The recent ARCH-E project meeting in Vienna gathered partners to explore how to enhance participation in cross-border Architectural Design Competitions (ADCs). The discussions focused on making ADCs more inclusive, accessible, and effective while promoting high-quality Baukultur across Europe.

The meeting began with welcoming remarks from Daniel Fügenschuh, President of the Bundeskammer der Ziviltechniker:innen I Arch + Ing and ACE Executive Board Member, that gave an overview of the ADCs historical context and their relevance for the profession.

ACE President Ruth Schagemann delivered an insightful talk at the meeting on European Public Procurement and ACE Advocacy. She emphasized ACE’s call for a shift from price-based selection to quality-based selection, advocating for a clearer distinction between goods, construction, and intellectual services. She also highlighted the importance of aligning public procurement processes with EU sustainability goals, removing barriers for SMEs and young professionals, and improving efficiency and transparency through digitalisation.

“Architects want to compete in quality, not in price” stated ACE President.

In addition, the ARCH-E project recently delivered the ARCH-E map on ADCs, which outlines the European and national frameworks for ADCs and the challenges they face. The English version of the map is now available on the ARCH-E website.

Looking ahead, the project partners are set to release a White Paper on Policy Recommendations for ADCs and Public Procurement in the autumn, with the aim of targeting some crucial issues for ADCs, such as improving youth and women accessibility and lowering cross-border and languages barriers to foster a better connected ADCs environment in Europe.

About

ARCH-E is a project co-funded by the European Union under the Creative Europe framework (CREA). Its main objective is to promote high-quality architectural solutions for the built environment by increasing the use of architectural design competitions (ADC) in Europe and overcoming cross border market barriers in the market for architectural services; ADC structures determined by national frameworks and traditions and due to a lack of information exchange, there is very low transnational participation. This information lack excludes many architects from participating in the (cross border) market and thus hinders competition. Small/micro-enterprises – with an above- average proportion of female and/or young architects – are particularly affected, which has a detrimental effect on their professional career. Promoting ADCs will lead to a better implementation of the Davos Declaration for Baukultur and of the New European Bauhaus in European planning and building projects on a daily basis and will help to meet the climate challenge and to improve the quality of the built environment. For more details, visit arch-e.eu