The Balouo Salo Non-Profit Organisation has launched the 2026 edition of the Kaira Looro Architecture Competition for a community center in a rural area of southern Senegal, a country in western Sub-Saharan Africa bordering the Atlantic Ocean, Mauritania, Mali, Gambia and Guinea.

"Every community grows around places where people can meet, share experiences, and build connec- tions. These are the spaces that safeguard collective memory, renew traditions, and transform aspira- tions into the future. Yet, in many rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, the absence of shared community spaces deeply limits social, cultural, and economic development," said the Kaira Looro Architecture Competition. 

"It is from this urgent need that the theme of the Kaira Looro Architecture Competition 2026 is born. The competition invites architects, students, designers, engineers, and young professionals from all over the world to design a Community Center in a rural area of southern Senegal. An archi- tecture conceived as a symbol of inclusion, resilience, and hope, destined to become the beating heart of collective life," it added.

The competition will select 3 winners, special and honourable mentions, and 4 Internship Awards. 

The 2026 competition will also introduce an enhanced internship prize program, offering winners the opportunity to carry out a professional experience within some of the most prestigious architecture studios in the world. 

The Internship Awards will include top architectural offices: Kengo Kuma & Associates in Tokyo, Benedetta Tagliabue EMBT in Barcelona, Adjaye Associates in New York, and SBGA | Blengini Ghirardelli in Milan. This will allow young talents to directly engage with international excellence. 

World Architecture Community is official media partner of the 2026 edition of Kaira Looro Competition and will share the winners of the competition once the competition is closed.

The Community Center will be a lively, secure, and multipurpose venue that can accommodate social, cultural, and educational events. 

A venue for gatherings, education, idea exchange, community gatherings, craft and entrepreneurial seminars, and the promotion of artistic, cultural, and awareness-raising endeavors. A facility that will foster a sense of community, promote involvement, and serve as a long-term catalyst for community growth.

The project must be designed as a humanitarian self-building intervention that prioritizes the use of natural materials, straightforward construction methods, and sustainable solutions rather than heavy machinery or highly skilled personnel. 

This strategy will minimize environmental effect while ensuring tangible, long-lasting benefits. As a result, architecture becomes an instrument for social cohesiveness, empowerment, and dignity in addition to being a physical location.

Kaira Looro states that it is the only international architecture competition that is entirely non-profit and devoid of any commercial intent for the 2026 edition. 

The group Balouo Salo, which strives to increase access to infrastructure, healthcare, and education in the most vulnerable regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, receives all earnings. Therefore, participating in Kaira Looro entails actively contributing to a real and noticeable change in addition to competing.

The jury of the 2026 Kaira Looro Competition for a community center in a rural area of southern Senegal

Due to the presence of some of the most prominent architects in the world on the jury, including Kengo Kuma, David Adjaye, Benedetta Tagliabue, Amanda Levete, Manuel Aires Mateus, Agostino Ghirardelli, Giancarlo Mazzanti, Mario Cucinella, Urko Sanchez, Raul Pantaleo, Saad El Kab-baj, Driss Kettani, Emmanuelle Moureaux, and Mohamed Amine Siana, the 2026 edition is expected to be the most significant in the competition's history. 

A highly esteemed jury is set to establish this edition as a benchmark in the annals of humanitarian architecture.

Registrations will open on January 8, 2026, and participation will be possible either individually or in teams, with at least one member under the age of 35.

Kaira Looro 2026 is more than just a competition; it's an invitation to construct responsibly, design with awareness, and use skill to uphold human dignity.

Awards

As per tradition, the competition also aims to launch young architectural talents into the international arena by awarding prestigious prizes and professional growth opportunities. Some of the most significant awards include:

1st Prize: €6,000, internship at Kengo Kuma & Associates (Japan), and the realization of the project as a humanitarian initiative.

2nd Prize: €2,000 + internship at one of Benedetta Tagliabue EMBT (Spain), Amanda Levete Architects (London), or SBGA Blengini Ghirardelli (Milan).

3rd Prize: €1,000 + internship at one of EMBT (Spain), ALA (London), or SBGA Blengini Ghirardelli (Milan).

The competition also recognizes special and honourable mentions, as well as 35 finalists. All awarded projects will gain international visibility and be published in prestigious architectural journals and the competition’s official book.

Jury

The jury of Kaira Looro is made up of some of the world’s most renowned and award-winning architects worldwide, such as:

•   Kengo Kuma (Kengo Kuma & Associates)

•   Benedetta Tagliabue (Benedetta Tagliabue – EMBT Architects)

•   David Adjaye (Adjaye Associates)

•   Mario Cucinella (Mario Cucinella Architects)

•   Amanda Levete (Amanda Levete Architects)

•   Manuel Aires Mateus (Aires Mateus Architects)

•   Giancarlo Mazzanti (El Equipo Mazzanti)

•   Agostino Ghirardelli (SBGA | Blengini Ghirardelli)

•   Urko Sanchez (Urko Sanchez Architects)

•   Raul Pantaleo (TAM Associati)

•   Emmanuelle Moureaux (Emmanuelle Moureaux Architecture + Design)

•   Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani, Mohamed Amine Siana

Early registrations will open on January 8, 2026

Early registrations will open on January 8 and will be made until February 28, 2025. Regular registrations will open from March 1 to April 12, 2026, while late registrations will be made from April 13 to May 26, 2026. 

Project submission deadline will end on June 7, 2026. Jury evaluations will take place between June 24 and June 28, 2026. 

The organizaton plans to announce winners on July 7, 2026. 

The competition guidelines can be accessed from here: EN_Kaira Looro 2026.pdf.

The competition brief can be accessed from here. Registrations can be made through this page. 

All images © Balouosalo.

> via Kaira Looro Competition 

architecture competition