Over 1.1 billion people worldwide live in informal settlements, often built without formal planning, services or resilient construction materials. As climate change drives hotter urban environments, residents are often left with roof materials that trap heat and make daily life increasingly unsafe.
A global call for innovation
In response, the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam, SDI, World Habitat and Build Change are jointly launching the competition Rethinking Roofs: A Call for Innovative Heat Solutions. The initiative invites designers, students, researchers, community organisations and creative thinkers to reimagine the roof as a more climate-resilient, affordable, and comfortable component of the home.
Participants may submit ideas in two categories:
1. Physical solutions
Designs, materials, modular systems or performance upgrades which reduce heat, boost durability, remain affordable and easy to build locally.
2. Collective/social solutions
Approaches which help communities organise, produce, share, finance or maintain improved roofing solutions together.
Submissions may be fully built, prototyped, or conceptual, and can include technical, social or hybrid strategies. Strong entries will demonstrate feasibility, creativity, understanding of local realities and potential to inspire broader impact across communities and countries.
How to enter?
The competition is open to anyone: from residents and youth groups to professional architects or researchers.
Submissions must include:
- A video or audio submission (max. 3 minutes) – clearly explaining the solution, how it works and why it is effective.
- A graphic or text-based document (max. 3 pages) – using visuals, sketches, photos or written explanations.
Why this matters
With global housing supply lagging far behind demand, informal settlements will continue to grow. Meanwhile, residents already face the harshest climate impacts with the fewest resources to adapt. By combining lived community knowledge, grassroots practice academic insight and design creativity, Rethinking Roofs aims to catalyse ideas that can be built, shared and scaled.
Timeline
The open call runs from 1 December 2025 to 1 March 2026 in two phases. The first submission deadline ends on 21 January 2026.
A jury will then shortlist candidates and select the top entries in each category.
Highlights include:
- Top 3 winners in each category: Can showcase their solutions internationally through technical drawings, photos or video messages.
- Winner of each category: *Will be invited to present their work in a dedicated session at the World Urban Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan
- All winners will have the opportunity to test their innovative solutions in a real-life informal settlement.
*Subject to external funding.
To find out more and apply, click here.
