Architectural competitions have long been used to select the best designs in a viable, fair, and democratic manner, regardless of their purpose. In Brazil, the Institute of Architects of Brazil (IAB) stands out, having represented the country's architects for over a century and strongly advocating for the popularization and formalization of competitions as the primary method for commissioning public works—whether for architecture, urban planning, or landscape design. These competitions ensure that public authorities contract the best project, rather than simply the cheapest, which is common in price-based competitive bidding.
Beyond professional competitions, typically utilized by public entities (and occasionally the private sector), student architecture competitions are also highly common worldwide, including in Brazil. In recent years, these student competitions have seen a dramatic rise in popularity, driven by private companies as marketing strategies to promote products, as well as by public bodies, schools through design charrettes, architecture portals, and so on.
From an academic perspective, these competitions are vital for introducing students to this design format. At the same time, they integrate competition practice as a teaching method that complements formal education in the country's architecture schools.
