On Monday, 27 July, the shortlist of finalists for the 2026 National Architecture Prize was presented at an extraordinary session of the National Board of the Colegio de Arquitectos de Chile (Chilean Institute of Architects). Representing the institution, the five board members jointly awarded the prize to architects Alejandro Aravena Mori and Smiljan Radić Clarke, in recognition of their contributions to positioning Chilean architecture internationally. Both architects have been awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize: Aravena in 2016 for his work with ELEMENTAL, and Smiljan Radić Clarke this year. The institution also recognised the quality of their work and the contribution of both professionals to the local development of the discipline, as two major figures in architecture from the context of a small country at the southern end of the world.
In Chile, the National Architecture Prize is the highest local distinction for registered architects, awarded by a non-state institution. The selection process begins with a public call for candidates, who are then evaluated by a Search Committee that draws up a shortlist of finalists, to be finally decided upon by the five members of the institution's board. Established in 1969 and with 32 awards to date, the prize is given to the professional or team of professionals for their career and ethical conduct, regardless of their area of practice within the profession. Since 1979, it has been awarded every two years to honour a legacy of built work, professional association activities, public service, or academic activities within the field. The public significance of the work and the ethical conduct that characterises the professional's practice are considered key factors.
Through this award, the Colegio de Arquitectos, a voluntary professional association, has recognised prominent figures in modern Chilean architecture such as Fernando Castillo Velasco, Alberto Cruz Covarrubias and Miguel Lawner Steiman, without including any women, except for the joint prize awarded to Luis Izquierdo and Antonia Lehmann in 2004. This year, disciplinary significance and the building of a dialogue between local culture and the international market are what motivate the recognition of two professionals whose work reflects different aspects of Chilean architecture. While part of Aravena's contribution is recognised through his foray into social housing, Radić is more often recognised for the exploratory, sculptural character of his work. The work of both architects will be exhibited during the forthcoming 24th Chilean Architecture and Urbanism Biennial in 2027, which will open with a public lecture.
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Distraction in Architecture: In Conversation with 2026 Pritzker Laureate Smiljan RadićThis recognition holds very special significance. It distinguishes not only two outstanding careers, but also a historic moment for Chilean architecture. The work of Alejandro Aravena and Smiljan Radić has shown that it is possible to develop an architecture deeply connected to our territory while also engaging with, and influencing, the wider world. For this reason, the National Board considered it appropriate to award this joint prize, as a way of recognising the enormous contribution both have made to the prestige and international standing of architecture in our country. — Rodolfo Jiménez, national president of the Colegio de Arquitectos de Chile
In other recent news from Latin America, a new design was chosen for Ecuador's New National Museum in Quito. After the international competition win was first attributed to Estudio Campo Baeza and Quito-based practice Maoda, a revised final evaluation phase, combining jury deliberation with a public voting process, determined that the museum will instead be designed by an international team led by SANAA, in collaboration with Estudio A0, Caá Porá Arquitectura, Jerome Haferd Studio, and Taller Capital Landscape. In Argentina, the winning proposals for the Argentine Center for Innovation Headquarters in Buenos Aires were recently announced. In Chile, Teatro Mauri, a modernist landmark in Valparaíso, has reopened to the public after more than two decades of abandonment.
