*Jon Winkles, vice president of Texa-based Aggricrete. Photo courtesy of Aggricrete YouTube*

Hemp Materials Company Announces House Design Contest

By Jean Lotus

Texas-based building materials company Aggricrete has announced a new architectural design competition focused on sustainable, modular housing. The Intentionally Designed Expandable Architectural Structures (I.D.E.A.S.) House Design Contest is now open for submissions from students, professionals, and design enthusiasts around the world. A first prize of $10,000 is open to students and international entrants. Other design enthusiasts can submit designs that will not be eligible for a cash prize.
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Americhanvre

South Bend Industrial Hemp

Hillside Center for Sustainable Living

Sativa Building Systems

CannaVision

US Heritage Group

Right Coast Hemp

Gradek Contracting and Design

The competition calls for designs of small-footprint, ADA-compliant homes that can expand over time to accommodate changing needs. Submissions must emphasize sustainability and adaptability, and may be considered for future prototyping using Aggricrete’s bio-based pre-cast panel systems, the company said.

Aggricrete Vice President Jon Winkles says he seeks to address critical challenges in the modern housing market.

Winkles' passion project stems from witnessing his grandmother struggle to adapt her home after his grandfather suffered a debilitating stroke.

"Her house was not equipped for handicap accessibility," Winkles told HempBuild Mag. This experience showed him there wasn’t enough supply of accessible homes.

A core vision behind the contest is the concept of "legacy subdivisions" where homes are designed to grow with families, eliminating the need to move and disrupt children's schooling. This approach fosters community stability and allows houses to be passed down through generations, Winkles said.

Homeland Hempcrete

Verdant Structural Engineers

Boardwurks

Aggricrete

The contest officially opened for submissions, with information and requirements becoming available on Aggricrete's website soon. The deadline for submissions is May 31, 2026, with winners slated to be announced on July 4, 2026, coinciding with America's 250th birthday.

The ultimate goal is to inspire students and trade school participants to integrate intentional design, expandability, ADA accommodation, and sustainability into their core design philosophy from a young age, Winkles said. Students must provide proof of enrollment. Professionals will be judged in a separate category and are eligible for their own prize pool.

According to contest materials, the goal is to create homes that are able to grow or change with occupants — such as for aging in place or household expansion — while meeting modern building standards and environmental performance goals.

While the designs do not have to be hempcrete houses, Winkles is a strong advocate for the material's benefits.

Aaron Grail Construction

IND HEMP

Hemp Building Directory 2025

HempBLOCK USA

Aggricrete is committed to promoting the hemp building industry and the plant itself, especially because of the on-again-off-again legislative moves toward hemp in Texas, Winkles said.

For more information or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, visit www.aggricrete.com.

The contest has several objectives:

Encourage intentional design: Future designers are challenged to consider building orientation, size, and material selection for long-term operational efficiency.
Create an inventory of better buildings: The contest aims to generate innovative designs for subdivisions, including options for smaller homes like two-bedroom, two-bathroom layouts, which are currently scarce in many markets.
Promote inherent accessibility: Designs should integrate ADA compliance from the outset, allowing families to adapt to life-changing events with minimal disruption and

There will be a small fee for student and international submissions to deter a high volume of AI-generated entries. An "enthusiast" category allows single design submissions without a cash prize..

The contest officially opened for submissions, with information and requirements becoming available on Aggricrete's website soon. The deadline for submissions is May 31, 2026, with winners slated to be announced on July 4, 2026, coinciding with America's 250th birthday.

The ultimate goal is to inspire students and trade school participants to integrate intentional design, expandability, ADA accommodation, and sustainability into their core design philosophy from a young age, Winkles said.

Parsons Healthy Materials Lab

Hemp Building Institute

Hempitecture

Hempire

Students must provide proof of enrollment. Entry fees are charged in U.S. dollars. Professionals will be judged in a separate category and are eligible for their own prize pool.

According to contest materials, the goal is to create homes that are able to grow or change with occupants — such as for aging in place or household expansion — while meeting modern building standards and environmental performance goals.

While the designs do not have to be hempcrete houses, Winkles is a strong advocate for the material's benefits.

Aggricrete remains committed to promoting the hemp building industry and the plant itself, navigating legislative challenges to ensure its continued growth and impact, Winkles said. This design contest represents a significant step forward in shaping a future where homes are built with foresight, empathy, and sustainability at their core.

For more information or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, visit www.aggricrete.com.
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