NASA 66th Annual Design Competition – Assemblage: Building with Recycled Materials

In an era of growing environmental concerns and resource depletion, the 66th NASA Annual Design Competition challenges students worldwide to rethink the way we build. Under the theme “Assemblage”, the competition calls for action—not just words—to raise public awareness about sustainability by designing and constructing innovative structures using pre-used, discarded, or waste materials.

The objective is clear: create an architectural pavilion, partially or fully enclosed, that serves as a functional space for specific activities while demonstrating the principles of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The pavilion must accommodate a group of at least six people and foster activities that are either formal or informal, pre-planned or spontaneous. Importantly, the design should emotionally engage the public, promoting sustainable building practices through its materiality, functionality, and experiential quality.

The competition is open globally to interdisciplinary teams of at least five students from any discipline—architecture, design, engineering, arts, medicine, management, and more. This inclusive approach encourages diverse thinking and collaboration, reinforcing the belief that sustainability transcends individual fields.

Entries must include two A1 size sheets, a detailed A4 report with costing and fund-raising strategy, and a 5-minute video documenting the entire process—from conceptual design to construction and occupancy—demonstrating the structure’s real-world impact. The constructed pavilion should prioritize local, readily available materials and skills, ensure safety as per the National Building Code (NBC), and keep new materials to no more than 25% of total volume.

With a prize pool of ₹3.5 lakh, this competition not only rewards innovation but aims to incubate future sustainable practices in architecture and design. It serves as a test bed for visionary ideas that can influence academia, industry, and society, proving that architecture built on reused materials can be both functional and inspiring.