Design Competition
The BuildReady Design Competition is intended to inspire innovative ideas and foster meaningful community engagement around the future of Middle Housing in Cincinnati. Winning submissions will help shape future pre-approved housing plans by serving as the foundation for additional public input and discussion. Community feedback gathered through this process will help identify the most desirable design features before a design firm is selected to prepare the final plans. We are excited to see your creativity, explore new possibilities, and showcase what thoughtful Middle Housing design can achieve in Cincinnati.
Competition Submissions are Public!
Click the buttons below to access the submission booklet for each housing type and the People's Choice survey to vote for your favorite submissions. To view individual submissions, follow this link: Individual BuildReady Submissions.
Online voting ends at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, September 2.
Competition Brief
Download the Design Competition Brief to review the project overview, award and selection process, submission requirements, and terms and conditions.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD
Design Competition Judges
There are three jury panels for the competition (Professional, Community Stakeholders, and People's Choice), each of which will choose a winner for the three typologies. This award structure provides the equally necessary professional expertise and resident perspective to facilitate a balanced evaluation that is reflective of all stakeholders in the broader BuildReady initiative. The three panels enable a higher level of community engagement in the design competition, in which each group can clearly express their unique preferences and priorities outside of City influence, while the online voting widens the reach and pool of participants in the process. Click the links below to learn about BuildReady's Professional and Community Stakeholder judges.
Design Competition Awards Ceremony
Monday, September 14, 2026
The ceremony will be held in person at Memorial Hall, located at 1225 Elm St, Cincinnati OH, 45202. An introductory mixer will start at 4:00 PM EST, for attendees to network and connect. The ceremony will begin at 5:45 PM EST and end at 7:00 PM EST. Admission to both the mixer and the ceremony will be free and open to the public, but RSVP will be required.
Join us in person for an evening of fun and celebration as we honor the winners in each category of the Design Competition. In partnership with Cincinnati chapter of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), this event will provide an opportunity to hear from Mayor Aftab Pureval, meet and network with fellow participants and local industry professionals, learn about the winning participants and their designs, and toast to the bright future of middle housing in Cincinnati!
Register for the event here: https://bit.ly/BuildReadyAwards