2026 Laureate – The UIA Young Architects Prize for Architectural Excellence and Innovation in the Design Process
Cierto Estudio (founded 2014, Spain) is an architectural practice formed by Marta Benedicto, Ivet Gasol, Carlota de Gispert, Anna Llonch, Lucia Millet and Clara Vidal.
Their work focuses on housing and collective living environments, with particular attention to adapting architecture to diverse lifestyles and contemporary ways of living.
Through both public and private commissions, they have developed projects that address collective housing, urban design, interiors, and infrastructure, working across different scales and contexts.
Founded as a collaborative practice, they operate through a shared working methodology, combining internal collaboration with partnerships with clients and consultants.
Across their work, they have contributed to contemporary architectural practice through projects that engage with housing, the public realm, and urban transformation.
Their work includes projects such as social housing developments in Barcelona and El Masnou, as well as participation in urban strategies including the “Superilla Barcelona” programme.
Jury’s remarks
“Operating as a collective, Cierto Estudio embodies a model of shared authorship, reinforcing its commitment to inclusive processes and to a form of practice grounded in common values.”
Cierto Estudio is recognised as the recipient of the inaugural UIA Young Architects Prize for its contribution to contemporary architectural practice. The Young Architects Triennial Prize reflects the UIA’s engagement with the new generation of architects and their practices. The practice stands out for its commitment to architecture as a tool to improve living conditions for the majority, with a particular focus on housing. Across both public and private commissions, its work reflects a consistent approach to design that seeks to improve living conditions while maintaining a careful balance between architectural quality and broader societal impact.
Operating as a collective, Cierto Estudio embodies a model of shared authorship, reinforcing its commitment to inclusive processes and to a form of practice grounded in common values. The coherence of its work demonstrates sensitivity to context, social responsibility, and a clear position in relation to contemporary challenges, while promoting values of professionalism, independence, and integrity that resonate with the core principles upheld by the UIA.
