IDEAthon 2026: Re(Imagine) Spaces
The ReROW IDEAthon is a free, interdisciplinary design competition for undergraduate students at UBC. Teams collaborate to reimagine a prominent campus public space through creative, practical, and research-informed design ideas.
In 2026, the IDEAthon will focus on Flagpole Plaza near the Rose Garden, exploring how this central campus space can better support people, movement, and everyday campus life. Students from all disciplines are encouraged to participate, including engineering, architecture, planning, environmental sciences, arts, and social sciences.
Participants will work collaboratively to address social, environmental, aesthetic, safety, and transportation dimensions of public space design. Whether you’re studying engineering, architecture, urban planning, environmental science, or any other discipline, your perspective matters!
Top three teams will win cash prizes ($500, $300, $200). A People’s Choice Award ($100) will be chosen by all of the IDEAthon student participants. All participants enjoy free lunch & snacks.
When: March 21-22, 2026 | Where: KAIS Room 2020 / 2030
Day 1 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM: IDEAthon design competition
Day 2 9:00 AM – Noon: Final presentations, judging, and awards
For questions or updates, contact: info.rerow@ubc.ca\
Registration opens early February! Detailed schedule and site materials to be released closer to the event
This event is open to all UBC Undergraduate Students, regardless of their department or major.
Sign up as a team of 3-5 students from at least two different departments or majors. No more than two students from the same department or major may be on a single team. Together, you’ll develop creative solutions to transform this key campus space.
Don’t have a team? Don’t worry! Sign up as an individual, and we will match you up with a team.
During the IDEAthon, teams will:
- Develop practical and innovative solutions to challenges facing public right-of-way spaces
- Explore how social, environmental, commercial, aesthetic, safety, and transportation systems interact
- Incorporate multidisciplinary perspectives and user experiences
- Present their ideas to faculty and invited reviewers
Teams will deliver a three-minute presentation, supported by visuals such as site plans, diagrams, and sketches.
Research Participation Notice
The IDEAthon is part of ReROW’s research on interdisciplinary education and collaboration. Participants will be asked to consent to event photography and to complete short pre- and post-event surveys. All data will be used for research purposes only, in accordance with UBC research ethics requirements. More details about the research project coming soon.