Sky Institute Studio + UF JaxLab Fall 2026 Design Competition

The Sky Institute Design Competition challenges students to imagine how architecture, planning, agriculture, ecology, and technology can work together to create resilient and meaningful places for the future. Using the Congaree & Penn property in its entirety as a living laboratory, students will investigate how a destination rooted in conservation, recreation, agriculture, and hospitality can become a model for future development.

At its heart, the project asks students to design a place people come to for a reason — and stay because the place itself makes them want to linger. Guided by a spirit of purposeful simplicity and a deep connection to the land, the studio will explore how the property can support an agrarian revival: a working, growing, gathering place where architecture, agriculture, and community are woven together.

Students are challenged to imagine how architecture can contribute to a place that honors the natural environment while creating meaningful human experiences. Through collaborative planning and individual design exploration, participants will develop innovative proposals that embody the mission of the Sky Institute and advance new models for responsible development in the 21st century. This mirrors Sky Institute's belief that real innovation occurs when research, planning, architecture, agriculture, and community development are tested together in living laboratories.

The competition will take place this Fall 2026 and will include a site visit, a series of workshops and intensives throughout the semester, and midterm and final presentations by the students showcasing their explorations and proposals.