NPO Aoyama Design Forum (ADF), a non-profit organization, has announced the ADF Design Award 2026, celebrating architecture that does more than please the eye—it aims to make a meaningful impact on society, culture, and the environment. The award aims to recognize outstanding works that challenge existing conventions, demonstrate innovative thinking, and enrich people’s lives through visionary, responsible design. Architects and designers around the world are invited to submit their proposals on a unique platform that fosters connections, promotes the exchange of ideas, and encourages meaningful cross-cultural collaboration.
In the world of architecture, numerous international competitions, events, and awards take place across a wide range of contexts and circumstances. These initiatives, which highlight the work of professionals, collectives, institutions, and other organizations, aim to recognize practices committed to addressing today’s most urgent social, climatic, and economic challenges by pursuing architectural solutions and strategies that improve the living conditions of millions of people. Award ceremonies represent the culmination of the effort and dedication of countless professionals who, regardless of their background or career path, show a strong commitment to contributing to the development of the built environment.
The Holy Redeemer Church and Community Center of Las Chumberas / Fernando Menis. Image © Hisao Suzuki
THE ADF DESIGN AWARD GOES BEYOND RECOGNITION. IT INSPIRES BOTH PROFESSIONALS AND EMERGING ARCHITECTS TO REFLECT MORE DEEPLY ON THE SPACES THAT SHAPE OUR LIVES, WHILE HELPING SOCIETY BECOME MORE CONSCIOUS AND SELECTIVE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTS WE BUILD. THIS CONTRIBUTION IS ESSENTIAL TO THE FUTURE OF OUR CITIES. — FERNANDO MENIS, EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER
By emphasizing how each design was created and the ideas behind it, the awards seek entries that challenge conventional thinking, break new ground, and offer innovative, environmentally conscious solutions that enrich people’s lives. The award categories include Hospitality Architecture, Commercial and Office Architecture, Housing Complex, Education and Sports Facilities, Cultural Buildings, and Public Architecture. The jury evaluates submissions for artistic value—including form, color, detailing, and material selection; the project’s response to social change, use of new materials, construction processes, and pioneering design within constrained conditions; sustainability and benefits to users and the environment; and the project’s harmony with its region while expressing a contemporary cultural identity.
Maatulli School and Kindergarten in Finland / Fors Arkitekter. Image Courtesy of Garde
Past winners illustrate the award’s vision. In 2025, Boris Bežan (BAX Studio), Mara Partida and Héctor Mendoza (Mendoza Partida Studio), and Maria Mestres and Magnus Wåge (Mestres Wåge Architects) received the Grand Prize, while Sofia Fors (Fors Arkitekter) and Fernando Menis received the Excellence Award. Fors Arkitekter, based in Copenhagen, is known for projects that integrate buildings and landscapes while respecting planetary boundaries, such as the Maatulli School and Kindergarten in Finland. Their work spans a wide range of scales and typologies—from private residences to large public projects—with a focus on creating architecture that has a lasting, positive impact on both people and the environment.
The Holy Redeemer Church and Community Center of Las Chumberas / Fernando Menis. Image © Roland Halbe
On the other hand, Fernando Menis brings more than 40 years of experience and is renowned for his innovative variable acoustics system in Poland’s CKK Jordanki. Among his many notable works are the Church of the Holy Redeemer, El Tanque Art Center, Magma Art & Congress, the Spree Floating Pool in Berlin, and the headquarters of the Canary Islands Government in Tenerife. The Holy Redeemer Church and Community Center of Las Chumberas includes a church, a community center, and a public plaza. Built over the course of fifteen years, it reflects the transformation of its neighborhood during the 1970s, serving as a catalyst for urban renewal and as a landmark within a fragmented urban landscape. Inspired by the volcanic terrain, the project features massive, rugged forms with narrow fissures between structures that filter natural light. Concrete, chosen for its versatility, functions as structure, form, texture, and acoustic control. The granulated concrete mixed with volcanic stones absorbs sound, and together with smooth or rough exposed concrete surfaces, achieves sound performance comparable to that of an opera house.
Explore a list of projects recognized in past editions of the ADF Design Award.
KUNSTSILO / BAX STUDIO + MENDOZA PARTIDA STUDIO + MESTRES WÅGE ARCHITECTS
The Kunstsilo proposal, designed by three architecture studios based in Barcelona, is built upon the expressive power of the silo itself. The project strikes a balanced harmony by combining respect for the original building’s qualities with an imaginative approach to the inherently sculptural and spatial experiences it offers. Through a series of interior cuts in the silo, a sober, monumental volume opens up, illuminated by controlled overhead lighting that gives the future museum a strong and distinctive character.
ADF Design Award 2025 – Kunstsilo / BAX studio + Mendoza Partida studio + Mestres Wåge architects. Image Courtesy of Garde
LA CARBONERÍA RENOVATION / OFFICE FOR STRATEGIC SPACES
The rehabilitation of La Carbonería owes its form to the diverse, intersecting histories that have unfolded over a century and a half. Its design integrates both an intangible legacy and special attention to its structure, spatial qualities, and energy efficiency. Originally a modest residential building constructed in 1864, it gained notoriety in 2008 when it was occupied and two large murals were painted on its façade. In 2014, its forced evacuation made headlines, and La Carbonería became a graphic and political icon of Barcelona. Later, in 2015, the Barcelona City Council declared it a protected heritage site as the oldest surviving building in the Eixample district.
ADF Design Award 2024 – La Carbonería Renovation / Office for Strategic Spaces. Image © Simona Rota
TONAMI PUBLIC LIBRARY / KAZUHIKO MASUKO & MIKAMI ARCHITECTS & OSHIDA ARCHITECTS
With the image of the Tonami Plain in mind, the concept of an “open-plan library under a big roof” was envisioned along the main street that runs through the city. Through its scale and gentle curvature, the roof was designed to become a new symbol of Tonami. It also serves as a modern interpretation of the traditional Azumadachi style and as a symbol of public liberal arts. The building was designed to open toward the street from the west, allowing people to view the interior from beneath the eaves—a continuous space rising from the inverted curve of the large roof. Within this forest of books, the roof’s slope gradually shifts to either stimulate energy or create a sense of calm. From children to the elderly, all visitors are embraced by the warmth of the wood and the soft natural light streaming in through the windows.
ADF Design Award 2023 – Tonami Public Library / MIKAMI Architects. Image © Koji Horiuchi
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