A Healing Space

International Idea Competition by Claymire, in association with Placemaking in Bangladesh

A Healing Space...

Registration

Download Brief

What makes a space healing?

What does it mean for a space to heal?

Is it a quiet rooftop that lets you breathe, the dappled light through tree leaves, or a forgotten corner that brings calm?

“A Healing Space” invites designers, artists, and creatives to explore how space — whether real or imagined — can become a source of healing. The goal is to find beauty in what’s overlooked and transform neglected places into spaces that restore, connect, and inspire.

The Challenge

Participants are invited to select a negative space that feels forgotten, underused, or emotionally charged. This could be an abandoned structure, a rooftop, a flyover underpass, or even a personal space connected to memory or emotion.

Your task is to reimagine that space as a place of healing.

It could offer peace, spark human connection, honor memories, support well-being, or improve the ecological health of its surroundings.

Submissions can take many forms including architecture, landscape, installations, community-based ideas, experiential design, or product-based solutions. You may express your vision through built work, concept design, storytelling, or artistic media. What matters most is how your idea communicates the potential for healing — whether personal, social, or environmental.

Themes You Can Explore

Urban and rural transformation
Cultural or emotional memory
Spatial well-being and care
Nature and human connection
Inclusive, accessible, or playful design
Ecological renewal
Learning and interaction through space

This is more than a design challenge. It is an opportunity to rethink how space can support people, communities, and the planet.

Let your response be thoughtful. Let it be bold.

Let it be a space that heals.

Site

Participants have the freedom to choose an open site that resonates with their idea of healing. The site can be a real physical location (encouraged), or an emotional or symbolic space that holds personal or collective meaning. It may be public or private, temporary or permanent. Whether it's a riverside, a rooftop, or a space rooted in memory, the chosen site should support a narrative of transformation. Participants are encouraged to explore its context, history, and emotional significance, shaping the design as a response to its story. The site is your canvas — shape it with intention.

Registration

📝 Registration Details

For Participants from Bangladesh 🇧🇩

Registration Deadlines and Fees:

Early Bird Registration Ends: 25th June 2025 — 1200 BDT
Standard Registration Ends: 15th July 2025 — 2000 BDT
Last Minute Registration Ends: 10th August 2025 — 3500 BDT

Payment Method:
BKash.

For Foreign Participants 🌍

Registration Deadlines and Fees:

Early Bird Registration Ends: 25th June 2025 — 25 USD
Standard Registration Ends: 15th July 2025 — 45 USD
Last Minute Registration Ends: 10th August 2025 — 75 USD

Payment Method:
PayPal.

Register Now

Schedule

Registration Opens
1st June 2025

Early Bird Registration Ends
25th June 2025

Standard Registration Ends
15th July 2025

Last Minute Registration Ends
10th August 2025

Submission Deadline
10th August 2025

Announcement of Winners
15th September 2025

Awards & Recognition

Winning participants will receive prizes totaling BDT 1,00,000 (USD 1000). Awards will be distributed as follows:

Excellence in Community Impact

Prize: BDT 50,000 / USD 500 + Certificate

Awarded for the most impactful transformation of a real-world negative space, based on community needs and engagement.

Excellence in Scalable Design Innovation

Prize: BDT 50,000 / USD 500 + Certificate

Awarded for a product or design solution with strong potential for reuse or adaptation across diverse healing spaces.

3 Commendation Certificates

Certificate of Recognition

Top 30 Shortlisted Entries

Certificate of Recognition

All Participants

Certificate of Participation

Submission Guidelines

1. Presentation Sheet (Mandatory)

·Format: 1 Poster

·Size: A2 (420mm x 594mm), Portrait orientation

·Content Requirements:

Title of your project
Concept Statement / Text embedded in the sheet
Diagrams, Plans, Visualizations or any illustrations that best explain your design
Any additional graphic or visual element relevant to your proposal

·Clarity is key: The entire design concept should be understandable within this single sheet.

·Media Attribution (Mandatory): Every image, drawing, or visualization must clearly mention the media or tools used, such as:

Hand Sketch
Photoshop Collage
3D modeling (e.g., SketchUp, Rhino, Blender)
Mixed media

2. Project Description

Word Limit: Maximum 250 words

This should summarize your chosen negative space, the intended healing transformation, and the key design idea. It must be submitted in a separate text file (PDF or Word format).

Terms & Conditions

By participating in the “A Healing Space” Design Competition, all entrants agree to the following terms and conditions:

1. Originality

All submitted work must be original and solely created by the participant(s).
Any entry found to be previously submitted to another competition, publication, or platform will be disqualified immediately.

2. Copyright and Usage Rights

Participants retain the copyright of their submitted work.
By submitting an entry, participants grant Claymire and the Healing Space Competition Team the right to use their materials (with proper credit) for promotional purposes, including but not limited to: website features, social media, exhibitions, and publications.
No commercial use will be made without further consent from the designer.

3. Submission & Guidelines Compliance

All entries must strictly follow the Submission Guidelines outlined in the competition brief.
Incomplete, incorrect, or non-compliant entries may be disqualified without notice.

4. Registration & Fees

The registration fee is non-refundable under any circumstances, including failure to submit an entry after registration.

5. Jury & Evaluation

The jury’s decision is final and cannot be challenged.
Participants agree that under no circumstance may they request a review, appeal, or negotiation of the jury’s decisions.

6. Disqualification

The organizers reserve the right to disqualify any submission if:

Plagiarism or uncredited work is detected
Submission violates copyright or intellectual property of others
Submission guidelines are not followed

7. Communication

All competition updates will be communicated via the official email or social platforms.
Participants are responsible for checking updates regularly.

8. Acknowledgment

By submitting their entry, participants acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to all the above terms and conditions.

FAQ

1. Who can participate in the ' A Healing Space' Competition?

-The competition is open to students from all fields of study, professionals in design-related disciplines, and anyone with a passion for creativity and design.

2. What is the deadline for submissions?

-All entries must be submitted by August 10 no later than 11:59pm BST (Bangladesh) UTC+06:00.

3. Can teams participate, or is this an individual competition?

-Both individual and team entries up to 4 members are accepted. Team compositions can be disclosed in the registration process.

4. What criteria will be used to judge the designs?

-Designs will be evaluated based on originality, sustainability, aesthetic value, and the ability to cater to the needs of a diverse clientele.

5. Who can I contact if I have more questions?

-For further inquiries, please contact our support team at info@claymire.site. We are available to assist you with any additional questions you may have.

Jurors

Tanzil Shafique is an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield School of Architecture. He is also an Associate of the Urban Institute. Previously, he taught at the University of Melbourne and the University of Arkansas. Tanzil’s research looks at southern urbanism, pluriversal architectural practice and informal planning, mainly focusing on the ongoing adaptation and transformation due to climate change led by the local citizens. He recently led a global consortium that won £499,995 from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for a climate-impacted dweller-led urban wetland restoration stewardship project. Additionally, Tanzil co-convenes the Platform for Just Housing (Najjyo Abashon Moncho or NAM), which works towards housing and climate justice with local activists and citizens. He also co-founded and now directs Open Studio, an architecture and urbanism think-tank. He has a PhD in Urban Design from the University of Melbourne and an M.Arch in Ecological Urbanism from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. Tanzil’s recent book is a monograph, titled: City of Desire: An Urban Biography of the Largest Slum in Bangladesh (Bloomsbury, 2024).

A. K. M. Saleh Ahmed Anik is an Academician and Architect based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and went on to earn a Master’s degree in Urban Design from The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL. With nearly eight years of professional experience in architecture and urban planning, he has established a significant presence in the field. Currently, he is a full-time faculty member in the Department of Architecture at North South University. Outside academia, he is the co-founder of Onushongo Bangladesh and serves as an architect and partner at Cactus Consultant.

** Claymire reserves the right to change, modify, or update any policies, terms, conditions, or services at any time without prior notice. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting or notification.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse