Tag: european-union | ArchDaily

“For Decades We Have Valued the New More than the Old”: In Dialogue with OBEL Award 2025 Winners HouseEurope!

Kiana Buchberger — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

The potential of existing buildings to shape cities and communities in flux through reuse and adaptation is the key focus of HouseEurope! and their activism: addressing the pressing challenge across much of Europe, where it is often easier, cheaper, and faster to demolish buildings than to renovate. For decades, construction policies, industrial practices, and market systems have favored new development, often undervaluing the cultural, social, and environmental significance of existing structures. For their work advocating systemic change in architecture, HouseEurope! received the 2025 OBEL Award under the theme "Ready Made." In a conversation with ArchDaily, collective members of HouseEurope! Alina Kolar and Olaf Grawert discussed the organization's approach to architecture, policy, and collective action.

The European Citizens’ Initiative HouseEurope! Receives the 2025 OBEL Award

Reyyan Dogan — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 05:30:00 +0000

HouseEurope!, a registered non-profit organization focused on promoting the social and ecological transformation of Europe's built environment, has received the 2025 OBEL Award. Presented annually by the Henrik Frode Obel Foundation, the award recognizes architectural contributions with the potential to drive meaningful change. Aligned with this year's theme, "Ready Made," the OBEL Award Jury selected HouseEurope! for its efforts in raising awareness and fostering public engagement around the need for a shift in construction and housing practices across Europe.

EUmies Awards for Young Talent 2025 Unveils the Finalist Projects at the Venice Architecture Biennale

Reyyan Dogan — Mon, 12 May 2025 06:30:00 +0000

The exhibition "Intelligens. Talent. EUmies Awards. Young Talent 2025" has officially opened as a Collateral Event of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. Organized by Fundació Mies van der Rohe with the support of the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union, the exhibition presents the Shortlist and Finalist projects of the EUmies Awards in the Young Talent category. It brings together 12 master's thesis projects from 11 architecture schools across 7 countries, offering a comprehensive insight into emerging voices in architecture, urban planning, and landscape design.

The European Citizens' Initiative on Building Reuse Opens for Signatures

Maria-Cristina Florian — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 07:30:00 +0000

HouseEurope! is the European Citizens' Initiative advocating for EU legislation to simplify, reduce the cost of, and make more socially equitable the renovation and reuse of existing buildings, has officially begun its signature gathering period. The initiative aims to curb demolition driven by speculation and foster a construction industry that prioritizes the potential of existing public and private buildings. As a tool of direct democracy, European Citizens' Initiatives allow citizens to propose legislation at the EU level. For the legislation to be officially considered and implemented by the European Commission and EU member states, it requires the support of 1 million European citizens from at least seven EU countries. The initiative opened for signatures on February 1st, 2025 and will remain open until January 31st, 2026.

Design Collective EUROPARC Unveils the Winning Proposal for the Renewed European Parliament Building

Maria-Cristina Florian — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 07:30:00 +0000

EUROPARC, a pan-European design collective, has been announced as the winners of the international competition to renew the Paul Henri SPAAK Building in Brussels, Belgium. The building housing the Parliament of the European Union has many shortcomings, yet the winners of the competition recognize that demolishing and replacing it might not be a responsible or sustainable solution. The existing building is, therefore, reimagined and adapted better to fit the needs and the identity of the EU. EUROPARC is made up of five architectural studios from five European countries: JDS Architects (DK/BE), Coldefy (FR), CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati (IT), NL Architects (NL), and Ensamble Studio (SP), with the support of engineering companies from UTIL (BE) and Ramboll (DK).

JDS + Coldefy + Carlo Ratti Associati + NL Architects + Ensamble Studio to Renew New EU Parliament Building in Brussels

Nicolás Valencia — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 03:30:00 +0000

The European design team integrated by architectural firms JDS Architects, Coldefy, Carlo Ratti Associati, NL Architects, and Ensamble Studio has been announced as the winner of the international design competition for the renewal of the Paul-Henri SPAAK Building, the European Parliament plenary building in Brussels, Belgium.

Grafton Architects' Kingston University Town House and Lacol's La Borda Win the 2022 EU Mies Award

Dima Stouhi — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 07:00:00 +0000

The European Commission and the Mies van der Rohe Foundation have announced that Kingston University Town House by Grafton Architects and La Borda cooperative housing by Lacol are the recipients of the 2022 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture - Mies van der Rohe Award. Winner of the Architecture Category, Kingston University Town House was awarded for its "remarkable environmental quality that creates an excellent atmosphere for studying, gathering, dancing and being together". The 2022 Emerging Architecture Prize was given to La Borda cooperative housing by Lacol in Barcelona, commended for its "co-ownership and co-management of shared resources and capacities".

7 Finalists Announced for the EU Mies Award 2022

Dima Stouhi — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 06:30:00 +0000

The European Commission and the Mies van der Rohe Foundation have announced the 7 finalists that will compete for the 2022 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award. The finalists include 5 projects in the Architecture category and 2 in the Emerging Architecture category, all of which "encourage and become models and references for local city policies". The winners will be announced in April 2022 and the Award ceremony will take place in May 2022.

Design and Sustainability Are Indissociable: The Main Themes Explored in the EU Mies Award 2022

Christele Harrouk — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 07:30:00 +0000

Stating that “design and sustainability are indissociable”, the 2022 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award, centered its nominations on social inclusion, sustainability and circularity, and aesthetic research. So far, 40 shortlisted projects are moving to the next level. The biennial contest that gives tribute to works completed within the previous two years in general, will announce the 5 finalist works in February 2022, and the winner in April 2022.

Steps Taken by EU in 2021 Towards A Sustainable Built Environment

Andreea Cutieru — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 05:30:00 +0000

Early last week, the European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe announced the 40 shortlisted projects of the EU Mies Award, a prize that commends excellence in architecture, highlighting its contribution to sustainable development. In this context, and two years after the European Parliament voted to support the Green Deal, we review the steps taken by the EU in 2021 towards achieving its sustainability goals and shaping a resilient built environment.

EU Prioritizes Sustainable Urban Mobility in New Proposals Set to Reduce Transportation Carbon Emissions by 90%

Andreea Cutieru — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 05:30:00 +0000

In December, the European Commission adopted several proposals that put the transport sector on track for a 90% reduction in carbon emissions, moving a step further in implementing the European Green Deal. The initiatives seek to increase rail transport, encouraging long-distance and cross-border rail travel, support the roll-out of charging points for electric vehicles and alternative refuelling infrastructure and further develop multimodality.

A Pollinator Park in Europe and a Museum at the Artic Circle: 8 Unbuilt Projects from Established Firms

Andreea Cutieru — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 07:30:00 +0000

This week's curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights designs submitted by established architecture practices, featuring conceptual works, competition entries and projects in different stages of development. From a pollinator park designed for an EU initiative to a greenhouse residential project in Germany, to a museum in the Arctics or an innovative proposal for harvesting renewable energy in the Netherlands, the following showcases a variety of design approaches, programs and scales.

European Artist and Architects Propose Eight Designs for the First European Pavilion at the Venice Biennale

Andreea Cutieru — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 05:30:00 +0000

EU Pavilion, a research practice exploring the relationship between architecture and European institutions, presents eight proposals for the first European Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. European architectural and artistic practices were invited by curators Anna Livia Friel, Marco Provinciali, Benjamin Gallegos Gabilondo, Nicolò Ornaghi and Francesco Zorzi to reimagine the national pavilion, the defining spatial and symbolic paradigm of the Biennale. The speculative project aims to explore architecture’s potential in supporting the European project and helping define the identity of this culturally diverse transnational organization.

The 2022 Edition of the EU Mies van der Rohe Award Reveals Final List of Works Competing

Christele Harrouk — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 07:00:00 +0000

The European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe have announced the second list of 85 works competing for the 2022 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award. Joining the batch of first nominations announced in February 2021, the full list comprises now of 532 competing works for the EU Mies Award 2022. The shortlist of 40 will be announced in January 2022, the winners in April 2022, and the Award ceremony will take place in May 2022.

New Regulations and Private Initiatives are Pushing the Transition to Clean Energy

Andreea Cutieru — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 05:30:00 +0000

Following the recent evolution of the climate crisis, policymakers and private companies are getting behind the transition towards clean energy. California is set to mandate solar panels and battery storage for new buildings in a move towards establishing a 100% clean energy grid, while across the US, public schools are redesigned to operate on green energy. In Europe, the EU launched a call to establish an offshore renewable energies working group that would help define the framework for reaching the EU’s ambition of at least 300 GW of offshore wind and 40 GW of ocean energies by 2050. At the same time, furniture manufacturer IKEA announced it would start selling renewable energy to Swedish households.

Future-Proofing Cities Against Climate Change

Andreea Cutieru — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 04:00:00 +0000

Recent extreme weather events and the acceleration of climate change, paired with decarbonization efforts that are not on track, make climate-related disruption unavoidable for urban environments, raising the issue of climate-risk adaptation. Moving past what can be done to prevent climate change, there is a strong imperative to develop strategies to prepare urban environments to cope with inevitable challenges such as sea-level rise, floods, water scarcity or extreme heat. The following discusses how cities can build resilience and adapt to undergoing and expected future climate threats.

New European Bauhaus Calls for Examples and Ideas to Help Shape the Initiative

Andreea Cutieru — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 05:30:00 +0000

Last September, the EU launched the New European Bauhaus, an initiative designed to transform the built environment into a more sustainable one with higher social value. The project, shaped through an unprecedented co-design process, is now calling for architects, students, specialists, and citizens to share ideas, examples and challenges to help define the movement's concrete steps.

UK Architects No Longer Recognized in EU Countries Following Brexit

Dima Stouhi — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 06:30:00 +0000

The Architects Registration Board, which is responsible for the licensing and registration of architects in the United Kingdom, has announced that UK architects no longer have an automatic recognition of their qualifications in EU countries following the country’s exit from the Union. This decision signifies that architects who wish to pursue their career in the Union’s 27 countries, are obliged to present compliance certificates and specific documentation to relevant authorities in each country.