How often do you get the chance to have your name permanently installed on a UNESCO World Heritage Site? For aspiring architects and designers across Britain, that opportunity is here—and the deadline is closer than you might think.
Blenheim Palace has launched a nationwide design competition as part of the Vanbrugh300 campaign, celebrating the 300th anniversary of the death of Sir John Vanbrugh, the architect behind one of England’s most magnificent Baroque masterpieces. Winners won’t just receive certificates and handshakes—they’ll be invited to sign a roof slate that will be reinstalled on the Palace, meaning their name will remain in situ for generations to come.
The competition, announced during National Careers Week (2-7 March), is designed to inspire the next generation of architects and comes in three categories to suit different ages and skill levels.
Budding architects (under 12s) are asked to draw a picture of Blenheim Palace. Aspiring architects (ages 12-17) must create a moodboard showing what features could be added if the Palace were designed today. Rising architects (18+ studying architecture, construction, creative or design-related subjects) are invited to submit their interpretation of what Blenheim Palace would look like if it were built now, 300 years after its original construction.
Entries must be submitted as a PDF A4 visual to blenheim@cabcampaign.co.uk by Wednesday 18 March. Winners will be announced on Monday 23 March.
The judging panel brings serious architectural credentials: Sir Charles Saumarez Smith CBE, author, curator and architectural historian; Kelly O’Driscoll, Head of Built Heritage at Blenheim Palace and Practice Director at Donald Insall Associates; and Edward Lewis, who is currently leading the restoration project at the Palace.
The prizes are genuinely remarkable. Winners in each category will receive an exclusive invite to the Blenheim Palace topping out ceremony on 31 March, the once-in-a-lifetime chance to sign a roof slate, an annual pass and afternoon tea for two at the Palace. The Rising Architect category winner will additionally receive an exclusive talk and tour with Kelly O’Driscoll and a signed copy of Living Buildings: Architectural Conservation, Philosophy, Principles and Practice by Sir Donald Insall.
The competition coincides with a significant moment in Blenheim’s history. A monumental £12 million roof restoration project began in early 2025 after age, climate change, and water penetration led to the declining state of the roof, attic timbers, and ceilings below. The Palace has also launched its Sign a Slate initiative, allowing members of the public to sign a roof slate in exchange for a donation supporting the vital repairs.
“This period of vital restoration has been a truly historic moment and a chance for everyone to see Blenheim Palace from a whole new perspective,” said Heather Carter, Managing Director of the Visitor Attraction at Blenheim Palace. “We have such a rich architectural history, so this challenge is an exciting one. We can’t wait to see the submissions and do not doubt that the talented aspiring architects in the UK will create some amazing designs.”
The competition ties into Blueprints of Power, Blenheim’s latest exhibition celebrating Vanbrugh and his architectural legacy. The exhibition brings to life a timeline showcasing the different stages of building the Palace and is included with standard admission.
For those wanting to delve deeper into Vanbrugh’s work, the three competition judges will come together for a panel talk, Vanbrugh’s Hidden Blenheim, at Donald Insall Associates’ studio in Marylebone on Wednesday 29 April from 4.30pm to 7pm. The discussion will bridge historical archives and on-site discoveries, assessing Vanbrugh’s legacy alongside modern challenges of climate resilience and heritage conservation.
Blenheim Palace was built between 1705 and 1722 as a gift from Queen Anne and a grateful nation to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, following his military victories. Vanbrugh’s design, with its monumental scale and theatrical Baroque grandeur, remains one of the finest examples of English Baroque architecture. It’s also, of course, the birthplace of Winston Churchill—though that’s a story for another exhibition.
Blenheim Palace Young Designer Challenge
Entry deadline: Wednesday 18 March 2026
Winners announced: Monday 23 March 2026
Categories: Under 12s, Ages 12-17, 18+ (studying relevant degree)
How to enter: Submit a PDF A4 visual to blenheim@cabcampaign.co.uk
More information: blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/john-vanbrugh-competition
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