Planted and Vectorworks Launch Student Competition to Champion Regenerative Design

Planted Community is proud to announce a new partnership with global design and BIM software provider Vectorworks to launch Design for Regeneration, an exciting UK-wide student design competition seeking to champion the next generation of regenerative designers.

Undergraduate students from across the country are invited to submit work for the Design for Regeneration competition, which reimagines the built and natural world through regenerative design.

The competition is open to students studying architecture, interior and landscape design, furniture, product and industrial design. The winner will receive a £1,000 cash prize, a one-year subscription to Vectorworks Design Suite, and a two-night stay in Planted’s luxury off-grid cabin at River Cottage, Axminster.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Vectorworks on Design for Regeneration, a competition that will showcase the very best in emerging British design talent,” said Planted co-founder Deborah Spencer. “It provides a vital platform for young creatives to demonstrate how regenerative thinking can shape a healthier, more sustainable future.”

“We are committed to nurturing new approaches that centre nature and sustainability at the heart of design, helping to safeguard the planet for future generations.”

Projects will be judged on creativity, innovation, material choices, aesthetics, and crucially clear regenerative intent. The panel will look for designs that not only minimise harm to natural ecosystems, also actively contribute to their restoration and renewal.

As a leading platform for sustainable design, Planted connects people, businesses, and ideas through events, content and collaborations that promote nature-based solutions and regenerative practices.

Deborah Spencer, whose career began at New Designers held at the Business Design Centre and who later founded the award-winning designjunction before co-founding Planted will lead a distinguished judging panel. The panel includes fellow Planted co-founder and former Sunday Times journalist Sam Peters, biophilic design expert Oliver Heath, and River Cottage CEO Stewart Dodd.

Entries must be submitted by Wednesday 31 July 2025. Finalists will be announced in early September, with winners revealed at the Vectorworks Design Day conference at the Royal College of Physicians in London on Tuesday 14 October 2025.

“At Vectorworks, we believe the future of design lies in regenerative thinking that not only respects but actively restores our natural world,” said Tyler French, Vectorworks Academic Marketing Manager.

“We’re proud to support Design for Regeneration in partnership with Planted, a leading platform for sustainable design that shares our commitment to driving positive change. Together, we aim to empower the next generation of designers with the tools to shape a more regenerative built environment.”

How to Enter

Students can enter by submitting their project via the official competition entry form, available at: www.planted-community.co.uk/vectorworkscompetition

Submissions must include:
– A short project description (max 300 words) outlining the regenerative intent
– Supporting visuals (drawings, renders, models created in Vectorworks)
– A brief biography and course/university details

All entries must be received by midnight on Wednesday 31 July 2025.