C40 is proud to announce the winning projects of this year’s global youth design challenge Youth Reinventing Cities (formerly Students Reinventing Cities) across 10 participating cities: Amman, Barcelona, Bogotá, Bucharest, Chicago, Jakarta, Lagos, Lisbon, Nairobi, and Rome.
Connecting city leaders with young talent to reimagine real urban spaces, the competition this year brought together 160 multidisciplinary teams across 80 universities, challenging hundreds of students and young planners worldwide to tackle urgent urban climate issues.
From bioengineered flood barriers and circular waste networks to school-centred cooling corridors and community care hubs, the winning proposals deliver practical, locally grounded visions for greener, more resilient neighbourhoods.
Congratulations to all the awarded teams and to every young person who took part in shaping the future of our cities.
Youth Reinventing Cities 2026 Winners
Hear directly from the winning teams as they break down their design choices, site visits, and creative process in our global winners video:
What city leaders say
The initiative directly connects city leaders and youth, sharing ideas that inspire city action:
We join Youth Reinventing Cities because we believe young people are the solution to Jakarta’s urban challenges. I am impressed by the winning team’s creativity to connect sustainability with the people’s need. Collaborating with young people means getting fresh ideas and working together to create a better city for the future.
Pramono Anung, Governor of Jakarta
For a city, working directly with young people on a real site is very different from simply asking them what they think about the future. Here, they were given a real challenge and the opportunity to develop real solutions. At the same time, city officials had the chance to see the neighbourhood through a different lens
Rareș Hopincă, Mayor of Bucharest’s 2nd District
The initiative serves as a vital model for engaging youth in solving real urban and climate challenges, turning their creativity into visions for a greener, more resilient city.
Ziad Abu Arabi, Deputy City Manager for Planning and Economic Development, Greater Amman Municipality
The C40 Youth Reinventing Cities competition bridges the gap between young talent and city decision-makers. This year’s winning proposals across all 10 sites demonstrate that youth are ready to take the lead in shaping the future of our cities, offering creative solutions that inspire climate action in cities worldwide.”
Hélène Chartier, Senior Director of Climate Solutions and Networks, C40 Cities
The Holcim Foundation is proud to support a programme that puts real sites and real responsibility in the hands of young people. Congratulations to the winners across all 10 cities – amongst which we are proud to see Holcim Foundation Fellows – for delivering fine examples of responsible urban design rooted in local needs.
Laura Viscovich Executive Director, Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction
Coming this November
The next edition of Youth Reinventing Cities will launch this November, with new site challenges around the world.
Youth Reinventing Cities is a C40 initiative funded by Holcim Foundation and supported by Community Jameel and the Grundfos Foundation, with in-kind contribution from Gensler.