Canadian Architect invites architects registered in Canada and architectural graduates to enter the magazine’s 2008 Awards of Excellence. Submissions will be accepted any time after Thursday, August 14, 2008 and the deadline for submissions is Tuesday, September 16, 2008.

Projects must be in the design stage, scheduled for construction or under construction but not substantially complete by September 16, 2008. All projects must be commissioned by a client with the intention to build the submitted proposal. All building types and concisely presented urban design schemes are eligible.

Visit the site to learn more.

Continuing the legacy of outstanding museum architecture, the Smithsonian Institution seeks to commission our nation’s most talented designers to design a facility of quality and value for the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This commission will demonstrate the value of a truly integrated design that balances aesthetics, cost, constructability, and reliability; while creating an environmentally responsible and superior place for staff and visitors. This announcement is open to all businesses regardless of size. The contract awarded will be firm-fixed-price. Minority, Small business, Small disadvantaged business, Women-owned small business, Hub-zone small business, Veteran owned small business, and Service Disabled Veteran owned firms are strongly encouraged to apply.

Response time is 19 September 2008 4:00 pm Eastern. Visit the site to learn more.

Via: Metropolis

Both students and professionals in the field of design may enter for this competition, with no age limit. The challenge is to design a seat or a table in which innovative design/styling contributions are made, bearing in mind the technical specifications in the briefing you can download from the Web site. There are two prizes - one with a cash purse of 4,000 Euro and another with 2,000 Euro.

Deadline is 15 September 2008. Visit the site to learn more.

London deserves a bus fit for the 21st century, and Mayor Boris Johnson wants as many people as possible to submit their ideas. Whether you’re a professional designer who can submit a detailed plan or you are someone who uses buses every day and has one great idea that would make your journey better, they have a category for you. You don’t need any technical knowledge to enter the “Imagine” category and it is open to everyone. The “Design” category is intended for professional design companies and people with the technical skills to give us detailed design documents. The winning entries in this category may see their designs taken forward to major bus manufacturers.

There is a 1st prize of £25,000, and many smaller awards for great ideas. The competition will run until mid September, and Mayor Johnson will announce the winners by the end of October. Visit the site to learn more.

Shift has been trying to offer artists many platforms to showcase their works online. The Shift calendar competition held from 2003 successively, pushes the boundaries between online and off line using a “calendar” as its medium. Entries are invited from all over the world and selected works will be distributed throughout the world in the format of a physical calendar.

This year, selected works will be exhibited and sold at PRINT’EM web site for a year with support by PRINT’EM, a graphic print center operated by Mitsubishi Paper MIlls Limited.

The deadline for this competition is 10 September 2008. Visit the site to learn more.

Sponsored by NICHE magazine, the annual NICHE Awards competition celebrates excellence and innovation in American and Canadian craft. Categories include Ceramics, Fiber, Glass, Metal, Wood, Jewelry, Home Furnishings, Judaica, Recycled, Teapots and many more. Two new categories have been added to the professional division for 2009: Art Quilts and Fashion Accessories.

Entries are now being accepted. Entry forms, program guidelines and other information on the NICHE Awards can be found by clicking on the links to the left. Entry deadline for professionals is August 30, 2008. Deadline for student entries is September 30, 2008. Visit the site to learn more.