Rendering of a modern urban park surrounded by futuristic buildings with rooftop gardens and large windows. People walk and gather in the open green space, while cars drive past on a nearby street. Birds fly in a partly cloudy sky.
URBAN LAND INSTITUTE

The Urban Land Institute's Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition is an annual graduate-level competition intended to provide an interdisciplinary learning experience for business and design students. Student teams work on large-scale sites with complex challenges that need innovative solutions reflecting responsible land use. Each team is required to work in a multifaceted way, incorporating design, planning, market potential, and feasibility into their development strategies.

Each year the School of Architecture participates in the Urban Land Institute's Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition. Participation in the national competition, along with an internal competition at UT Austin, is funded through a generous gift from the Cogburn Family Foundation.

Each year, students from across the School of Architecture's disciplines, from architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, community and regional planning, and the McCombs School of Business have taken part in the competition. UT Austin student teams have performed exceedingly well in the national competition, with two national winners, as well as many finalists and honorable mentions. 

The Urban Design Program at the School of Architecture also offers a ULI studio. The studio works in teams, taking on the same project that is the subject of the competition. The teams will continue to work after the initial ten-day competition to develop the group projects.

URBAN LAND INSTITUTE NEWS

FOLLOW US

  • Instagram Post
    📝 Applications are open for 2027-2028 undergraduate and graduate programs!<br><br>Apply today to join an interdisciplinary community of designers, planners, and scholars committed to creative exploration, ambitious scholarship and critical practice.<br><br>UTSOA at a glance:
    @utsoa

    📝 Applications are open for 2027-2028 undergraduate and graduate programs!

    Apply today to join an interdisciplinary community of designers, planners, and scholars committed to creative exploration, ambitious scholarship and critical practice.

    UTSOA at a glance:

  • Instagram Post
    On September 30, architect, urbanist and author @felipecorrea_sc presents his lecture, "The Domestic Surround.” <br>
    @utsoa

    On September 30, architect, urbanist and author @felipecorrea_sc presents his lecture, "The Domestic Surround.”

  • Instagram Post
    On October 1-2, The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture presents BLOCKWORK: Concrete Masonry Architecture of the Americas. <br>
    @utsoa

    On October 1-2, The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture presents BLOCKWORK: Concrete Masonry Architecture of the Americas.

  • Instagram Post
    Are the Battle Hall doors green or blue? The answer dates back to 1912! <br><br>As an iconic spot on campus, graduating students have posed outside the doors for decades – making it one of campus’ most recognizable locations. <br>
    @utsoa

    Are the Battle Hall doors green or blue? The answer dates back to 1912!

    As an iconic spot on campus, graduating students have posed outside the doors for decades – making it one of campus’ most recognizable locations.

  • Instagram Post
    On September 21, architect and managing director of UNS North America (@we.are.uns) Frans van Vuure presents his lecture, “Sustainability with a Twist.” <br>
    @utsoa

    On September 21, architect and managing director of UNS North America (@we.are.uns) Frans van Vuure presents his lecture, “Sustainability with a Twist.”

  • Instagram Post
    From the iconic ONDA wall in the West Mall Building to supporting the School of Architecture's academic operations as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Kory Bieg’s presence is felt on campus. <br>
    @utsoa

    From the iconic ONDA wall in the West Mall Building to supporting the School of Architecture's academic operations as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Kory Bieg’s presence is felt on campus.

  • Instagram Post
    FALL 2026 PROGRAMMING <br><br>This year's lecture series, "At Home in the World," explores how design and critical inquiry operate within an era defined by planetary interdependence. <br>
    @utsoa

    FALL 2026 PROGRAMMING

    This year's lecture series, "At Home in the World," explores how design and critical inquiry operate within an era defined by planetary interdependence.

  • Instagram Post
    Congratulations to Architecture graduate student Luis Rodriguez for earning Honorable Mention in the 2026 ACSA Concrete Masonry Competition!<br>
    @utsoa

    Congratulations to Architecture graduate student Luis Rodriguez for earning Honorable Mention in the 2026 ACSA Concrete Masonry Competition!

  • Instagram Post
    On September 9, UT School of Architecture Dean Heather Woofter (@heatherwoofter) and Architecture &amp; Urban Design Program Director at Kent State University Sung Ho Kim present “Invisible Practice.” <br>
    @utsoa

    On September 9, UT School of Architecture Dean Heather Woofter (@heatherwoofter) and Architecture & Urban Design Program Director at Kent State University Sung Ho Kim present “Invisible Practice.”