The Fundació Mies van der Rohe and the European Commission have announced the winners of the 2026 edition of the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Awards, selected from a total of 410 nominated works. The 2026 Architecture Prize goes to the renovation of the Charleroi Palais des Expositions in Belgium by AgwA and architecten jan de vylder inge vinck, while the Emerging Architecture Prize is awarded to Temporary Spaces for the Slovenian National Theatre Drama in Ljubljana by Vidic Grohar Arhitekti. The announcement was made in Oulu, European Capital of Culture 2026, at the Aalto Siilo, a landmark of industrial architecture designed by Alvar Aalto in 1931.
"The 2026 Prize jury emphasizes an architecture that engages with what already exists, transforming constraints into opportunities and placing processes of repair, reuse, and adaptation at the center of contemporary practice," reads the official statement. The Awards Ceremony will take place on May 11-12, 2026, at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, as part of the EUmies Awards Days and the Barcelona World Capital of Architecture programme.
Read on to discover the 2026 winners, and explore the full selection of 7 finalists and the 40 shortlisted projects.
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Seven Finalists Announced for the 2026 EU Mies Awards for Contemporary European Architecture2026 Architecture Winner
Charleroi Palais des Expositions, Belgium / AgwA + architecten jan de vylder inge vinck
The renovation of the Charleroi Palais des Expositions by AgwA and architecten jan de vylder inge vinck reworks a 1950s convention centre in Belgium through selective demolition, reuse, and spatial reconfiguration. The intervention retains the existing structural system while opening the building to its surroundings, transforming the former central hall into a covered exterior field of terraced spaces. Circulation is reorganized to improve continuity between levels and programs, while new voids and openings establish vertical connections and extend public use into the interior. Parts of the structure are adapted to accommodate parking, landscape, and cultural functions, including a landscaped interior void that links different floors. The project maintains the logic of the existing building while extending its lifespan through targeted interventions focused on adaptation, accessibility, and spatial reuse.
2026 Emerging Architecture Winner
Temporary Spaces for Slovenian National Theatre Drama, Slovenia / Vidic Grohar Arhitekti
The Temporary Spaces for the Slovenian National Theatre Drama by Vidic Grohar Arhitekti is located within a series of former industrial halls in the Litostroj area of Ljubljana, Slovenia, and adapts the existing structures into a temporary cultural infrastructure for the theatre during the renovation of its main building. The project reorganizes the complex through a sequence of low-budget, targeted interventions that introduce performance spaces, public foyers, and support functions while retaining the spatial logic and material character of the industrial site. New insertions, including timber structures, stepped seating, and concrete elements, define a series of interconnected environments such as the Grand Stage, Small Theatre, rehearsal rooms, and a public courtyard pavilion. Designed for disassembly and reuse, the interventions prioritize reversible construction methods and recyclable materials, allowing the complex to function as a flexible and adaptable setting for cultural production within a transitional urban condition.
