THE winners of Europe’s most prestigious architecture prize have been announced, with this year’s selections highlighting a clear shift towards reworking existing buildings.
Organisers of the 2026 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Awards handed the top prizes to two projects that prioritise re-use and adaptability.
The renovation of the Charleroi Palais des Expositions in Belgium took the main architecture prize.
Brussels-based AgwA and architects Jan de Vylder and Inge Vinck transformed the vast 1950s exhibition complex.
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Most architects chose to work with an ageing structure to unlock new spaces while preserving its original character.
Jury members praised the work for turning ‘constraints into opportunities’.
“Reactivating large, outdated buildings instead of demolishing them makes this a powerful example for the industry”, they said.
Sustainability concerns are increasingly pushing architects to rethink existing structures, reflecting a broader trend across the continent.
The Emerging Architecture prize went to the Temporary Spaces for the Slovenian National Theatre Drama in Ljubljana.
Vidic Grohar Arhitekti designed this project within an abandoned industrial site, to provide space for the National Theatre in Croatia while renovations in the original building are ongoing.
Designers used low-cost and flexible interventions to create a functioning cultural venue.
“Short-term solutions can have lasting social and cultural impact”, according to the jury.
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European Commissioner Glenn Micallef said at the event that these projects show how architecture creates ‘sustainable and inclusive places’.
Barcelona will host the official awards ceremony on May 11 and 12 at the iconic Mies van der Rohe Pavilion.
Talks linked to the city’s role as World Capital of Architecture will form part of the wider programme.
The 2026 awards will end in July, with the closing date for an exhibition in Barcelona featuring all shortlisted works before it tours Europe.
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