The organisers of the UIA 2026 Barcelona World Congress of Architects — the Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España (CSCAE) and the Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya (COAC) — announce the results of the international single-stage student ideas competition Catalysts of Resilience.
Organised within the framework of the UIA 2026 Barcelona World Congress of Architects, which will take place from 28 June to 2 July 2026, the competition invited architecture students from around the world to engage with vulnerable sites facing future risks of habitational discomfort, inequality, or collapse.
Participants were asked to develop spatial interventions capable of catalysing resilience, fostering resistance and adaptation to foreseeable threats emerging from political shifts, social transformations, and climate change.
The call received 587 submissions from across all UIA regions, reflecting the strong global engagement of emerging architectural talent with the challenges of a rapidly changing planet.
Following a rigorous and anonymous evaluation process, the international jury selected five prize winners and five honourable mentions. The awarded proposals highlight how architecture can operate as a catalyst for ecological repair, social cohesion, and long-term adaptation in response to global challenges.
Prize Winners
First Prize
Team Leader: Harvey Rupp (Australia)
University of Western Australia
Project Site: Australia
Second Prize
Team Leader: Hikmet Eda Akbas (Türkiye)
RWTH Aachen University
Project Site: Germany
Third Prize
Team Leader: Manuel Alexander Fustamante Mori (Peru)
University of the Basque Country
Project Site: Spain
Fourth Prize
Team Leader: Sarah Levihn (Germany)
Team Members: Cheng Yu Han and Levin Suresh
Tsinghua University
Project Site: India
Fifth Prize
Team Leader: Armin Maierhofer (Austria)
Royal College of Arts – School of Architecture
Project Site: Switzerland
Honourable Mentions
Team Leader: Lim Zhi Xing (Malaysia)
Team Members: Mehmet DerinIncekas
Tsinghua University
Project Site: India
Team Leader: Atsushi Yamaguchi (Japan)
Team Members: Ryuya Iijima, Rintaro Hirai and Yusuke Takabe
Waseda University Graduate School
Project Site: Japan
Team Leader: Gabriela Pérez Viñoly (Spain)
Team Members: Sara Cruz Francos
Universidad Europea de Canarias
Project Site: Ghana
Team Leader: Sanchit Agrawal (India)
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Project Site: Australia
Team Leader: Zhang Moran (China)
Team Members: Wang Tianyi and Zhang Haimiao
College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University
Project Site: Hong Kong (China SAR)
The winning projects, honourable mentions, and finalist proposals will be exhibited during the UIA 2026 Barcelona World Congress of Architects and presented at the official awards ceremony.
You can find more information and read the Jury Report here.
Attend the Congress
Being part of the UIA 2026 Barcelona World Congress of Architects means joining a unique international gathering where the global architectural community comes together to reflect on shared futures under the theme:
“Becoming. Architectures for a Planet in Transition.”
Student Registration – Early Bird
The Early Bird registration period for students is open until 29 March.
Student Full Pass – Early Bird: €40 (Regular €60)
For students up to 28 years old who want full access to the Congress programme and associated activities.
Student Day Pass – Early Bird: €20 (Regular €25)
For students up to 28 years old who wish to attend the Congress for a single day of their choice: 29 June, 30 June, or 1 July.
More information available on the official Congress website.