 September 2026.
Stage 1 submission materials
In the first stage, participants must submit their proposal in PDF format. The file must be in landscape orientation and have a maximum file size of 5 MB. The proposal should be presented concisely (1–2 pages) and include a short concept description as well as an overview of the materials used in the design.
The submission must be presented clearly enough for the jury to assess the proposal against the key aspects of the competition brief.
Give your work a title and include it visibly in the PDF file. Your name must appear only in the email message, not in the PDF, to ensure anonymity.
In the email, include the title of your work, your name and your contact details. Use the subject line:
“Habitare Design Competition” + title of your work.
You may submit multiple proposals in a single email, provided each proposal is included as a separate file. The jury will select the proposals advancing to Stage 2 in early May. All applicants will be informed of the outcome after the jury process.
Stage 1 submissions must be sent to:
ida.agren@messukeskus.com
Stage 2 submission materials
In the second stage, the 3–5 shortlisted entries must be realised as full-scale (1:1) works or prototypes
Prize
The prize of the Habitare Design Competition 2026 is a €5,000 scholarship, donated by the Finnish Fair Foundation. The head judge may decide to divide the prize sum between one or more finalists.
The finalist works will be exhibited at Habitare at the Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Center from 2 to 6 September 2026. The winner will be announced on the opening day of Habitare, 2 September 2026.