Prizes: All applications

This project led to the successful transformation of a brownfield into a lively NEB-district next to the world famous Abbey Melk. Over 1,000 people contributed to shaping this NEB-district which may be the first in Europe’s rural area. The 100 year old former carpentry buildings tell a story of craft tradition, aesthetics, art and community. The project makes the NEB relevant to people and contributes to solving the climate crisis, enlarging the number of skilled workers and revitalizing cities.

A hands-on educational program that reconnects intergenerational urban communities with nature. We do so by physical transformation of a neglected space into a public, and biodiverse, outdoor learning environment. Physical transformation is realised through 10 experiential learning sessions where participants discover relationships among biodiversity, climate change and food webs. Inspiring healthier cities, stronger communities, and holistic climate change action—one seed at a time!

In the heart of Florence’s Cure district, The Square transforms a 1000 msq historic industrial site into a vibrant hub for culture, creativity, and inclusion. More than a space, it’s a living piazza, accessible, open, and community-driven. Through artistic expression, education, and sustainable development, The Square fosters a deep sense of belonging, bridging tradition with innovation. A model for urban regeneration, it champions shared spaces where people connect, create, and thrive together.

TERRRA is a center for popular ecology located in a small Romanian town, dedicated to promoting low-tech approaches and traditional knowledge and skills in response to contemporary crises. The project conducts research and educational activities that foster new relationships with nature. It hosts a summer school, trans-disciplinary seminars and workshops, and provides residencies for researchers, architects, and artists, run in collaboration with various local and international stakeholders.

In 1964, my grandfather bought a parcel of land planted with spruce seedlings. Decades later, in 2019, a bark beetle outbreak reduced the mature forest to a desolate clear-cut. Soon after, a global pandemic emerged, equally rooted in relentless interference with natural processes. In the years that followed, the terrain invited quiet reflection on land management, ecosystem degradation, the role of new mythologies, and the subtle power of 'doing nothing' in ecological regeneration across Europe.

Vogelmuur is a project intersecting street art, architecture, design, urban ecology and community development. The project enhances urban biodiversity by creating “apartments” for birds on blind walls while creating a nature inclusive, aesthetically pleasing street art that raises awareness about the decline of urban wildlife and the issue of climate change.

Republica is a pioneering circular urban village in Buiksloterham, Amsterdam. It redefines sustainable city living by integrating living, working, sports, hospitality, and e-mobility in a car-free super block. With energy-positive buildings, smart grids, rainwater storage, and food waste-to-energy systems, Republica creates a vibrant, self-sufficient community with green plazas, terraces, and flexible spaces.

A cooperative group of architects and builders committed to a radical and convivial ecological transition. We specialize in building with raw earth and straw bale, the most ecological materials ever known in Europe. We aspire to change the construction industry by developing projects that are respectful of human health environment, and empowering workers. Our social model is based on fair remuneration, equal pay, gender equity and horizontal hierarchy (direct democracy, rotating co-management

The project gave this space back to the residents. Simple and well-balanced design solutions were to fit harmoniously into the landscape of the lake, making it possible to observe and experience nature from different perspectives. The waterfront became an attractive meeting place for residents, giving them a wide range of leisure activities. It was very important in this project to invite residents to the artificial post-peat lake through judicious management of resources, simplicity, legibility

The Beroepentuin is an inclusive learning and work program that helps individuals with barriers to employment, refugees, status holders, and school dropouts etc.. Stats with a 2-week orientation in technology, followed by a 3-month program to make participants job-ready. Our coaching, training, and job-fit support prepare them for careers in technology and energy transition. Awarded by the Social Economic Council (SER) as the most inclusive SME in the Netherlands, we provide opportunities for a