ISHO Women’s Day 2026 Design Challenge Announces Winners

ISHO has announced the winners of the ISHO Women’s Day 2026 Design Challenge, held in collaboration with the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) under the theme “Designing Safer Cities for Women.”

“We wanted to create something that goes beyond simply talking about women’s safety. As a design-led brand, we believe design has the power to influence how people experience and interact with their cities. This challenge was created to give young architects a platform to identify real problems, challenge existing systems and develop ideas that can potentially make our cities safer and more inclusive for women. Most importantly, we wanted these ideas to have a life beyond the competition — to be explored, developed and, where possible, brought closer to reality.”

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— Rayana Hossain, Founder & Managing Director, ISHO

The initiative invited university students across Bangladesh to develop practical and innovative design solutions addressing women’s safety in urban environments, with a focus on moving ideas from concept to potential real-world application.

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The challenge awarded Afifa Jahin Roza of North South University first place, while Md. Mahamodul Hasan Palash of Daffodil International University secured second place. The third-place award went to the Khulna University team comprising Husna Zahan Tonny, Md. Mostakim Molla and Tanzima Akter Anka.

The entries were evaluated by a judging panel comprising Tayna Karim, Partner Architect, NR Khan & Associates; Mehrin Chowdhury, Editor – Star Lifestyle, The Daily Star; Md. Ashraful Islam, Chief Town Planner, RAJUK; and Rayana Hossain, Founder & Managing Director, ISHO.

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Built around “Rights. Justice. Action.”, the challenge encouraged participants to address women’s safety across streets, public spaces, transportation, educational institutions, workplaces and residential environments.

As part of the ISHO–RAJUK collaboration, the winning project will be further developed with urban-planning support from Md. Ashraful Islam, Chief Town Planner, RAJUK, alongside Rayana Hossain, Founder & Managing Director, ISHO, and the ISHO team. The collaboration aims to explore the project’s potential for further development, prototyping and real-world application.

The initiative reflects ISHO’s commitment to using design as a platform for social impact, while creating opportunities for young designers to contribute to the development of safer and more inclusive cities.