UrbanFarm Student Competition
In May 2025, the UrbanFarm Student Competition titled “Innovative and Circular Urban Agriculture Systems” was announced.
The student competition combined knowledge from the fields of architecture, innovative technologies, and social sciences, supporting the design of innovative, circular urban agriculture systems. The task was to identify optimal solutions for closed-loop urban food systems, enabling a redefinition of the appearance of cities in the near future. The aim of the competition was to present the best solutions for urban food systems (e.g. vertical farms, rooftop gardens, etc.), taking into account the physical requirements of the built urban environment.
Competition Objective:
The objective of the competition was to select the best design concepts that integrate the principles of the circular economy and urban agriculture in an innovative, functional manner that supports sustainable urban development.
Competition Themes:
- Design of urban agriculture systems based on circular economy principles (e.g. use of organic waste, rainwater, renewable energy sources).
- Integration of agriculture with public, residential, or post-industrial spaces.
- Solutions improving local food security, quality of life, and supporting biodiversity.
- Consideration of social, economic, and environmental aspects.
Competition Requirements:
- Concept description (max. 5 A4 pages) – including design assumptions, functional and spatial analyses, and applied circular solutions.
- Design board (A1 format, vertical layout) – presenting visualization of the concept (functional diagrams, sections, 3D visualizations, material flow diagrams).
- Project summary (1 A4 page) – a brief description of the main project ideas.
- Optional: 3D model (physical or virtual).
Evaluation Criteria:
- Innovation and creativity of solutions (30%)
- Application of circular economy principles (25%)
- Functionality and feasibility of the project (20%)
- Aesthetics and clarity of graphic presentation (15%)
- Environmental and social aspects (10%)
Competition Results:
1st Prize: Emilia Jawor & Karolina Koczy
– for a mature, coherent, and inspiring concept combining circularity, functionality, and systems thinking.
Honorable Mentions: Katarzyna Cichowska and Gabriela Matusiak
– for interesting design approaches, fresh ideas, and sensitivity to social and environmental aspects.
