The Lisbon Architecture Triennale has revealed the five finalists for the 2025 Millennium bcp Début Award, celebrating emerging practices that are redefining the role of architecture across diverse geographies and realities. Spanning three continents, these studios will present their work during the opening days of the Triennale (October 2–4, 2025), in a public event where the winner will be announced.
This year's finalists are:
- Bangkok Tokyo Architecture (Thailand)
- Palma (Mexico)
- ReSa Architects (India)
- Robida Collective (Italy)
- TEN (Switzerland)
The 2025 edition received 75 eligible applications from around the world. In addition to the five finalists, the shortlist included: Atelier Local (Portugal), Avneesh Tiwari (India), Balsa Crosetto Piazzi (Argentina), Banga Coletivo (Angola), BeAr Arquitectos (Spain), Estúdio Flume (Brazil), Exutoire (Vietnam), Indalo World (South Africa), JQTS (Portugal), Juan Campanini – Josefina Sposito (Argentina), Juliana Godoy (Brazil), kera (Georgia), NUA arquitectures (Spain), Parabase(Switzerland), and RC Architects (India).
Previous Début Award winners include the Brazilian collective Vão (2022), Bonell+Dòriga (Spain, 2019), Umwelt (Chile, 2016), and Jimenez Lai of Bureau Spectacular (USA, 2013).
Jury Statement
"As a jury, we must acknowledge that we stand at a historical juncture—witnessing genocide in Gaza and wars in Congo, Ukraine, and so many other places in the world, while life for many continues as usual. In light of this contradiction, we must ask: What position do we take? How will history judge our choices?
We, the members of the jury, choose to recognize architectural practices that create spaces for life: practices that foster dignity, community, and grounded ways of co-existing. We must resist imposing a singular standard and instead support the diversity of architectural responses across different contexts. The submitted applications make clear that many young architects are shifting away from traditional models towards collective and decentralized practices, which respond to contemporary challenges in heartening ways. We also recognize a commitment to fostering existing structures of resilience, instead of an obsession with the "new." Architects working in challenging political, social, economic, and environmental realities require different forms of acknowledgement.
Architecture's role in creating spaces for life has never been more urgent. At a time when power is increasingly concentrated among the few, we uplift architects who use their practice to re-exist, reimagine, and resist."
The Début and Achievement Award jury is composed of architects Inês Lobo, Lígia Nobre, Samia Henni, Sandi Hilal, and Yuma Shinohara.
Promoting transformative architecture at all stages of practice, the three Lisbon Triennale Millennium bcp Awards — Achievement, Début, and Universities — recognize bold thinking, innovative research, and meaningful architectural contributions from academia to established practitioners.
