Barcelona’s Architectural Excellence Recognized Globally
Barcelona, a city renowned for its architectural heritage, is once again making international headlines. Two of its contemporary architectural projects have been named among the 40 finalists for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture / Mies van der Rohe Awards 2026. This biennial award, endowed with 60,000 euros, is considered one of the most prestigious in global contemporary architecture.
This year holds particular significance for the Catalan capital as it proudly bears the title of World Capital of Architecture. A comprehensive program, spanning ten months from February 12th to December 13th, will feature over 200 projects and 1,500 activities across 77 venues in all 10 districts, positioning Barcelona as a global hub for architectural discourse.
The Finalist Projects: Innovation and Social Impact
The 40 selected works, chosen from a total of 410 nominations, represent diverse building typologies across 36 cities in 18 countries. The international jury, chaired by Smiljan Radić, emphasized the projects’ capacity for ethical, sustainable, and long-term social impact through rehabilitation, material reuse, and local resource utilization.
One of Barcelona’s standout finalists is GreenH@use, a complex of 140 social rental housing units located on Venezuela Street in the 22@ district. Designed by Peris+Toral Arquitectes in collaboration with L3J Tècnics Associats, this eight-story building redefines collective housing. Sixty of the 140 units are designated for the elderly, and the project incorporates shared spaces such as a laundry room, urban gardens, and a bioclimatic atrium that functions as a solar collector during winter.
The second Barcelona project to reach the finals is the renovation of 10K House, a 50-square-meter single-family home. Conceived by the TAKK studio, founded by Mireia Luzárraga and Alejandro Muiño, this project impressively manages to organize the living space based on thermal gradients, with a layered distribution-like an onion-despite a modest renovation budget of 10,000 euros. Constructed elements are elevated to facilitate the passage of installations and reduce costs.
Catalan Recognition Beyond Barcelona’s Borders
Catalan recognition in the Mies van der Rohe Awards 2026 extends beyond Barcelona, with two other notable projects from the region also making the cut:
- In Olot, the reconfiguration of the Plaça Major, a collaborative effort by Un Parell d’Arquitectes, Pep de Solà-Morales Arquitectes, and Quim Domene.
- In Terrassa, the rehabilitation of Vapor Cortès by H Arquitectes. This project transformed a former industrial building (the old Filatures Matarí) into a social facility spanning over 4,500 square meters, now housing restaurants, hospitality training facilities, a center for people with cerebral palsy, and areas dedicated to arts and community.
A Legacy of Architectural Excellence
Barcelona’s connection to the Mies van der Rohe Awards is deeply rooted. The awards themselves were established in the Catalan capital in 1988, promoted by the Mies van der Rohe Foundation and the European Union. Furthermore, the city serves as the venue for the jury’s deliberations.
Should any of this year’s Catalan finalists win, it would not be the first time a project from the region has received the esteemed award. In 1992, the Olympic Pavilion of Badalona, a neighboring city, was recognized. Designed by architects Esteve Bonell and Francesc Rius, the pavilion not only served as the home of Club Joventut but also paid homage to Badalona’s reputation as a cradle of basketball talent.
More recently, the Emerging Architect category of these awards has also celebrated two Barcelona buildings: the La Borda cooperative housing (2022) and the Gabriel García Márquez Library (2024). These projects have consistently placed Barcelona at the forefront of significant contemporary European architectural developments, a relevance further affirmed by the selection of this year’s finalists.
