How to Enter

1. CREATE YOUR DESIGN

WHAT WOULD YOU DESIGN TO HELP PEOPLE CONNECT?

Learn more about the 2027 Design Challenge and check back in November for resources to help ignite your creative thinking. You can enter as an individual or as a team of up to three people. Only one team member may submit an entry on behalf of the team.

TIPS FOR CREATING YOUR SKETCH:

You will need one sketch of your design idea that you will upload as a .jpg (must be at least 8.5 x 11” at 300 dpi).
We recommend using an 8 ½ x 11” sheet of paper.
Your sketch can be drawn in any medium by hand or on a computer.
The quality of the sketch will not be judged, but it should help illustrate the design concept.

If you are a student with a disability, you may submit a written description or an audio description as an .mp3 as needed (200 words or less). Contact DesignCompetition@si.edu by January 15, 2027 to discuss other possible modifications to enable participation.

2. DESCRIBE YOUR DESIGN

Tell us more about your idea! The online entry form will include a box where you can copy and paste your responses.

DESIGN CHALLENGE QUESTIONS:

Tell us about the opportunity you’ve identified to help people connect. Who do you want to bring closer together? What inspired you to help them build stronger connections? (50 words or less)
Select the primary design strategy you have used (Play, Tweak, Repeat, Show Off, Simplify, or Transform). Select a secondary design strategy you used during your design process.
Tell us about your design idea and how your chosen design strategy shaped it. Describe your design and how it works to bring people together in a unique way. How did your chosen design strategy shape your design? (50 words or less)
Tell us about the impact of your design. How does your design create meaningful, everyday connection for your target users? How could this design be scaled to have a broader impact and strengthen civic life and benefit communities across the country and beyond? (50 words or less)

3. Submit your design

The online entry period will be open from January 5 to February 8, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time). Please check your local time zone. Late entries will not be accepted. On the submissions site, you can create an account to work on your entry before submitting.

Entry Requirements:

Your name and contact information, and the names and contact information for all team members, if applicable. Note: Only one team member should create an account and submit your entry on behalf of the team.
An upload of your design sketch as a .jpg (must be at least 8.5 x 11″ at 300 dpi), or alternate file type and written responses about your design, as described in step 1.
Responses to the design challenge questions noted in step 2.
An upload of your signed Parent Guardian Consent Form, which will be available soon, as a .pdf or .jpg file (must be 300 dpi). The form must be completed and uploaded, and don’t forget the signature! If you are submitting a team entry, each team member must submit a signed parent/legal guardian consent form.

Important Notes:

Your entry cannot have any marks, logos, or writing on it that identifies authorship so that Cooper Hewitt can review all entries anonymously.
You may not share your design on social media or in any public manner until after the regional winners are announced (anticipated to be in April 2027).
For any questions, please visit FAQs.