Guide to Publication: Submission Formats & Curation

Our submission process and curatorial review differs from one type of publication to another. If you're submitting material, please review the following guidelines to ensure your submission is complete and aligned with our publishing standards.

Built Projects

Built Projects are submitted by completing our 2-step form, available here. By submitting, you warrant that you hold all necessary rights or have obtained permissions to share the content; and that the content does not infringe on any third-party rights. We are committed to properly crediting all contributors (e.g., architects, photographers, collaborators). Please ensure all relevant credits are clearly included in your submission.

Every built project shared with ArchDaily goes through a curation process, carefully executed by our Projects Team, a group of architects and curators specialized in different regions. This means every project you see on ArchDaily was previously reviewed by the Team and selected in order to provide inspiration and knowledge to architects all over the world. Not all projects are published, but this doesn’t reflect their quality; it simply means they're just not what we're looking for at the moment.

Given the volume of submissions, we can't provide specific feedback and details on why a project wasn't selected, However, we encourage you to keep sharing your projects with us.

Below you’ll find key aspects of our curation process to help guide your submission.

1. Publication Material

To ensure the best possible review, please adhere to our submission guidelines. If a project follows our editorial standards but the photos and/or drawings don't, we'll get back to you and request the material according to our guidelines.

Photographs:

Select at least 15 images of the project with at least 2880px width taken by photographers specialized in architectural photography. Pay attention to the image post production – perspective correction, white balance, tone and color correction, exposure, etc. – and avoid partial, dark, over-edited, with over-exposure to help to highlight the project itself.

Drawings:

Drawings for publication should be clear and straightforward, so avoid information such as labels and construction instructions and prioritize their readability on a computer screen.

Project Description:

Explain what makes your project unique. Explore "behind the scenes" and tell us about what can't be seen on the drawings and photographs.

2. Architectural Solutions

We are looking for projects that are innovative in terms of architectural solutions, construction processes, program proposals, materials and structure; projects that are well-thought and well-executed; projects that are meaningful for people, for environment and for the field of architecture and urban planning in general; projects that are resourceful, that bring results in new materials, technologies, structural forms, etc.; projects that have a cohesive approach not only in its architectural elements, but also with the context; projects that are useful, pertinent, adequate, protective, and considerate from the single user to a whole community; and projects that take advantage of smart solutions to minimize the negative environmental impact of construction.

We're always seeking to promote the latest trends and features of current projects. That's why we focus on the last five years of contemporary architectural production, even though we make exceptions for older projects that are considered Architecture Classics, canonical projects or relevant case studies.

3. Curation Process

The ArchDaily Projects Team is a global group of architects and curators with over 15 years of collective experience. When you submit a project, it’s reviewed by highly qualified curators in charge of that specific location, there’s no need to submit to each local ArchDaily site. If approved, it may be published across our platforms based on what’s relevant to each audience.

How we curate:

Regional focus: Projects are reviewed by curators from the project's location for contextual insight.
Collaborative decisions: Our curators discuss submissions collectively to ensure balanced and informed curation.
Individual merit: Projects are evaluated on their own, not in comparison to others.
Evolving standards: What was relevant in the past may not reflect current criteria.
Global diversity: We prioritize representation from all regions, especially underrepresented areas, to reflect a broader architectural landscape.
Context matters: We consider construction methods and social impact, understanding that the same project may have different meanings in different settings.

Rather than enforce strict rules, we aim to share helpful insights into our editorial process. Every project is unique, and we appreciate your interest in contributing to our global network.

Events & Competitions

By submitting your Event or Competition, you grant ArchDaily a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use and distribute the submitted materials—including text, images, and metadata—across our platforms, including our website, newsletters, social media, and partner networks. Please make sure all the event information is accurate before submitting. Once published, the content will not be edited or updated.

Each event submission must include at least one image. You must be the author of the image or have explicit permission from the copyright holder to use it. It’s also essential to provide accurate image credits for every file submitted. Proper attribution helps ensure transparency and respect for creators' rights. By uploading, you confirm that you have the right to share the image(s) and that ArchDaily will not be held responsible for any copyright or third-party claims.

All event submissions are subject to editorial review. While we value the opportunity to highlight events from around the world, publication is not guaranteed. ArchDaily retains the right to determine whether a submission aligns with our editorial criteria and may decline to publish without providing feedback or justification.

By submitting your Event or Competition, you confirm that you agree with these terms. We appreciate your interest in contributing to ArchDaily and look forward to learning about your initiative.

Original Editorial Submissions from External Authors

Eligibility & Criteria

Only open to professionals and credible authors.
Contributions should be one-time or occasional pieces, rather than ongoing series.
Priority is given to:
- Topics where ArchDaily does not have in-house expertise.
- Formats we do not produce internally.

Editorial Guidelines

Articles must follow ArchDaily’s editorial and style guidelines, including:
- Writing style and tone.
- Format requirements (a special PDF template will be sent for contributing authors).
Each submission must include a minimum of 5 images with proper credits and authorization to publish.

Publication Rules

All contributions are unpaid.
Published content will be whitelisted (not placed under the paywall).
A maximum of 2 external articles per month (combined: contributions and reprints).
Contributions must be reviewed and approved by the Managing Editor prior to publication.
ArchDaily reserves the right to decide what is published and when, in order to fit within the editorial calendar.
No newsroom access will be granted to external contributors.

Author Profiles & Credits

Author profiles will be created for external contributors.
Each article must include a mandatory introductory paragraph stating that this is an external contribution from an expert in their field.
Articles will be tagged (e.g., “From Our Community”) to distinguish them from in-house content.

Submission Process

Authors must send a brief description of the proposed article + their profile to the editorial contributions email.
Only submissions deemed relevant and high-quality will be accepted.

Courtesy Access

Authors with more than 3 published articles will receive courtesy access.

Reprints or Articles Previously Published on other Platforms