The Gateway Decathlon will lead a revolution in the way we build, and it offers many ways to get involved.
It’s not news to anyone that homebuilding is plagued by inefficiencies and that it lags every other industry when it comes to embracing innovation. The question is, how can we correct these problems?
Finding the answers to that question is the motivation behind Gateway Decathlon, a landmark design/build competition that aims to revolutionize the way we build. Scheduled for October 2025 in St. Louis, Missouri, this new competition will address pressing questions surrounding the future of housing. Although it has roots in the Solar Decathlon, formerly held in Washington, DC, it’s an industry effort, rather than a governmental one. We want to develop innovative, yet practical, solutions for real-world projects.
We believe that the path to these solutions requires bridging the gap between academia and industry. The competition will lead the way in making that happen.
We have engaged with student teams from 11 universities, each of which has been charged with generating new, innovative design and construction approaches for display during the event. Every team will partner with an architecture and engineering firm, providing students with real-world mentorship and experience. The partnership will also give those firms an opportunity to identify and develop promising young talent.
The housing units created by these teams will be judged on a number of criteria: Design, Engineering & Construction, Materials & Supply Chain, Livability, Innovation, Energy Performance, Water Optimization and Dwelling Functionality.
Teams will also be judged on their promotional activities and communications strategy, as well as their entry’s market viability. The goal is to boost efforts that lead to near-term public and industry acceptance, adoption and replication of these off-site prototype dwelling units. Each team must define in advance the intended regional market segment for their completed dwelling unit, including household composition, income level and geographic location.
Judges will represent a variety of disciplines: architects, engineers, contractors, developers, home inspectors and lenders. Additional input from psychologists, media people and homeowners, will be used to gauge market appeal.
Our ultimate vision is to generate ideas for truly sustainable homes: that is, homes that are beautifully designed, and that have been engineered and crafted to have relevance for centuries, rather than decades.
Historically, events like this have drawn crowds of tens of thousands, (the Solar Decathlon typically drew 60-100,000 people). Gateway Decathlon’s appeal will be bolstered by its strategic location, nestled amidst iconic landmarks like Gateway Arch, Busch Stadium and Anheuser-Busch Brewery. To help ensure a big turnout, we are also working with a local nonprofit to create events for the public and will be inviting groups of potential investors to learn about the innovations on display.
But the Decathlon will go beyond the competition. Our big-picture goal is to create a new marketplace for sustainable, offsite housing solutions.
The event will be used to promote the new Gateway South Design & Construction Innovation District, a mixed-use redevelopment plan for revitalizing the downtown St. Louis riverfront. Gateway South will serve as an innovation hub for the offsite industry, and will include companies focused on research and development, as well as manufacturing and logistics.
Ultimately, what happens in Gateway South will be what makes it possible for the offsite innovation ideas presented at the Decathlon to live on beyond the competition.
In conclusion, the Gateway Decathlon represents a paradigm shift in the construction industry — a convergence of innovation, sustainability and collaboration. It is a rallying cry for change, an invitation to envision and build a future where housing is not just a shelter, but rather a testament to human ingenuity and progress. Let us seize this opportunity to shape the world we want to live in.
Of course, the success of an event like this takes many people to execute effectively and we would love to hear from anyone who would like to get involved. Whether as a participant, sponsor, mentor, or exhibitor, there are countless ways to engage. It’s a real opportunity to witness the leaders of today collaborating with the innovators of tomorrow and to help pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable future.
For more information, please go to gatewaydecathlon.com. If you would like to learn how to participate in this groundbreaking event, please email us at [email protected].
Bobby Vance, AIA, is the Chief Design Officer at Servicetry Integrated Services, owner of Vance Design Company in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Competition Manager for Gateway Decathlon in St. Louis, Mo.
