An architecture competition is a type of competition in which an organization or institution planning to construct a new building invites architects to propose designs. Usually, the winning design is selected by an independent jury of design professionals and stakeholders (such as government or local representatives). This procedure is used to generate new ideas for the building's design, stimulate public debate, generate publicity for the project, and allow new designers a chance to gain prominence. Architectural competitions are often used to award contracts for public buildings: in some countries the rules for awarding contracts for public buildings stipulate some form of mandatory open architectural competition.[1]​.

Winning first prize in a contest does not guarantee that project will be built. The organizer often has a veto over the winning design and both requirements and finances can change, modifying the original intention. The 2002 World Trade Center design competition "World Trade Center (1973-2001)") is an example of a highly publicized competition where only the basic elements of Daniel Libeskind's winning design appeared in the final project.

Architectural competitions have a history of more than 2,500 years. The Acropolis of Athens was the result of a competition, like several cathedrals of the Middle Ages. In the Renaissance, many Church projects were decided by an architectural competition, for example the staircase of the Piazza di Spagna in Rome or the dome of the Cathedral of Florence, which was won by Filippo Brunelleschi. At the end of the century, open competitions were held in several countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Sweden.[2]​.

In the century there were more than 2,500 pageants in England and Ireland over five decades, with 362 in London alone. The Royal Institute of British Architects developed the first standards in 1839 and a formal regulation in 1872. German regulations were introduced in 1867. At the same time, in the Netherlands an association for the advancement of architecture (Maatschappij tot Bevordering van de Bouwkunst")) began to organize conceptual competitions with the aim of stimulating the creativity of architects.[3]​.

In 2021, a competition was launched for the remodeling of the surroundings of the Notre Dame Cathedral "Notre Dame Cathedral (Paris)") in Paris, a Gothic cathedral awarded as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. With construction estimated around 2024, the competition proposed the projection of the cathedral esplanade and spaces adjacent to it.[4]​.