Beyond the Game:
Adaptive Arenas for Tomorrow

Designaddvance is inviting all undergraduate and post-graduate students and young professionals of Architecture, Planning, Engineering, & Design from around the globe to propose innovative designs solutions for multi-purpose arenas that embrace flexibility, reversibility, and sustainability, responding to shifting social, cultural, and economic landscapes by integrating technology, materials, and structural innovations that enable adaptability over time.

Registrations Open from:

28 April 2025

Premise:

“In the past, Olympic host cities spent billions of dollars on grandiose structures that soon become “white elephants.” Montreal’s “Big O” Olympic stadium, used for the 1976 games, currently costs the Canadian province about $32 million to maintain each year and has never been able to pay for itself, despite its afterlife hosting trade shows and movie shoots. More recently, Athens and Rio de Janeiro each saw their Olympic venues deteriorate soon after the games concluded”.

-Josh Horwitz, 2018 for the Quartz

Thousands of years ago, the world’s first arenas came to life—not for cricket or concerts, but for something far more primal.

PICTURE THIS...

The roaring crowds of ancient Rome, packed into the Colosseum, cheering as gladiators clashed under the open sky. Meanwhile, in Dholavira, India, one of the world’s oldest terraced arenas stood tall—a vast space that may have hosted sports, ceremonies, or grand communal gatherings. Recreation wasn’t just a pastime; it was a spectacle, a celebration, a shared human experience that brought people together across cultures and centuries. But while their scale was impressive, their purpose was singular.

Fast forward through time, the idea of mass entertainment spaces only grew stronger. Times changed. Audience wanted more. Cities grew denser, entertainment diversified, and stadiums couldn’t just sit idle between matches, waiting for the next big game.

The demand for multi-functional, adaptable venues has become essential. Imagine a cricket stadium transforming overnight into a pulsating concert arena, or an esports battleground by the day and a theater of immersive storytelling by night, or a modular stadium like Qatar’s FIFA Stadium 974 built from shipping containers, ready to be relocated and repurposed.

India is already witnessing this shift. DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai and Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad—once dedicated to cricket—became electrifying music venues for Coldplay in 2016 and 2025. The grounds outside Ekana Stadium, Lucknow recently hosted an architecture festival, while the Indira Gandhi Arena, New Delhi set the stage for the first Kho Kho World Cup. This shift from strictly sports-oriented stadiums to versatile, multi-use arenas highlights the rising potential of adaptive venues—now more than ever in India and across the world.

The "Beyond the Game: Adaptive Arenas for Tomorrow" invites students to imagine the future of sports and entertainment venues. Picture arenas that shift, transform, and adapt—one day a cricket ground, the next day a film festival, and the next, a tech expo or a floating performance stage.

THE CHALLENGE?

To design spaces that are not just multifunctional, but also sustainable, accessible, and future-proof. Think modular structures, smart designs, pop-up stadiums, and flexible event spaces that cater to a globalized and diverse society.

The Design Task:

Participants are challenged to design multi-purpose arenas that are flexible, adaptable, and reversible—spaces that can transform, relocate, or disassemble as needs change. The design should cater to both large events and small gatherings, ensuring seamless functionality, accessibility, and sustainability.

Site & Context:

The site should be centrally located and seamlessly integrated with existing urban infrastructure, ensuring accessibility for large crowds via strong public transport links and adequate parking. Environmental factors such as climate and cultural significance should be considered to create a functional and contextually relevant space.

The proposed site should be set in a thriving urban environment—a city where culture, sports, and entertainment converge, demanding versatile, multifunctional arenas. While India’s rapidly growing metros—Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Pune, Bengaluru, Kochi, Chennai, or Hyderabad—are prime examples, participants are free to choose any city, in India or globally, as long as the urban location justifies the given design problem.

Area Requirements:

Total Area: The proposed site for the arena should span at least 10–15 acres, capable of hosting large gatherings of up to 40,000 spectators for major events.
Built-up Area: The proposed design should include a built-up area of approximately 25,000–35,000 square meters, covering the main arena, support facilities, and flexible spaces like public lounges, VIP areas, and temporary event zones.
Functional Zones: The arena should be designed for versatility, seamlessly supporting a variety of sports and functions, including—but not limited to—the following:
- Main Arena: A highly adaptable central space for sports and non-sporting events, ensuring a reconfigurable playing field or event space.
- Support Facilities: Locker rooms, media rooms, medical centers, VIP lounges, hospitality suites, and restrooms, designed for both sporting and entertainment functions.
- Back-of-House Spaces: Storage, technical booths, and setup areas for concerts, performances, and large-scale productions.
- Public & Retail Areas: Concession stands, food courts, retail spaces, and community gathering zones for an engaging visitor experience.

Green Spaces and Open Areas

Design outdoor spaces as dynamic extensions of the arena—ideal for pop-up events, festivals, and exhibitions. These areas should be adaptable for temporary installations, ensuring the arena remains vibrant and active even when not in use for major events.

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Design Considerations:

Adaptability and Multi-functionality: The arena must seamlessly adapt to diverse event formats—sports, concerts, exhibitions, festivals, public gatherings, emergency shelters, etc.—while responding to different audiences, locations, and social needs. Use flexible design elements—retractable seating, modular flooring, movable partitions, and adaptable stages—to enable effortless reconfiguration for different events, while ensuring spatial efficiency.
Scalable Seating & Crowd Management: The seating design should flexibly accommodate diverse event sizes, ranging from 10,000 to 40,000 spectators. Tiered seating, telescopic stands, and optimized sightlines should ensure clear visibility, while intelligent crowd flow management and well-planned entry/exit systems enhance safety and convenience.
Universal Accessibility & User Experience: The design must be inherently inclusive, seamlessly integrating ramps, elevators, tactile navigation, and designated spaces for people with disabilities. It should ensure a frictionless experience for users of all ages, abilities, genders, and conditions, making the arena truly accessible for everyone.
Sustainability & Climate Responsiveness: Considering India’s diverse climate, integrate passive strategies—natural ventilation, shading, and heat-resistant facades to enhance energy efficiency and reduce reliance on air conditioning. Sustainable elements like solar panels, rainwater harvesting, and locally sourced, eco-friendly materials that minimize the environmental footprint must be considered.
Ephemeral, Reversible & Circular Design: The arena should enable disassembly, relocation, and material reuse, moving beyond permanent construction. Use prefabricated components, modular structures, and structural systems that allow the arena to evolve, exist temporarily, vanish without a footprint, or be dismantled and relocated partially or entirely. Beyond major events, the arena must stay active, fostering year-round community engagement.
Cultural Sensitivity & Architectural Identity: The design should embody regional cultural narratives, integrating local traditions, architecture, and aesthetics. It must serve as a landmark that deeply connects with the community while maintaining global appeal.
Smart Infrastructure & Digital Integration: The arena should integrate state-of-the-art technology to elevate both spectator experience and operational efficiency. Features like dynamic LED lighting, advanced sound systems, AI-driven logistics, digital ticketing, mobile app-based navigation and services, and high-speed Wi-Fi will ensure it is future-ready.

Eligibility:

The competition is open to all Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students, as well as young professionals from the fields of Architecture, Planning, Civil Engineering and Design, globally.
Recent graduates and young professionals (who are practicing) are also eligible, only if they have graduated in the year 2023 or later.
Postgraduate students, including 2025 graduates, are eligible only if they have no more than 3 years of professional experience following their undergraduate degree.

Evaluation Criteria:

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Site Selection & Contextual Understanding: The arena must respond to the chosen site’s urban, social, and climatic context, reflecting local architectural identity and cultural influences. It should serve as a landmark that balances global relevance with local roots.
Adaptability & Functionality: Is the design practical in terms of materials, structural integrity, and real-world execution? Prefabrication, modularity, and efficient construction methods should be considered within realistic budget constraints.
Feasibility & Constructability: How effectively does the arena transition between different event types (sports, concerts, exhibitions, etc.)? The design should allow scalability and seamless reconfiguration for various audience sizes and events.
User Experience & Accessibility: Prioritizing universal accessibility, the design should ensure easy navigation, seating comfort, and engagement for all users—spectators, performers, and differently-abled individuals.
Innovation & Creativity: Does the design push the boundaries of traditional arena architecture? It should integrate reversible, modular, and flexible elements while offering a unique, forward-thinking vision for multi-purpose arenas.
Sustainability & Environmental Responsibility: A strong focus on passive design, energy efficiency, sustainable materials, and resource management to minimize environmental impact and carbon footprint through eco-friendly solutions.
Smart Infrastructure & Digital Integration: Does the design leverage advanced tech like AI-driven logistics, digital ticketing, and real-time crowd management? A strong emphasis on smart lighting, acoustics, and high connectivity ensures a future-ready venue.

Team Composition:

A maximum of three members per team is permissible.
Participants may make teams with students from different academic years of study, colleges or even courses of Undergraduate or Postgraduate disciplines. However, at least one of the team members must be a student of architecture or a practicing architect who has graduated in the year 2023 or later.

Timeline:

Registrations Open: April 28th, 2025

Registrations Close: October 16th, 2025

Submissions Close: November 7th, 2025

Submission Requirements:

Concept Narrative:

Explanation of how the design embodies ephemerality and temporality on a single A4 page as a pdf, named in the format <code_statement>.

Presentation (PDF):

Submit 5-8 Sheets in 16:9 ratio, landscape orientation, 200 to 300 DPI, with the design process and the drawings (architectural drawings, renders, construction details & assembly/disassembly process, sustainability features, area and energy calculations, etc.) in a suitable graphical scale.
List of materials and construction details specifying the reversible components & technology used and environmental impact in 1-2 sheets within your presentation.
Master Plan: Overall layout and flexibility strategies.
Visual Representations: Renderings, diagrams, and adaptive transformation sequences.
Technical Drawings: Structural and material considerations for reversibility.
Name the pdf as <Code_Presentation>.

Video Presentation:

Submit a recorded video presentation (under 5 minutes) explaining the project.
Do not upload the video directly. Share it through a Google Drive link, added as a clickable hyperlink and a backup QR code, placed clearly on the last (8th) page of the PDF presentation.
Ensure the Google Drive link has open access and is set to “Anyone with the link can view” to make sure the jury has easy access.
The video file on the drive must not display or mention any name/identity details.
Name the video recording file as <code_video> & then upload it on the (your) drive.
Double-check: The link works, access is open, and the file name follows the required format.

Letter of Declaration (PDF): A letter of declaration signed by the participant(s) shall be included. To download it, check the attachments section at the end of the registration page or (Format linked here) Name the PDF as <Code_Letter>.

All entries shall be scrutinized for evidence of plagiarism. Acknowledge references and design ideas that have been adapted from sources in the submission.

It is recommended, though not mandatory, that drawings/graphics be developed using Autodesk Revit and auxiliary Autodesk BIM tools. The sheets may include plans, sections, elevations, 3D views, joinery details, Dynamo scripts, and anything else that would help communicate the idea better.

Participants’ names must not be mentioned anywhere, only the submission code provided must be mentioned in the top-right corner of the documents.

Download Brief

Submission Process

After registration, participants will receive a separate email with:

A unique submission code and
Ethos Empowers website link to upload the entry

This will be shared before the competition closes, so participants are requested to check their emails carefully and keep it safe.

File Requirements: Upload the following 3 files as separate PDFs on the website to complete the submission:

Concept Narrative – PDF file
Presentation – PDF file (must include the video presentation as a clickable hyperlink and a QR code, both clearly visible at the end of the Presentation PDF)
Letter of Declaration – PDF file

How to Upload the 3 files on the website ?

Click on the Ethos Empowers website link provided.
Sign in and go to the submission page.
Click “Add File” to upload the first file.
After each upload, a new “Add File” option will appear automatically for the next file.
Continue until all 3 required files are uploaded.

Please ensure the 3 PDF files mentioned above are uploaded individually as 3 separate PDF files, as per the requirements above. Refer to the screenshot below for guidance.

After uploading 3 PDF files, participants will receive a confirmation email on their registered email ID confirming successful submission.

Awards:

Cash Prizes for the top three winners:
- 1st: ₹ 75,000/-
- 2nd: ₹ 50,000/-
- 3rd: ₹ 25,000/-
Top 10 entries to be published on our website.
Top 3 winners get free entry to ARKANCE IN BIM for Design Program (120 Hours) worth ₹ 80,000/-
All participants who have submitted the entries will get a discount voucher of 40% on the BIM for Design Program.
E - Certificates for all participants who have submitted competition entries

Resources and Suggested Reading:

Meet the Jury Members :

Yogeshwar Kulkarni

Mr. Yogeshwar Kulkarni is a highly accomplished Architect and Design Specialist with over two decades of global experience spanning aviation, healthcare, and commercial design. Licensed in India and an International Associate of the AIA, he has successfully led projects of scale and complexity, including Mopa Airport in Goa, Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai, and Aster Healthcare in Abu Dhabi. His work is defined by innovation, precision, and the ability to deliver impactful designs within demanding timelines. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping projects that balance functionality with cultural and contextual relevance.

Executive Director

NZD Studio

As Executive Director, Mr. Kulkarni spearheads the development of a strong design team, a cutting-edge BIM studio, and forward-thinking processes that drive excellence and efficiency. With a strategic vision that blends creativity and technology, he continues to shape transformative projects, fostering collaboration and ensuring success across global markets. His dedication to design excellence and sustainable practices has positioned him as a thought leader, inspiring teams and clients alike.

Ar. Nikul Shah is a Director at INI Design Studio and a highly accomplished architect with over six years of international experience across the U.S., Middle East, and India. His award-winning portfolio spans high-rises, luxury hotels, corporate offices, airports, institutions, schools, and vacation homes. Ar. Nikul’s expertise includes interior design, space planning, and specialized facade detailing, allowing him to lead projects from concept to construction with precision and creativity.

Notable projects include the International Branch Campus in GIFT City, a vertical academic landmark; The Palms Resort Club in Surat, a luxurious boutique hotel and leisure complex; Shivalik Curv in Gandhinagar, a high-rise office tower with dynamic design; and Lakhani Villa in Ahmedabad, a serene modern residence. With a strong focus on architectural visualization and photography, Ar. Nikul ensures his designs are both innovative and contextually responsive, creating meaningful value for clients, communities, and end users.

Nikul Shah

Director

(Architecture/Interior)

INI Design Studio

Sangeetha K S

Ar. Sangeetha K S is the Director of Building Integrated Solutions at Hexagon, bringing over 22 years of experience in architecture, project management, and digital innovation. She has held leadership roles at JLL India, Phoenix Mills, TRC, CBRE, and HOSMAC, contributing to large-scale building developments across diverse sectors. Known for her strategic vision, she excels in guiding teams, driving decision-making, and aligning project outcomes with organizational goals while championing design excellence and technical precision.

Director Building

Integrated Solutions

Hexagon

At Hexagon, Ar. Sangeetha leads innovative digital project delivery through solutions like Create, Capture, and Analyze, which integrate BIM, lidar scanning, reality capture, and proactive issue detection. By combining expertise in both technical and digital disciplines, she supports projects at every stage of the lifecycle—from concept to completion—making a meaningful impact on infrastructure and development projects globally.

Ar. Praveen Bavadekar is the Founder and Principal of Thirdspace Architecture Studio, with offices in Belagavi and Pune. Since establishing the studio in 2002, he has focused on architecture that reflects a deep connection to context, heritage, and thoughtful design inquiry. His practice spans student housing, commercial spaces, indoor sports arenas, and residential projects, emphasizing spatial efficiency, functionality, and innovation.

Beyond his architectural practice, Ar. Praveen engages in pedagogy across architecture schools in India and mentors design within The Formist Group, a real estate development company he co-founded in 2018. His projects, including Stacked Student Housing, Two Solids and a Semi Void residence, and Figured Ground Indoor Sports Arena, exemplify a balance of tradition, contemporary innovation, and a multidimensional approach to architecture and urban identity.

Praveen Bavadekar

Founder + Principal

Thirdspace Architecture Studio

Mohanbir Singh

Ar. Mohanbir Singh is one of the founding principals of Creative Design Architects, a New Delhi–based firm renowned for delivering impactful projects across Asia. With over 35 years of professional experience, he began his career working with celebrated architects such as J.A. Stein, B.V. Doshi, and Laurie Baker. A postgraduate in City Planning from IIT Kharagpur, he brings together deep technical knowledge and a design-driven approach to create architecture that is both functional and forward-looking.

Co- Founder + Principal

Creative Design Architects

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