GBA launches open call for city design
BENGALURU In an innovative push to blend civic participation with urban planning, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has officially launched the Bengaluru Design: Open Call initiative as part of the upcoming Bengaluru Jatre festival. Unveiled by Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, the statewide campaign invites architects, designers, artists, students, and creative thinkers to submit practical, scalable ideas to reimagine and upgrade the city's everyday public spaces. The design challenge focuses on ordinary elements of urban infrastructure that profoundly shape daily life ranging from streetlights, bus stops, public seating benches, road medians, and waste bins to civic signboards, shopfronts, and distinct neighborhood visual identities. Additionally, participants can take on a more comprehensive challenge by proposing an integrated redesign for an entire 500-meter urban stretch, or by conceptualizing how Bengaluru’s newly restructured five city corporations can reflect unique local character while maintaining a cohesive metropolitan identity. Minister Krishna Byre Gowda emphasized that a city is experienced not merely through monumental infrastructure projects, but through the small, functional details that make public life safer, more accessible, and welcoming. He noted that the initiative bridges the gap between public creativity and civic administration, ensuring that practical ideas can move from the drawing board into real-world implementation. Submissions must emphasize affordability, durability, and operational feasibility under local conditions. All entries must be submitted by November 15, 2026, via email to support@bengalurujatre.in. Shortlisted concepts will be prominently showcased in a public exhibition during the Bengaluru Jatre festival, scheduled to run from December 4 to 13, 2026. A special GBA jury will evaluate the top proposals, and winning designers will receive the unique opportunity to meet directly with the Bengaluru Development Minister to discuss how their innovative solutions can be adopted and implemented across the city's corporations.
