Dewan Award for Architecture 2025
The Dewan Award for Architecture 2025 invites architects, designers, students, and emerging studios from around the world to reimagine Baghdad’s Central Railway Station — a historic landmark poised for transformation.
This is more than a design challenge. It’s an open call to envision how architecture can honour the past while shaping the future. We welcome bold, context-sensitive proposals that balance heritage preservation with civic ambition, and architectural vision with urban integration.
Participants will have the opportunity to contribute to a meaningful dialogue about the role of public space, mobility, and memory in shaping Baghdad’s urban fabric. Whether working individually or in multidisciplinary teams, entrants are encouraged to explore innovative and inclusive ideas that reconnect this iconic site with the life of the city.
Join a global platform that celebrates creativity, critical thinking, and architectural excellence. Share your vision, make your mark, and be part of redefining one of Baghdad’s most significant public spaces.
BAGHDAD
Despite its storied past, Baghdad has faced significant challenges in recent decades, including wars, conflict, and political instability. However, the city continues to endure and rebuild, with resilient residents striving to preserve its cultural heritage and rebuild its future.
Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, spans 204.2 square kilometres and has a population nearing 10 million, making it the largest city in the country and the second largest in the Arab world after Cairo.
Divided by the Tigris River, the city lies roughly 300 miles from Iraq’s northern, southern and western borders. Its eastern side is known as Al-Rusafa, and the western as Al-Karkh.
Established as the Abbasid capital in 762 CE, Baghdad became the heart of a flourishing Islamic civilisation. It soon emerged as a global centre of knowledge, with institutions like Bayt al-Hikmah (House of Wisdom) leading advancements in science, medicine, philosophy and engineering. This period—known as the Golden Age of Islam—was marked by a remarkable exchange of ideas across cultures and faiths, establishing Baghdad as one of the most influential intellectual hubs in history.
COMPETITION SITE
Baghdad Central Railway Station is located at the heart of the Iraqi capital, in Al-Alawi.
Situated on the western side of Baghdad, Al-Alawi is renowned for its strategic location, serving as a key connection between the districts of Karkh and Rusafa. It is one of the city’s oldest and most significant central districts, acting as a vital hub for transportation, administration, and cultural activity.
The area features a blend of solid governmental buildings constructed from concrete and brick, alongside lively local markets and shops that reflect the spirit and vibrancy of the community.
Broad streets and spacious public squares are prominent throughout, planned to accommodate heavy vehicular flow and pedestrian movement.
Al-Alawi is positioned among several important landmarks, including the Intercity Bus Terminal (Al-Alawi Garage), a major transport node linking Baghdad with other provinces. Its proximity to the Iraqi National Museum underscores the district’s closeness to the cultural heart of the capital.
Additionally, it borders several key government institutions—such as the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Culture—and lies near both Zawraa Park and the Green Zone, which hosts many of Iraq’s primary administrative and diplomatic buildings.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The Baghdad Central Railway Station stands as a powerful symbol of Iraq’s modern history and its aspirations for progress in the mid-20th century.
In 1947, the Iraqi State Railways decided to create a new headquarters along with a new terminal station in Baghdad. Construction began in 1948 and was completed in 1952.
Strategically located in the Al-Karkh district, near the banks of the Tigris River, the station was designed to serve as a pivotal hub in Iraq’s rail network, connecting Baghdad with Basra to the south, Mosul to the north, and the wider regional system beyond its borders.
During the mid-20th century, the railway network played a critical role in facilitating economic growth, urban development, and cultural exchange within Iraq and with its neighbors.
Through the 1950s and 60s, the station was a bustling center of activity, reflecting the ambitions of a newly independent Iraq. Trains arriving and departing were emblematic of national unity, mobility, and modernisation.
Iraqi Railways Archive
ARCHITECTURAL CONTEXT
Baghdad Central Station, designed by Scottish architect J.M. Wilson, stands as a significant example of British Colonial architecture in Iraq. This architectural tradition—rooted in formal symmetry, monumentality, and classical composition—was widely applied throughout India, where Wilson had previously worked as an assistant to Sir Edwin Lutyens in New Delhi before establishing his own practice in Baghdad. In this project, he adapted the colonial architecture style while incorporating local character through the use of brick, a material more closely tied to regional construction methods.
The building’s central block is crowned by a 21-metre turquoise dome, which serves as a visual focal point and introduces a meaningful reference to mosque domes in Baghdad.
Framing the dome are two prominent clock towers, each bearing different numeral systems reflecting Iraq’s historical position as a cultural crossroads and its connection to both Eastern and Western worlds. Internally, the building contains a large booking hall and concourse, offering access to eight platforms. The station complex once included a VIP saloon, restaurant, retail outlets, post office, bank, telegraph office, and a ticket-printing press, making it not only a transport hub but a key civic facility.
The overall plan was conceived with a focus on legibility and operational efficiency, with clearly defined areas for ticketing, waiting, and administration. Ancillary structures and platforms were thoughtfully integrated into the urban fabric of mid-20th-century Baghdad, ensuring that the station sat comfortably within its evolving metropolitan context.
THE STATION TODAY
Today, Baghdad Central Railway Station operates at a fraction of its original capacity, with limited train services and minimal public engagement. Much of its internal infrastructure is outdated, and formerly vibrant public areas are now underused or inaccessible.
Although the building’s structure remains largely sound, it shows clear signs of wear, neglect, and unsympathetic alteration. Facades are stained and chipped; interiors suffer from broken fixtures, poor lighting, and disuse; and many architectural features have deteriorated or been obscured by makeshift repairs. Nevertheless, the station offers a solid foundation for sensitive rehabilitation and architectural storytelling.
Security concerns and a lack of consistent maintenance have further restricted access, leaving the station both physically and socially disconnected from the city’s daily life.
The surrounding public realm is congested with informal commerce, inadequate signage, and chaotic traffic, impeding pedestrian movement and diminishing the dignity of this historic site.
Following the 2003 US-led invasion, the station was looted of its furniture, lighting fixtures, and plumbing. By 2016, Iraq’s rail fleet had been reduced to just six trains, with only one overnight service operating between Baghdad and Basra.
As with much of Iraq’s infrastructure, the station’s decline during the late 20th and early 21st centuries was driven by successive wars, international sanctions, and internal conflict, all of which severely impacted railway operations and public transport systems.
COMPETITION DATA
Click to go to the location on Google Maps.
VISION
This project envisions the Baghdad Central Railway Station as a revitalised landmark that honours its heritage while driving urban renewal.
Through thoughtful restoration and adaptive reuse, the station will become a vibrant, functional civic space—connecting people, cultures, and places.
It will continue to serve as Baghdad’s primary gateway, while expanding to accommodate new modes of transport, such as a future metro system and supporting the city’s evolving mobility needs.
THE CHALLENGE
The Baghdad Central Railway Station, once a proud symbol of national progress, now stands in a state of decline. Its architectural and historic significance is under threat, and it no longer serves the city or its people as it once did.
Despite its central location and cultural importance, the station has become disconnected from Baghdad’s urban life, surrounded by congestion, informal activity, and inadequate infrastructure. Its public spaces are underused, its transport functions limited, and its civic role diminished.
Positioned near the Allawi Bus Terminal and the site of a future metro line, the station sits at the heart of a fragmented mobility network. Baghdad faces growing pressure to provide sustainable and inclusive transport infrastructure, and the station presents a rare opportunity to address this challenge through thoughtful design and strategic reintegration.
YOUR DESIGN MISSION
Participants are invited to develop visionary yet practical proposals for the renewal of the Baghdad Central Railway Station and its surroundings. The response should address the following key objectives:
Heritage Renewal: Propose a respectful restoration of the station’s historic structure and architectural features—celebrating its legacy while adapting it for contemporary use.
Civic Reintegration: Re-establish the station as a public space that fosters social interaction, cultural engagement and everyday urban life. Designs should consider how the station contributes to its wider context and resonates beyond its footprint.
Multimodal Transport Hub: Redevelop the station as a key node in Baghdad’s future transport network. Proposals should integrate existing and potential modes of transport—including national rail, the Allawi Bus Terminal and a future metro system—into a cohesive and legible system.
Sustainability and Urban Impact: Explore how the station and wider rail network can contribute to a more sustainable Baghdad. Consider mobility, environmental performance, resource use, and the infrastructure’s role in shaping a resilient, inclusive city.
Participants are encouraged to consider both architectural and urban scales in their proposals, and to envision the station not just as a building, but as a gateway—connecting communities, supporting mobility, and symbolising Baghdad’s past and future.
BRIDGING THE GAP: THE WIDER URBAN CONTEXT
To foster stronger urban integration and enhance pedestrian connectivity between the Baghdad Central Railway Station, the adjacent Al-Alawi Garage Terminal, and Al-Zawraa Park, participants are invited to propose a new urban intervention that activates and unifies these key public spaces.
A potential approach is the introduction of a major public plaza located directly in front of the railway station, serving as a civic forecourt and pedestrian gateway. Vehicular traffic currently traversing this area may be rerouted through an underground tunnel system, thereby allowing the plaza to remain exclusively pedestrian and free from surface-level vehicle disruption.
The goal of this intervention is to create a seamless, safe, and vibrant pedestrian realm that connects both sides of the site while supporting public life and urban continuity.
Participants are encouraged to develop their own context-sensitive strategies, this is one possibility among many. The bottom image in this page is included for clarification only and do not prescribe a specific design direction.
DESIGN PROGRAMME
Proposals for the rehabilitation of the Baghdad Central Railway Station should consider the following spatial and functional components. While the arrangement and interpretation of these elements are open to the designers, the programme should support the station’s role as a civic landmark, a hub for public transport, and a catalyst for cultural and urban regeneration.
Participants are encouraged to adapt or expand upon these elements as appropriate to their vision.
1. Heritage and Interpretation Spaces
Restored historical areas that highlight the architectural and cultural value of the station.
Interpretation spaces or displays that communicate the building’s legacy and historical context.
Circulation routes and viewing areas that allow the public to experience preserved features.
2. Transport and Mobility Facilities
A central concourse or main hall for orientation and movement
Upgraded railway platforms with accessible boarding and passenger services
Ticketing facilities and travel information points
Comfortable and inclusive waiting areas
Integration with other modes of transport, including the Allawi Bus Terminal, taxi services, future metro connections, and pedestrian or cycle routes.
3. Public Realm and Urban Integration
A redesigned station forecourt that enhances arrival and departure experiences
Public spaces that are safe, shaded, and pedestrian-friendly
Green and landscaped areas for rest and gathering
Clear and functional connections with the surrounding urban context
4. Cultural, Commercial and Community Spaces
Small-scale retail and food outlets that support everyday use
Flexible cultural or exhibition spaces for events, displays, and public programmes
Public amenities including restrooms, prayer rooms, information desks, and family-friendly facilities.
5. Sustainability and Smart Infrastructure
Integration of sustainable building systems and energy-efficient technologies
Use of passive design strategie
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Relevance
A clear declaration of conditions that set the urban and cultural contextual parameters of the project. Clarity in demonstrating thorough research and understanding of contextual parameters.
Response
Aspirational transformative and original ideas with a programmatic response to existing local urban, environmental, and social conditions and challenges. Clarity of the design process.
Resolution
A clearly declared spatial and technical justification, accessibility, safety, security, durability, and environmental impact, with a strong emphasis on buildability.
IMPORTANT DATES
April 2025 Competition launch |
30 September Registration deadline |
1st of October Submission deadline |
October 2025 Shortlist Announcement |
November 2025 Winners Announcement |
All Deadlines are 6 pm GMT (London). |
REGULATIONS
- This is an anonymous competition and the Unique Registration Number is the only means of identification.
- The official language of the award is English.
- The registration fee for this award is non-refundable.
- Contacting the jury is prohibited.
- As the award organiser, Tamayouz Excellence Award reserves the right to modify the award schedule if deemed necessary.
- Entries will only be reviewed if rules or submission requirements are followed.
- Participation assumes acceptance of competition regulations.
ELIGIBILITY
We welcome participation from architects, designers, planners, engineers, and students from around the world. Individuals or teams (up to 8 members) are eligible to enter, and multidisciplinary collaboration is strongly encouraged.
This competition is built on the belief that young and emerging designers hold the power to shape meaningful change. Whether you are a student, recent graduate, young professional, or part of an emerging studio, your ideas matter. Your creativity, perspective, and ambition are what this competition seeks to celebrate.
We invite bold thinkers and creative minds to reimagine Baghdad’s Central Railway Station and contribute to a shared vision for the city’s future—one that connects history, culture, and innovation.
REGISTRATION
Registration
Early Registration: $75 from April to 31/May
Standard Registration: $90 from 01/June to 31/Aug
Last Chance Registration: $100 from 01/Sep to 29/Sept
Student Registration
Teams led by students are eligible for a 50% discount on the registration fee.
To qualify, the student must be the actual team leader, and a valid student ID must be submitted during registration as proof of eligibility. The team name should correspond to the student’s university.
*Institutional Registration: $500
This option is open for universities and other institutions interested in sponsoring their students to participate in International competitions and showcase their students’ work on a global platform.
For $500, your university can sponsor all its students and staff who wish to participate in the International Graduation Projects Award and Dewan Award for Architecture and its annual competition.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Participants are required to submit the following (In one Zip file named after the unique registration number):
- One – A0 board in JPEG format. Every team is encouraged to submit all the information they consider necessary to explain their proposal. Content may include but is not limited to plans, sections, elevations, visualisations and diagrams. The resolution of the boards must be 300dpi with the unique registration number placed in the upper left corner of the board in 22pt font.
- Word document file containing the project statement (250 Words Max) explaining the design proposal.
- One 16:9 Main Image of the Entry in a JPEG Format (Preferably a bird’s eye view showing the station and the wider context).
- Optional animation (up to 90 seconds): Participants may submit a 3D walkthrough or flythrough animation to help illustrate their design proposal. The animation is entirely optional and serves only as a tool to support visual storytelling. Projects that include an animation will not have a competitive advantage, and entries without one will not be at a disadvantage in the judging process.
- Submit your entry by using the upload link in your registration confirmation email.
NOTES:
- All files must be named after the unique registration number.
- The animation should be exported in 16:9 aspect ratio, preferably in Full HD (1920x1080px) and in a standard video format (MP4 recommended).
PRIZES
The winners of the Dewan Award 2025 will receive the following prizes
*First prize will be a fully paid employment at Dewan for 6 months expandable to one year. If for any reason this cannot be achieved then a sum of $6000 will be presented.**A representative of each of the TOP 3 winners will have their Flight and Accommodation costs covered by the organisers of the prize; Tamayouz Excellence Award. *** Tamayouz Excellence Award will only cover the flight and accommodation for the Top 3 winners. Honourable Mentions will receive invitation to attend the ceremony, the invitation doesn’t include funding of expenses **** Winners are responsible for all COVID-19 travel related arrangements such as visa, insurance, tests and vaccination certificates when required.
JUDGING PANEL
The judging panels of Tamayouz Excellence Award always comprises world class architects, engineers, planners, designers and academics. This year’s Dewan Award’s panel is made of:
Dr Wendy Pullan
Dr Jala Makhzoumi
Dr Khaled Al-Sultany
Dr Mohamed Al-Assam
Dr Davide Ponzini
Dr Ahmadreza Hakiminejad
Nadia Habash
Fernando Olba
Sebastian Hicks
THE CEREMONY
Every Ceremony Tamayouz Excellence Award invites architects, planners, artists and academics from around the world to celebrate
architectural excellence within the region and worldwide.
Our ceremonies mark a milestone in bringing people together and bridging cultures. Alongside the ceremony, we will be organising several Tamayouz Talks which will open to the public during the ceremony week.
An invitation to attend the Tamayouz Award Biennial Ceremony for the Top 10 mentioned above.
**A representative of each of the TOP 3 winners will have their Flight and Accommodation costs covered by the organisers of the prize; Tamayouz Excellence Award.
*** Tamayouz Excellence Award will only cover the flight and accommodation for the Top 3 winners. Honourable Mentions will receive invitation to attend the ceremony, the invitation doesn’t include funding of expenses.
**** Winners are responsible for all COVID-19 travel related arrangements such as visa, insurance, tests and vaccination certificates when required.