Opportunity brief
Overview
Citython is a flagship urban planning, spatial analytics, and systems design hackathon hosted by Amalthea, IIT Gandhinagar's annual technical summit. The competition challenges participants to step into the shoes of urban planners, transit engineers, and smart-city architects to tackle real-world infrastructural and civic bottlenecks.
Focused directly on local urban challenges, this edition features a live case site centered right here in Gandhinagar. Participating teams will analyze spatial constraints, model traffic and transit dynamics, and formulate data-driven master plans to transform real civic challenges into functional, resilient, and sustainable urban ecosystems.
Date : 31/10/2026
Timing - To be announced soon
Event Format & Structure
Phase 1: Problem Statement Reveal & Spatial Analysis (Online / On-Campus)
- The specific zone and dataset (GIS maps, traffic density metrics, zoning constraints, and transit data) within Gandhinagar are disclosed to registered teams.
- Teams perform spatial profiling, identify key infrastructure bottlenecks, and define strategic design interventions.
Phase 2: Master Plan Formulation & Proposal Drafting
Teams develop a comprehensive master plan featuring:
- Smart Zoning & Land-Use Strategy: Mixed-use planning, walkability corridors, and green space integration.
- Transit & Mobility Framework: Traffic flow optimization, public transit routing, and micro-mobility access points.
- Sustainability & Resilience: Resource efficiency, rainwater harvesting, solar integration, and waste management loops.
Phase 3: Final Pitch & Jury Evaluation (On-Campus at IIT Gandhinagar)
- Shortlisted teams present their urban design decks, 2D/3D master plans, and policy frameworks to an expert panel of urban planners, civil engineers, and sustainability experts.
Eligibility & Team Rules
Target Audience: Open to undergraduate, postgraduate, and diploma students across Architecture, Urban Planning, Civil Engineering, Design, Environmental Engineering, Management, and related fields.
Team Size: Teams of 2 to 4 members (interdisciplinary and cross-college teams are strongly encouraged).
Software Tools: Teams may use any preferred planning and design software (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS, AutoCAD, SketchUp, Rhino, Illustrator, or Excel simulation models).
Rules & Guidelines
- Data Integrity: All proposed interventions must be grounded in the provided Gandhinagar site boundaries and contextual datasets.
- Originality: Master plans, render visualizations, and policy frameworks must be original work created by the team during the competition timeline.
- Feasibility Mandate: Proposals will be assessed on realistic execution limits (economic viability, land availability, and municipal policy feasibility). Purely speculative or science-fiction proposals will face point deductions.
- Submission Deliverables: Final pitch submissions must include a PDF presentation deck, high-resolution master plan layout diagrams, and supporting financial/transit calculations.
- Decisions: Jury rulings on design evaluation and pitch scoring are final and binding.
Evaluation & Scoring Criteria
Submissions and pitch presentations will be evaluated across four core dimensions:
- Analytical Rigor & Bottleneck Diagnosis (25%): Depth of spatial analysis, correct identification of traffic/infrastructure issues, and effective data usage.
- Urban Design & Mobility Innovation (30%): Practicality and creativity of traffic flow optimization, transit connectivity, and zoning frameworks.
- Sustainability & Environmental Impact (25%): Integration of green building standards, renewable energy integration, and climate resilience measures.
- Feasibility & Presentation Clarity (20%): Economic viability, phased implementation roadmap, and visual impact of the master plan presentation.
Rewards & Perks
- Cash Prizes: Cash prize pool and official awards for the Top 3 winning teams.
- Certificates: Certificates of Excellence for finalists and Certificates of Participation for all valid competing teams.