Modern urban environments often overlook the needs of stray animals and the communities (animal lovers, volunteer rescuers, NGOs, etc.) that care for them. Stray animals frequently face issues such as lack of shelter, food, and safety (e.g., road accidents, neglect, abuse, and cruelty), while rescuers struggle due to insufficient infrastructure and limited support systems.
This disconnect creates what is referred to as the “urban gap”, where the built environment fails to address these overlapping needs. This gap represents a critical design challenge that participants must aim to resolve through practical, thoughtful and compassionate interventions.
The i3BEIC 2026 competition invites participants to ideate creative built environment mechanisms or solutions that promote humane cities which foster the peaceful co-existence of people and urban strays.
Proposals must be developed using the Design Thinking Framework (Empathise-Define-Ideate-Prototype-Test) to ensure a structured approach and to achieve effective interventions grounded in real needs and real-world applicability. Participants may choose or innovate beyond these areas:
- Community rescue hubs
- Urban micro-shelters
- Smart feeding stations
- Adoption & education spaces
- Animal-friendly public spaces
