Paris, 16 January 2026, The International Union of Architects (UIA), in partnership with UN-Habitat, announces the results of Stage 1 of the third cycle of the UIA 2030 Award, including the list of projects selected as regional finalists. These projects will proceed to Stage 2 of the evaluation process.
This cycle of the Award attracted a strong and diverse range of high-quality submissions from across the five UIA Regions, all responding ambitiously to the challenges framed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda. Following a careful and rigorous assessment by the UIA 2030 Award Jury, the entries listed below have been selected as Regional Finalists and will advance to Stage 2 of the competition.
Category 1: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
– Meishe River Restoration: Turning Grey Into Green by Turenscape (China)
– Sanxiushan Village, Wetland Landscape by Huaqiao University, School of Architecture (China)
– The Phi Phi Wastewater Management Ecological Park by Arsomslip Community and Environmental Architect Co. Ltd. (Thailand)
Category 2: Protect labour rights and promote safe working environments
– Tierras Temporary Housing Units in Palenque by Manuel Cervantes Céspedes (Mexico)
– Taoli – Zhaoshan Village Center by SUP Atelier of THAD (China)
Category 3: Adequate, safe and affordable housing
– Sanjaynagar Slum Redevelopment by Community Design Agency (India)
– Inhabited Work in Huayruro by Cesar Tarazonna (Peru)
– 31 Social Housing in Torre Baró by Aldayjover Architecture and Landscape + Burgos & Garrido Arquitectos JV (Spain)
– The Peninsula Mixed-Use Campus by WXY (United States)
– Gao Bo by Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology Design and Research Institute (China)
Category 4: Participatory, land-use efficient and inclusive planning
– Hutong Community Renewal by Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University (China)
– Stabilisation of Anthropogenic Urban Cave System in Tomelloso by Aguado + Vellés + Aperte (Spain)
– IDS Industrial Precinct Masterplan by Saiqa Iqbal Meghna & Suvro Sovon Chowdhury (Bangladesh)
– E.CO Rotunda by The University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, China)
– CACP “Designing?” by YIIIE Architects (China)
– 74/1, Kodikanda by Architect Damith Premathilake (Sri Lanka)
– Kahawa West Health Centre by Nicholas Simwichi (Kenya)
Category 5: Access to green and public space
– A Floating Forest: Fish Tail Park in Nanchang City by Turenscape (China)
– Parque Prado by Connatural Arquitectura en el Paisaje (Colombia)
– Śhālā Twam (A Space for You) by Bhoomija Creations (India)
– Sanath Road, Gurugram by Beyond Built Pvt. Ltd. (India)
– Espacio Modelo by Intendencia de Montevideo (Uruguay)
– La Jalquilla: A School for All by Asociación Semillas Para el Desarrollo Sostenible (Peru)
– Ho Chi Minh City Book Street by TA Landscape Architecture (Vietnam)
– Community Plug by Studio Aranya (India)
– Nyhamnen Ferryterminal Park by ZITA (Zona Industrial Taller de Arquitectura) (Sweden)
– Al Hakoura Community Garden, Ramallah by Ramallah Municipality and UN-Habitat (Palestine)
– Mashiach Now Square, São Paulo by Natureza Urbana (Brazil)
– Atal Sarovar: A Water-Sensitive Urban Integration by Ini Design Studio (India)
– Sweitat Garden by Al Ameed Architects and Engineers Company (Palestine)
– Baiyanqian Village Community Center by Yuan Architectural Design Studio (China)
Category 6: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related disasters
– Les Mamas Belgues Flooding Park by Síntesi Arquitectes (Spain)
– Acapulco de Juárez, Guerrero by Manuel Cervantes Céspedes (Mexico)
– Revitalisation of the Citadel of Agadir Oufella by Studio Salima Naji Architecte (Morocco)
– Rockaway Resiliency and Coastal Adaptation by WXY (United States)
NEXT STEPS
The Regional Finalists will proceed to Stage 2 of the UIA 2030 Award. Shortlisted entrants will be contacted directly with instructions to submit a three-minute video presentation of their project showing the work in use, its context, and how it addresses the relevant SDGs/Targets, together with any supplementary materials needed for further evaluation.
Stage 2 submissions must be received by 12:00 noon (UTC) on Friday, 6 March 2026.
Upon completion of Stage 2, one winner will be selected in each category, with commendations awarded to the remaining finalists. The Award winners will be formally announced at an official ceremony held in conjunction with the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum.
For further information, please contact awards@uia-architectes.org