Throughout the 20th century professional architectural competitions were a constant source of debate and controversy among those in the discipline. They were used as pedagogical tools, as means for determining excellence, as a method for awarding commissions, as battlegrounds of opposing ambitions, and as political tools. Competitions can discover new talent, challenge contemporary ideas about architecture, and involve the general public in a dialogue. As an institution within the practice of architecture, they are also capable of reflecting contemporary or predicting future trends. The most common types of architectural design competitions are idea competitions and project competitions. Project competitions imply an intention and a commitment to build, whereas idea competitions are promoted as theoretical exercises in design intended primarily to promote discussion and attract awareness to a particular issue. An idea competition is most beneficial for dealing with problems with a broa...