‘Amaniel Vivo’ Wins ‘Sueña Madrid 2025’ Competition, Focusing on Bellas Vistas Transformation
Madrid, February 5, 2026 – A project centered on the Bellas Vistas neighborhood has been named the winner of the ‘Sueña Madrid 2025’ urban design competition. The competition aimed to encourage forward-thinking urban planning and project the city’s transformation over the coming years across eight specific sites. The winning entry, ‘Amaniel Vivo’, was developed by two architecture students from the European University of Madrid.
Competition Fosters Participatory Urban Design
The ‘Sueña Madrid 2025’ ideas competition was established to promote active participation in shaping the city’s future. This initiative, framed within the Municipal Strategic Plan, sought to engage students and young professionals in urban design to reimagine and transform eight underutilized spaces within the capital. The 2025 call received 103 project submissions, with 56 ultimately evaluated and three receiving awards.
The first prize, ‘Amaniel Vivo’, was specifically designed for the Bellas Vistas enclave, a district neighborhood. Nina Elizabeth Mendez-Bisgaard and Maximiliam Stjernstrom, both students of Architecture Fundamentals at the European University of Madrid, were honored with a 3,000 euro prize at a gala held last December.
Bellas Vistas: A Focus for Innovation
The winning project’s theme, ‘Sueña Bellas Vistas’ (Dream Bellas Vistas), addressed one of the eight locations for which the competition invited transformative ideas. Bellas Vistas, considered part of Madrid’s Neo-Mudéjar heritage, spans 111,825 square meters and has a population of 8,278 residents. The area encompasses the arches of the Canal de Isabel II (Amaniel aqueduct) and the Bellas Vistas neighborhood itself. This site was identified for its potential to improve urban integration and enhance its heritage value. Project proposals were required to include contributions to public space planning and sustainable mobility, aiming to create a more livable and connected environment.
The selection of Bellas Vistas and the other featured locations was based on a qualitative assessment. This diagnostic process identified areas characterized by urban fragmentation or underutilized infrastructure, highlighting urgent needs for regeneration and their potential to evolve into hubs of innovation, community, and sustainability.
Recognizing Excellence in Urban Planning
Beyond the top honor, other projects were also recognized for their innovative contributions. Sofía Muñoz Montero and Natalia Díaz Amate, architecture students from the University of Granada, secured the second prize of 2,000 euros for their project, ‘Raíces de Agua’ (Roots of Water), designed for the Plaza de Castilla area. Elena María Arenas Moure, a graduate of the Superior Technical School of Architecture of Madrid (ETSAM), received the third prize of 1,000 euros for ‘El Huerto de Antonio’ (Antonio’s Garden), situated in Antonio López.
‘Madrid Soñado’ Exhibition Showcases Visionary Projects
Paula Gómez-Angulo, the Tetuán councilor, recently visited the ‘Madrid Soñado’ (Dreamed Madrid) itinerant exhibition, which features the projects submitted to the ‘Sueña Madrid 2025’ competition. The exhibition concluded its stay in Tetuán today. This traveling display, visiting various cultural centers across the city, offers an innovative perspective on the future of Madrid’s neighborhoods, presenting proposals that integrate design, functionality, and environmental respect. The exhibition comprises 56 panels, including detailed displays of the three award-winning projects.
Source: Madrid City Council
