Suburani BUILD IT Challenge 2026–27: Build the ancient world!

We're delighted to launch the 2026–27 Suburani BUILD IT Challenge!

Last year, our BUILD IT challenge inspired students and teachers to research the ancient world and bring it to life by creating their own 3D models. This year, we're challenging you to do it again — but with new themes, new ideas, and even more opportunities to get creative.

The challenge is open to students and teachers, and you can build your entry using whatever materials or techniques you choose.

You'll be able to submit your entries up until the deadline on Friday 12 February 2027.

So start researching, start designing — and get building!

The challenge

Your task is to:

1. Choose a building or monument that was standing at the time of the Suburani stories, located in Rome or any other setting visited by the characters (e.g., Britain, Pompeii, Carthage, Ephesus) on one of the competition themes below.
2. Research your chosen building or monument to discover how it looked and was used in the ancient world.
3. Design and build a 3D model using your own choices of materials and methods — physical or digital.
4. Write a brief explanation (no more than 250 words) of the choices you made in creating your model and how your research influenced it.
5. Show us your finished work by submitting photographs or a short video walkthrough.

You're welcome to work individually, or in groups of up to three students.

Note: You don't need to reproduce an ancient building perfectly. We want to see good research, thoughtful interpretation, creativity, and attention to detail.

Themes

Your model should fit into one of the following themes:

• Daily Life: Bring ordinary life in the ancient world to life. You might build a house, shop, workshop, street, apartment, kitchen, market, or other setting connected with everyday life.
• Entertainment: Explore the places where Romans went to relax, socialise, and be entertained. You could build a theatre, amphitheatre, circus, bath complex, or another place of entertainment or leisure.
• Religious Buildings: Explore the architecture and importance of religion in the Roman world. You might choose a temple, shrine, sanctuary, or another religious building or complex.
• Public Buildings and Infrastructure: Build something that shows how Roman cities and communities worked. Possible subjects include roads, bridges, aqueducts, baths, city gates, public buildings, or harbours.
• Palaces and Forums: For larger or more ambitious projects, you can explore palaces, forums, and major public or civic complexes.
• Forum Romanum: The Forum Romanum is a special theme in its own right. You could recreate the whole forum, part of it, or focus on a particular building or monument within it. Think carefully about how the different buildings related to one another and what the Forum would have looked like at the time.

Who can enter?

There are four competition categories. Expectations for research and historical interpretation are uniform across all age groups:

• Student: UK Years 7–8 / North American Grades 6–7
• Student: UK Years 9–11 / North American Grades 8–10
• Student: UK Year 11+ / North American Grade 10+ (More ambitious or detailed projects are particularly welcome)
• Teacher: Choose any of the themes and create your own model. We're looking forward to seeing what teachers can come up with too!

What can I build?

Almost anything!

• Physical Models: Your model can be made from cardboard, paper, clay, Lego, recycled materials, wood, modelling materials, or anything else you have available.
• Digital Models: You can create your model digitally using 3D modelling, CAD, Minecraft, or another digital platform.

The important thing is that your entry is genuinely your own work and demonstrates research into the ancient world.

How to submit

Note for Teachers: To protect student privacy and simplify communication, all entries must be submitted by teachers, not directly by students. Teachers are responsible for managing student file formats and securing necessary parental sharing consent before submission. Practical delivery details and a link to the official Google Form will be provided closer to the submission deadline.

Physical models

Please submit a maximum of five images via the form we'll share nearer the submission deadline, each as a JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg). Provide enough angles for the judges to see the model clearly, including at least one overall view. Alternatively, you may submit a short video walkthrough.

Digital models & video walkthroughs

Please submit a simple video or screen recording of no more than 3 minutes. You do not need to make a complicated presentation — simply show your model from different angles, ensuring it fills most of the screen so important details are visible.

• Format: MP4 file via a file sharing link OR a YouTube link.

What to include with the submission

When filling out the entry form, teachers will be asked to provide:

• The student's building choice and its historical location.
• A short written explanation of the research and model design choices (no more than 250 words).

What will the judges be looking for?

Our judges will evaluate entries based on:

• Historical Research: Does the model show an understanding of the ancient building or site?
• Accuracy and Detail: Have you thought carefully about how it would have looked in the ancient world?
• Creativity: Have you found an imaginative way to bring the site to life?
• Craftsmanship and Presentation: Has care been taken with the construction and presentation?
• Communication: Does the entry clearly explain what has been created and why?

You don't need expensive materials or sophisticated technology to win. A brilliant idea, carefully researched and creatively executed, can be just as impressive as a highly technical model.

Get inspired

Virtual Rome with Professor Matthew Nicholls

Take a look at Professor Matthew Nicholls' fascinating webinar exploring his Virtual Rome project — a massive, highly-detailed digital model of the ancient city used in teaching, museum displays, and film production. This webinar offers an incredible introduction to the architecture and built environment of ancient Rome, including the Subura, making it the perfect spark for your project ideas.

Download the session PDF

Need some ideas?

Look through the Suburani stories and see what catches your imagination, or browse through last year's winning entries below. You could build somewhere the characters live, work, worship, shop, travel, or spend their leisure time. Because Suburani takes us from the streets of Rome to Britain and across the Roman Empire, you have a wealth of history to explore!

Last year's winners and prizes

Professor Nicholls very kindly judged all the shortlisted submissions last year and will do so again this year. Here are last year's winners in each category. Press the full-screen icon in the image below to view them in all their glory. You can also revisit the 2025 challenge page.

See also all of the submissions for even more inspiration and ideas:

Submit your entry by 12 February 2027

We can't wait to see what you build! The Suburani BUILD IT Challenge 2026–27 closes on Friday 12 February 2027, we'll circulate a link to share your creations soon.

Good luck — and, most importantly, have fun building the ancient world!

If you have any questions, please email us at contact@hands-up-education.org.