Key information for the competition and how to apply can be found below. Please refer to the full Regulations document for further guidance.
Key info about the competition
- Participants are required to choose one (or several) site(s) from the participating cities.
- Participants are not required to choose the site from the city they reside or study in.
- Participants will develop a design response and comprehensive action plan for the site, to regenerate the area with green solutions.
- A Site Form is provided for each city. This is prepared by the city and will summarise the context of the site and detail the city’s objectives and specifications for the project.
- The Site Form may provide further information regarding submission requirements such as language requirements as well as potential additional awards given by the city.
- This should be read in conjunction with the details and requirements outlined in this document. An online folder (“dataroom”) is also available and contains relevant documentation related to the site.
Calendar
- Competition kick-off: 20th October 2022
- Registration (mandatory): participating teams must register prior to 13 April 2023 at 5 pm Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) (unless a different timeline is specified on a city's site page)
- Submission of the Final Project: Submissions close 25th May 2023 at 5 pm Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
- Analysis of the proposals and final selection by the juries (one jury for each site) (approx. 1 month).
- Announcement of the winning projects: July 2023.
Submission
First step - Registration - 13 April 2023
In the 'Documentation' tab on the right side of this page, you will find the 'Team Form (Phase 1)' document. This is also available in the Dataroom of each site. In the Team Form, teams will specify the expertise each member brings to the team and the university program they are enrolled in.On each specific site page, there is a box that says Register Here in the top right-hand corner. This is where you will officially register - you will fill out the questions provided and attach your completed Team Form. When you complete this, the C40 team will receive email confirmation of your registration.
Please note that due to academic timelines, the registration deadline for the cities of Rome and New Orleans is 30 March 2023.
Second step - Final Proposal - 25 May 2023
The final proposals should include the following main documents:- Completed Team Form
- Presentation of the Project
- Graphic Presentation
- Implementation Plan
Find examples of previous winners' proposals here!
1. Completed Team Form
Teams must submit a new Team Form that replaces the one submitted during the Registration phase. Within this form, participants must report any changes in the composition of the team. They must also detail how they worked together to prepare the project (in a specific document of max 1 page). For example, the team may indicate if the consortium worked with an advisor; if they engaged with specific stakeholders such as experts, local associations, actors and citizens; or whether they conducted specific research works. In this 1-page document, the team should not mention the name of the team members and of the Universities they are part of and if applicable, the name of their advisor.
2. Presentation of the Project
The Presentation of the Project is a comprehensive action plan that consists of a maximum of 10 pages (A4 or US Letter) made up of text as well as illustrations such as pictures, drawings and sketches. This document should present the actions/solutions proposed by the team to regenerate the area according to the 10 Principles and the priorities outlined by the city in the Site Form.
3. Graphic Presentation
Each team shall provide:
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One digital illustration board (A3 or tabloid format) to present their project.
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Three high-resolution images/drawings (1600 x 900 px minimum), that clearly reflect the main ideas for the project.
4. Implementation Plan
The Implementation Plan should consist of a maximum of 3 pages (A4 or US Letter). It should outline the budget, timeframes and phasing, compliance with the planning rules, specific technical challenges, key actors and responsibilities.
Submission Requirements
All documents (Registration and the Final Project) must be submitted electronically through the site page on the website.
All four of the “Final Project” documents must be uploaded in a single .zip compressed file that must not exceed 1.5 GB.Team Composition
Teams must comprise of at least one current university student, enrolled during the 2022-2023 (or 2023) academic year. Teams may also include youth under the age of 25 who are not enrolled in university, as well as additional students.
Teams may include participants from multiple departments such as architecture, urbanism, environment, engineering, real estate development, sociology, economy, and the arts, among other fields.
The Students Reinventing Cities competition encourages international collaboration between universities. Teams may combine members from the same university or different universities.
It is recommended (but not required) to:
appoint a member in charge of the project design such as a student in architecture or urbanism, and a member with environmental knowledge.
have a faculty advisor who may offer support and resources. Students may also consult other external experts.
10 Principles for a Green & Thriving Neighbourhood
The Students Reinventing Cities competition aims to harness new models for green and thriving neighbourhoods, to help with this, the competition defines ten design principles that the teams are invited to consider when developing their project. More information about each of these 10 principles may be found in the Guidance to design a green and thriving neighbourhood.
1 - Complete neighbourhoods
2 - People-centred streets and green mobility
3 - Smart and connected places
4 - A place for everyone
5 - Clean construction
6 - Green energy and buildings
7 - Circular resources
8 - Green spaces, urban nature and climate resilience
9 - Sustainable living
10 - Green economy
Teams are invited to consider all 10 Principles while developing their project. However, it is important for teams to focus on the principles that are most appropriate for the site. Each city has indicated in its Site Form specific environmental priorities and objectives for its site.
Evaluation Criteria and Juries
For each site, the final projects will be judged and selected based on the following criteria:
- Quality of the team and of their approach to developing the project.
- Quality of design and relevance of the project to the specifics of the site.
- Proposed solutions to respond to the 10 Principles.
- Feasibility of the project.
For each site, the final projects are evaluated by a jury that will be composed of representatives from the city, C40 and may include external international experts. The composition of the juries will be made public.
A winner is selected for each site, special mentions may be indicated.
Awards
For each site, the winning team will:
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Receive public recognition by both the city and C40. This will include the receipt of an official Certificate signed by the Mayor of the city and the Executive Director of C40.
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Receive coverage in local and global communication campaigns (incl. social media, press releases, featuring on the C40 Reinventing Cities website).
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Be featured in an official video sponsored by C40 that will celebrate their project.
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Be invited to present their project to business leaders, city officials and/or leading climate organisations.
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Be invited by the city to stay involved in an advisory role regarding future projects in the area (optional).
Additional awards may be given, at the city's discretion. Further information regarding additional awards can be found within the city-specific Site Form.
Objectives
With the Students Reinventing Cities initiative, participating global cities have identified small neighbourhoods, blocks or main streets they intend to transform and revive. Together with C40, they invite multidisciplinary teams of students from around the world to imagine a pathway to decarbonize these urban areas and improve the quality of life for local communities, following the 15-minute city model. Students Reinventing Cities will:
actively drive collaboration between students and city governments to deliver new approaches for low-carbon urbanisation.
support the development of new ideas and innovative solutions that can be rolled out on a global scale.
create a space for academics and students to contribute to addressing the climate crisis and shaping a future that has climate and social justice at its heart.
strengthen students’ knowledge of the leading policies, solutions and technologies on sustainability.
About C40
C40 is a network of mayors of nearly 100 world-leading cities collaborating to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis. Together, we can create a future where everyone, everywhere can thrive.
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Questions?
If you have a question or would like more details on the Students Reinventing Cities competition, please use the form below. You will receive a response via email.
