The project seeks visions for a museum that employs cutting-edge technology, such as virtual reality, holography, and interactive displays, to bring ancient Egypt to life. It will serve as an educational resource and tourist attraction, promoting cultural preservation through innovation.

Brief

Cairo — a cradle of civilization, a city layered with the relics of millennia — stands at the crossroads of memory and modernity. As one of the world’s richest cultural landscapes, it faces the urgent challenge of safeguarding its heritage amidst rapid urbanization, climate stress, and evolving modes of engagement. Many invaluable artifacts remain locked in inaccessible vaults or are deteriorating under environmental duress.

The Digital Heritage Museum proposes a bold architectural response: a new kind of cultural institution that uses emerging technologies to digitally preserve, reconstruct, and reinterpret Egypt’s vast and diverse cultural legacy. This is not a museum of artifacts, but a museum of experiences — an immersive gateway into ancient knowledge systems, stories, and lost environments.

This competition invites architects, designers, and students to envision a site-specific, technologically-forward, and culturally-sensitive museum that bridges the past with the future, positioning Cairo as a global leader in the preservation of digital heritage.

Preserving the past, designing the future.

Vision

The museum aims to serve as a dynamic hub for education, recreation, discovery, and innovation, catering to both local residents and international visitors. It should go beyond housing and displaying digital reproductions of ancient artifacts and environments, such as temples, monuments, and manuscripts, by also offering spaces dedicated to research, critical debates, and creative exploration surrounding heritage conservation.

This institution will foster a unique platform for cross-generational and cross-cultural exchange, providing opportunities for diverse audiences, especially the youth, to interact with and engage the ancient world in groundbreaking, immersive ways that bridge past and present, tradition and innovation.

Site Location

El-Remaya Square, Cairo, Egypt

The El-Remaya Square site is a prominent urban node located near Cairo, Egypt, next to the gateway to the Giza Plateau. Known for its strategic position at the intersection of major highways and tourist routes, it serves as a key arrival point for visitors to the Pyramids and other historic landmarks.

Organizer

Design Unlimited is a platform dedicated to organizing architecture design competitions and providing construction opportunities for passionate young architects, designers, recent graduates, and students.

Jury

Each jury undergoes meticulous nomination, consisting of top-tier professionals whose expertise closely aligns with the competition's theme. This rigorous selection process ensures that every jury member embodies excellence and relevance in their respective fields

Outstanding participants may receive job or internship offers, supported by the jury panel and their connections, to advance their careers in design and architecture.

- Alberto Francini 

- Michael den Otter 

- Sumit Sahdev 

- Simon McKenzie 

- Sherry Li

Schedule

May 25. 2025 - Jun 25, 2025, Early Registration  - €39 

Jun 26, 2025 - Aug 21, 2025, Standard Registration  - €49 

Aug 22, 2025 – Sep 12, 2025, Late Registration  - €59 

Sep 14, 2025  - Submission Deadline 

Sep 29 – Oct 17, 2025 - Jury Review 

Oct 27, 2025 - Winner Announced

*The above are local times (CET) in the competition host country. Dates are subject to change. 

Please refer to the official website for updates.

Prize

Prize:

1st Prize: $3,000 + Certificate + Publication 

2nd Prize:  $700 + Certificate + Publication 

3rd Prize: $300 + Certificate + Publication 

3x Honorable Mentions: Certificate + Publication 

4x Special Mentions: Publication

* All winning projects have the potential to be showcased on various websites, in magazines, and across architectural platforms. Additionally, they may feature prominently in national and international architectural exhibitions and events.

Certificate

All eligible winners will have the opportunity to receive official Design Unlimited certificates in electronic format, acknowledging their achievement. In addition, the winning team is entitled to order a high-quality, beautifully framed physical print of the certificate. This print will be crafted with attention to detail, ensuring a lasting and impressive representation of their work.

Publication

Design Unlimited's official publications showcase the inspiring outcomes of our International Design Competitions. The Yearbook edition offers an insightful look at a selection of groundbreaking competition case studies, featuring some of the most impactful projects from our recent events. Each yearbook serves as a celebration of innovative design and a platform for emerging talent, while also looking ahead to the future, with the hope that these designs will play a role in shaping a better, more sustainable design world.

The top image in the article courtesy of Design Unlimited.

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