SQRATCH CHALLENGES · INHABIT EDITION 1 · INHv1 2026

What does a building look like when it’s designed for a person whose phone is locked in a drawer?

A Digital Detox Township is not a wellness resort. It is housing for people in 2050 who have decided their attention is worth more than their connectivity. The brief invites you to argue with it, not just respond to it.

Open globally · Solo or teams up to 3 · India ₹2,000 · International $60 · Standard tier closes 14 June 2026

STANDARD · INDIA ₹2,000 · INTERNATIONAL $60 · STANDARD TIER CLOSES 14 JUN 2026 · SUBMISSION DEADLINE 15 JUL 2026 (11:59 PM IST)

MANIFESTO

01 // ABOUT SQRATCH

“We’re a rebellion. Sqratch is a platform built for designers who believe the discipline can do better.”

It exists for those willing to question defaults, challenge comfortable solutions, and sit with the discomfort of unfinished ideas. Through competitions, discourse, and practice-led inquiry, Sqratch creates space for work that resists easy answers and begins again with greater clarity, intent, and rigor.

THE BACKDROP

02 // CONTEXT

By 2050, urban residents live in a perpetual state of digital overload. Constant notifications trigger dopamine spikes and crashes that heighten stress and social isolation. Excessive social media use has contributed to a 25% rise in anxiety and depressive disorders among young adults.

In response, governments and nonprofits have launched an experimental initiative: the Digital Detox Township. These self-reliant enclaves ban digital devices and promote real-world connection through thoughtfully designed environments — internet-free sanctuaries that integrate sustainable systems, communal spaces, and activity hubs to help reset the human psyche.

THE ASK

03 // THE TASK

“Design a housing complex within or near an urban setting that enables people to unplug, reconnect with each other, and renew their well-being — a self-sufficient, community-driven environment for 2050.”

Five design parameters: climate & culture · site & form · unit types · passive & off-grid systems · communal spaces.

SITE AREA 12.4 Acres (≈50,000 m²)

DESIGN HORIZON Year 2050

GUIDING QUESTION How will design help people reconnect?

SUBMISSION SPECS

04 // SPECS

Up to 12 × A3 (PDF) · Synopsis 2 × A4 (DOC) · Total ≤ 10 MB · Anonymous · Team Code top-right

1. Panels UP TO 12 A3 SHEETS (420×297 MM), PDF

2. Synopsis MAX 2 A4 PAGES, MS WORD (.DOCX)

3. Visuals (optional) 3D VIEWS (JPG), WALKTHROUGH (MP4)

4. Units & language METRIC ONLY · ENGLISH ONLY

5. Total packet size ≤ 10 MB COMBINED

6. File naming YOURTEAMCODE.PDF (E.G. INH1849.PDF)

RULE

ABSOLUTE ANONYMITY

A3 panels must not contain any participant or team names, contact details, or credentials. Each panel must show only your generated Team Code (format: INHXXXX) in the top-right corner. Revealing your identity in any form causes immediate disqualification.

Multiple entries allowed — one separate Team Code per entry

KEY DATES

05 // TIMELINE

09 Feb 2026

Competition Launch (Completed)

15 Feb 2026

Early Bird Registrations Open (Closed)

15 Mar 2026 — CURRENTLY OPEN

Standard Registrations Open

15 Jun 2026

Late Registrations Open

15 Jul 2026

Submission Deadline (11:59 pm IST)

30 Jul 2026

Leading Entries Announced

15 Aug 2026

Winner Announced

RECOGNITION

06 // PRIZE POOL

Total prize pool: ₹1,25,000. Winners also receive a certificate and acknowledgement on Sqratch’s website and social channels.

1ST

FIRST PRIZE

Winner

₹60,000 + certificate + website & social acknowledgement

2ND

SECOND PRIZE

Runner-up

₹40,000 + certificate + website & social acknowledgement

3RD

THIRD PRIZE

Third Place

₹25,000 + certificate + website & social acknowledgement

HOW JURY JUDGES

07 // EVALUATION CRITERIA

Entries are evaluated holistically across five criteria — lifted directly from the official brief.

Social Impact

Designs that bring people together. Show how spaces spark real interactions, shared routines, and collective life across generations.

Well-Being Design

Good design feels like a deep breath. Light, air, and material choices that help people slow down, focus, and feel good.

Technical Feasibility

No miracle required. Show how it works, how it lasts, and how the people who live there can care for it with ease.

Process Clarity

Reveal design evolution. Annotated sketches, microclimate mapping, movement studies, iterative massing. Process sketches encouraged.

Visual Storytelling

A cohesive graphic language. Renders that capture vitality and refuge, with intuitive diagrams and consistent typography.

JURY PANEL

08 // JURY

Mythili Kowshik Shetty

Architect | Academician | Design Thinker

25+ years in architectural education. Combines behavioural sciences with environmental stewardship and treats failure as a vital catalyst for innovation.

Debayan Chatterjee

Urban Planner & Designer | Co-Founder, AUDA

Internationally acclaimed urban planner. Bartlett (UCL) graduate and Commonwealth Scholar with a decade of work across eight countries on people-centric, socially sustainable urban design.

Sreyash Dasgupta

Architect & Urban Designer | Founder, AUDA

Columbia GSAPP alumnus and Director at Sukanya & Associates. Bridges large-scale infrastructure with social justice; has mentored 1,000+ students globally on resilient design.

REGISTRATION FEES

09 // FEES

Fees are per team (1–3 members), inclusive of taxes.

INDIAN NATIONALS (INR)

Early Bird Closed 14 Mar 2026

₹1,500

Standard ACTIVE 15 Mar → 14 Jun 2026

₹2,000

Late Opens 15 Jun 2026

₹2,500

FOREIGN NATIONALS (USD)

Early Bird Closed 14 Mar 2026

$45

Standard ACTIVE 15 Mar → 14 Jun 2026

$60

Late Opens 15 Jun 2026

$70

Fill the registration form below. We’ll send you a payment link and your unique Team Code by email.

OPEN REGISTRATION FORM →

One form for India and International. Pay your tier fee after submitting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

10 // FAQ

Open to all. Architecture students, early-career architects, designers, and firms. Solo entries or teams of up to 3 members. Employees of Sqratch (the organisers) are not eligible.

Fill the registration form. We’ll send a payment link by email along with your unique Team Code once payment is confirmed.

Yes. Each entry must be registered separately and submitted with its own unique Team Code. Do not combine multiple entries into one file.

A3 (420mm × 297mm). Maximum 12 sheets per entry. Submit as a single PDF named with your Team Code (e.g. INH1849.PDF).

Total. Your entire submission packet (panels + synopsis + any media) must be 10 MB or less combined.

Yes. Panels must be anonymous — only your Team Code in the top-right corner. Any identity reveal can disqualify the entry.

Once registered and you have your Team Code, compile your A3 PDF panels + MS Word synopsis (≤ 10 MB total). Submission instructions and the upload link will be emailed to you before the 15 July deadline.

All text in English. All measurements in metric units. Cite the source for any reference material you use.

No. The brief is global. Pick any urban, peri-urban, or isolated site anywhere in the world. Total area: 12.4 acres (≈50,000 m²). Justify your choice based on the city’s projected 2050 reality, ecological potential, and socio-cultural context.