The clock is ticking for architects, urban planners, and engineers to submit their groundbreaking projects to the Holcim Foundation Awards. With the entry deadline of February 11, 2025, at 14:00 hrs UTC, this is the final opportunity to gain global recognition and compete for a share of the USD 1 million prize pool. The awards ceremony will take place at the Venice Forum on November 20, 2025 and winners are invited to attend.
The Holcim Foundation Awards stand out as the world's most significant and long-standing global prize for sustainable design. The competition is Free to Enter and welcomes client-supported projects in the detailed design phase that are yet to be realized. Projects under construction are also eligible, as long as they are not completed before the deadline. This unique focus on projects in the detailed design phase distinguishes the awards from other competitions.
Winning a Holcim Foundation Award means more than just financial reward. It is an opportunity to have your project evaluated by leading global architectural figures, and be recognized for advancing sustainable construction. The awards focus on projects that demonstrate a holistic response to human development goals, and regenerating natural systems, through four interdependent goals:
- Uplifting Places: Creating beautiful and contextually relevant structures.
- Healthy Planet: Minimising resource use and emissions, whilst restoring biodiversity.
- Thriving Communities: Fostering inclusive and affordable living environments.
- Viable Economics: Combining short-term feasibility with long-term circular value creation.
Entry details: Submissions are made using a web-based form, providing project information in English, including:
- A sustainability summary
- Project design team details
- Project images
- Technical drawings
WORDS WITH WINNERS
The Holcim Foundation's "Words with Winners" series highlights the inspiring stories of past winners, and offers a glimpse of the impact you could have joining this exclusive network:
Archaeological Center Augusta Raurica This project, by Karamuk Kuo Architects in Switzerland, demonstrates a flexible structural system for a Roman ruin site. The design prioritizes a holistic approach to sustainability, with a lightweight steel structure, simple ventilation systems, and the use of clay plaster for humidity control. The building is designed to preserve the ruins beneath it.
Billion Bricks' project: This project is a self-financing housing solution for the homeless in the Philippines, which doubles as a 2.5MW solar plant. It is a carbon-negative community that provides homes with water harvesting, grey-water treatment, and vegetable gardens, using a dry assembly structure for minimal material use. The project empowers women by ensuring that the homes are owned by them.
UCLA Margo Leavin Graduate Art Studios: This project by Johnston Marklee in Los Angeles, is an adaptive reuse of a former factory. It extends the lifecycle of an existing structure, by removing obsolete structures, creating interconnected spaces, and constructing a new roof. The design incorporates natural light and passive ventilation.
LAST CALL
These winning projects showcase the diverse and innovative ways that sustainable design can transform our world. By entering the 2025 Holcim Foundation Awards, you have the chance to join this illustrious cast of sustainability changemakers and to contribute to the creation of a more sustainable and equitable future.
Don't miss this opportunity to have your project recognized on a global stage.
The deadline is fast approaching – February 11, 2025. For more information and to submit your entry, visit the Holcim Foundation Awards website.
