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Culture and Creativity

Published:  16 Apr 2026

Here are the 2026 EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture winners

The European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe have announced the winners of the 2026 edition after the jury visited the 7 finalist works. The award ceremony will be held on 11-12 May, in Barcelona.

Winners of the 2026 EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture

On 16 April, the European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe announced that the winners of the 2026 EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture are

  • in the architecture category: Charleroi Palais des Expositions by AgwA and AJDVIV (Belgium)

  • in the emerging category: Temporary National Theatre by Vidic Grohar Arhitekti (Slovenia)

The 7 members of the international jury announced the winners in Oulou (Finland), 2026 European Capital of Culture, after visiting the finalist works.

Good practices and references for local city policies

Both works highlight how contemporary architecture can inform local city policies by 

  • working with existing conditions

  • addressing sustainability

  • social equity

  • resilience

  • cultural continuity

Architecture category

Charleroi Palais des Expositions by AgwA and AJDVIV (Belgium)

The renovation of the convention centre Charleroi Palais des Expositions is awarded for its intelligent and precise transformation of an immense existing exhibition building, demonstrating how architecture can work with what is already there to unlock new spatial, social, and material possibilities.

Rather than replacing, the renovation reactivates the place embracing its constraints, engaging with the building’s inherent qualities, and developing a bold yet resourceful approach that turns scarcity into opportunity and repair into a powerful design strategy.

© Filip Dujardin

Emerging category

Temporary National Theatre by Vidic Grohar Arhitekti (Slovenia)

The adaptive reuse of a former industrial hall into the Temporary National Theatre is awarded for its ability to transform a temporary condition into a powerful and lasting architectural statement, activating an abandoned industrial complex into a vibrant cultural infrastructure.

Through a series of precise, low-budget interventions, the project redefines the relationship between permanence and reuse, creating a sequence of flexible and inclusive spaces that expand the city’s cultural life while embracing material resourcefulness and adaptability.

© Anja Vidic

About the awards ceremony

The awards ceremony will take place at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona, during the EUmies Awards Days (11-12 May 2026).

The architecture prize winner and the emerging architecture prize winner will receive a trophy with €60 000 and €30 000 respectively.

The 7 finalists [link: /node/3986] and those who commission the buildings will also receive a sculpture recognizing their essential contributions to contemporary architecture.

About the EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture

The objective of the prize is to recognize and commend excellence and innovation in the field of architecture. It also highlights the important contribution of European professionals to the sustainable development and transformation of Europe’s built environment.

The EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture/Mies van der Rohe Awards (EUmies Awards) is awarded every second year to works completed within the previous 2 years by architects from Creative Europe participating countries.

The EUmies Awards are organised by the Fundació Mies van der Rohe with the support of the Creative Europe programme of the European Union. 

Tagged in:  Creative Europe
Published:  16 Apr 2026

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