Evil by Design
Architectural Illustration
A Discover Design 2026 Competition
Conceptualized and Curated by The Design Venue
Individual Competition
OVERVIEW:
What if villains designed architecture?
What if the world's most iconic buildings were taken over by history's most unforgettable villains? What if the elegance of the Chrysler Building reflected Darth Vader's authority, or the Lotus Temple echoed Maleficent's dark magic?
Evil by Design challenges you to reimagine architecture through the personality of a villain. Your goal is not to redesign a building from scratch, but to transform an existing architectural masterpiece into a visual extension of a villain's identity.
Think beyond costumes, masks, and symbols. Explore how architecture can express power, fear, chaos, mystery, obsession, or deception through form, materials, textures, colours, details, and atmosphere.
The building must remain instantly recognizable while convincingly reflecting the essence of the villain you've chosen.
This is where architectural observation meets imagination, storytelling, and illustration.
Who can Participate?
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Junior category : students studying in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12
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Senior category : Students pursuing undergraduate degrees
(Individual participants only)
TASK:
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Choose any ONE of the buildings from the list below and design them according to the villain by choosing ONE villain from the list below
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Dissect its structural style, geometry, forms, and proportions, and conceptually recreate it as the Ultimate Supervillain’s Lair.
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Submit one perspective sketch on an A3 paper size
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Shoot a 90-second video that shows your process and final drawing
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Submit everything using our official templates and platform
THE CHOSEN SEVEN BUILDINGS
(You must pick only one):
The Chrysler Building (USA)
Sydney Opera House (Australia)
Amdavad Ni Gufa
(India)
Guggenhein Museum (Spain)
Kanchenjunga Apartment
(India)
Burj Al Arab
(UAE)
Leaning Tower of Pisa
(Italy)
THE CHOSEN SEVEN SUPERVILLAINS
(You must pick only one):
The Joker
Cruella Deville
Darth Vader
Green Goblin
Scar
Loki
Ravana
INSPIRATION / REFERENCES
What if The Joker took over the Chrysler building? How would the building carry the essence of the villain and his/her motive?
REGISTRATION & DEADLINES:
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Exclusive Mentoring Session: 8th August 2026
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Submission Deadline: 16th August 2026
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Shortlist Announcement: 19th August 2026
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Final Showcase: 23rd August 2026 at Christ University, Bangalore
GENERAL GUIDELINES:
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Only one entry per person is permitted.
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Use only traditional media (pencil, pen, ink, watercolor, acrylic, etc.). No AI, digital artwork, digital manipulation, or plagiarism.
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Submit your work using the official Discover Design template.
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Share your work on Instagram and LinkedIn. Your Instagram Reel must be posted as a Collab with @discoverdesign26 and @the_design_venue. Reach and engagement may be considered during the final evaluation.
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All entries must be original. Non-compliant entries may be disqualified. Participants retain ownership of their original work. By entering, you grant Discover Design and The Design Venue a non-exclusive right to publish and promote your submission and related photos/videos, with credit wherever reasonably possible.
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All participants receive certificates. Top 3 receive trophies and featured recognition.
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The jury's decision is final.
SUBMISSION FORMAT:
JUDGING CRITERIA:
