SketchUp Student Design Competition
Announcing the Launch of the APAC Competition 2026
Empowering the next generation of designers across Asia–Pacific, in collaboration with Trimble.
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APAC SketchUp Student Design Competition 2026
SketchUp Australia, in collaboration with Trimble, and supported locally by BuildingPoint Australia, is proud to announce the launch of the APAC SketchUp Student Design Competition (SSDC) – a regional design initiative created to inspire, challenge, and elevate students across the architecture, design, and built environment disciplines throughout the Asia–Pacific region.
The competition provides a platform for emerging designers to engage with real-world challenges, think critically about the future of the built environment, and demonstrate their ideas using SketchUp – one of the world’s most approachable and widely used 3D modelling tools.
A Regional Platform for Emerging Designers
The APAC SketchUp Student Design Competition is designed to bring together students from across diverse cultural, climatic, and urban contexts. By placing APAC students side by side on a shared stage, the competition celebrates the richness of regional perspectives while fostering a global design conversation.
Open to eligible tertiary students across the region, SSDC encourages participants to move beyond theoretical exploration and into applied design thinking – using digital tools to communicate ideas clearly, creatively, and professionally. With SketchUp at its core, the competition supports workflows that reflect what students will encounter in practice, helping bridge the gap between education and industry.
Why This Competition Matters To Our Students
Develop a design project grounded in real-world architectural challenges
Strengthen their SketchUp skills within a professional design workflow
Receive exposure to international educators and industry voices
Create portfolio-ready work that demonstrates both creativity and rigour
Competition Prizes and Recognition
The APAC SketchUp Student Design Competition offers a prize structure designed to recognise design excellence, reward creative effort, and provide students with a rare international experience.
Top 8 Teams – Online Submission Stage
From all online submissions, eight finalist teams will be selected from across the Asia–Pacific region. Each of these teams will receive:
- USD 1,000 per team
- An invitation to the Final Presentation event in Bali
- Return air tickets and accommodation (shared rooms) provided for the finalist teams.
The Final Presentation will take place in Bali from 16–18 September 2026, bringing together the top student teams for onsite presentations, jury review, and peer exchange.
Regional Competition Winners – Onsite Presentations
Following live presentations at the final event, the Regional Competition Winners will be awarded:
- 1st Place
USD 2,000 (cash)
- 2nd Place
USD 1,500 (cash)
- 1 × SpaceMouse Wireless
- 3rd Place
USD 1,000 (cash)
- 1 × SpaceMouse Wireless
Best Presentation Award
In recognition of clear communication, storytelling, and visual delivery, a Best Presentation Team award will also be presented, receiving:
- 3 × SpaceMouse Compact units
- 1 × SpaceMouse Wireless
The 2026 Theme: Inherited Futures
For its 2026 launch, the APAC SketchUp Student Design Competition invites students to respond to the theme Inherited Futures. This brief challenges participants to rethink how existing buildings can be transformed rather than replaced – asking students to treat the built environment not as a blank slate, but as a resource rich with history, knowledge, and embodied value.
Rather than defaulting to demolition and rebuild, students are encouraged to investigate an existing structure in their city or country and explore how it can be adapted, extended, or reimagined for a more sustainable and contextually relevant future. Considerations might include cultural memory, climate responsiveness, material reuse, and the environmental cost already embedded within existing buildings.
This theme reflects a growing shift across the design and construction industries – away from generic solutions and toward place‑specific, responsible design that responds to both environmental and social realities.
Judging Panel
The APAC SketchUp Student Design Competition will be evaluated by a three‑member judging panel, bringing together expertise from Trimble, industry practice, and academia. This balanced panel ensures entries are assessed through multiple lenses – design quality, real‑world relevance, and educational rigour.
Architecture Educator, Content Creator & Co‑founder of Archimarathon
Melbourne, Australia
Co‑founder of Archimarathon, a public‑facing architectural literacy platform with a combined global following of over 880,000. Through education, digital content, and community engagement, Kevin is widely recognised for making architectural ideas accessible, relevant, and inspiring for students and young professionals.
SketchUp Global Training Manager
Trimble
Denver, USA
Based in Denver, Chris has expertise in SketchUp education and professional workflows from his role as Global Training Manager at Trimble. Chris works closely with educators, professionals, and global partners to support learning, best practices, and the effective use of SketchUp across the design and construction industries.
Design Director, Lifethings Inc. & Former Adjunct Assistant Prof., Columbia University
Seoul, South Korea
Experience spanning professional practice and architectural education. Formerly an adjunct assistant professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) in New York, Yang brings an academically informed and globally relevant perspective to contemporary design thinking.
Supported by the SketchUp and Trimble Ecosystem
As part of the global SketchUp ecosystem within Trimble, SSDC reinforces the role of technology as a creative enabler rather than a barrier. SketchUp’s intuitive modelling environment allows students to focus on design intent, iteration, and communication – while still producing work that aligns with industry expectations.
Trimble’s commitment to connected workflows across design, construction, and operations underscores the competition’s relevance. Students are not only learning how to model, but how to communicate ideas clearly, collaborate effectively, and think across disciplines – skills increasingly valued across the built environment.
BuildingPoint Australia’s local support further strengthens the initiative by connecting students to regional knowledge, industry insight, and real‑world context.
Key Dates – Competition Timeline
APAC SSDC Timeline 2026
April 27, 2026
Competition
Announcement
Announcement
Live
Open
Apr 27 – May 22
Team Registration
Period
Period
May 7, 2026
Online
Briefing
Briefing
July 19, 2026
Submission
Deadline
Deadline
August 17, 2026
Shortlisted
Teams
Teams
Sept 16–18, 2026
Final Presentations
& Winners
& Winners
April 27
Competition Announcement
Apr 27 – May 22
Team Registration
May 7
Online Briefing
July 19
Submission Deadline
August 17
Shortlisted Teams
Sept 16–18
Final Presentations & Winners
SketchUp Australia · BuildingPoint · Trimble Authorised Distribution Partner
Get Involved
Registrations for the APAC SketchUp Student Design Competition are now open and close May 22, 2026. Full details – including eligibility, guidelines, and submission requirements are available here.
Students and educators across the Asia–Pacific region are encouraged to explore the brief, share the opportunity, and take part in a competition that champions responsible, future-focused design!
