Intelligence and talent. The winners of EUmies Awards. Young Talent 2025

The European Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Culture and Sport shared a video in which he made a statement congratulating the winners and participants of the competition.

“These awards, and today's event, are dedicated to you, exceptional young talents of European architecture. The generation that will shape Europe's built environment by creating spaces that reflect our unique history, shared values, and our ambition for the future. Designing more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient places to live and thrive. As I always say, Europe's architecture, the culture of today, is tomorrow's heritage. And your work is essential to ensuring that future generations inherit a Europe that reflects our shared vision. For greener, more open, and inclusive societies. Where everyone feels they belong.”

Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Culture and Sport.

After evaluating the proposals, the jury announced that the winning projects reflect both contemporary society and current issues, including urban fragmentation, climate adaptation, recycling, and community-driven design.

Young Talent 2025 Winning Projects

Forest & Phoenix by Carolina von Hammerstein and Vera Kellmann. Technical University of Berlin. Faculty VI, Planning, Building and Environment - Institute for Architecture (Berlin, Germany).

Jutta Kastner, European Commission Policy Officer, Creative Europe, presented the award with jury representative Maibritt Dammann, sparking a debate on materiality and greening in Europe. The winning project showed how forest fires are a result of climate change and the territorial and social changes that the area has undergone. Four hybrid structures were designed, each with a specific fire management function, with the entire site organized as a decentralized network. It is a reflection on how community can address forest fires.

Hotel Interim by Andreas Stanzel. Bauhaus-Universitaet Weimar. Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism (Weimar, Germany).

The award was presented by Roberto Cavallo, President of the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE), with jury member Ana Dana Beroš, where they discussed community in architecture. The project shows the value of a demolished hotel and exposes its gains and losses through a construction based on reused materials. It offers an alternative to demolition that generates a vibrant and multifunctional atmosphere from an artistic and social perspective.

Brave New Axis by Spyridon Loukidis, Markos Georgios Sakellion, and Georgios Thalassinos. National Technical University of Athens, School of Architecture (Athens, Greece).

The award was presented by Normunds Popens, Deputy Director-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture at the European Commission. They then spoke with jury member Jason O'Shaughnessy about the role of public space in cities. The project tests the definition of an axis and its organization through the use of spaces such as a garden free of curved ribs, a labyrinth in negative urban space, a Forum as a geometric center, a Phalanstery that revives housing in the urban core, and two former parking lots redefined as public areas.

Young Talent Open 2025 Winning Project

Poolside Politics by James Langlois. University of Westminster. School of Architecture and Cities (London, United Kingdom).

After a break, Ruth Schagemann, president of the Council of European Architects, announced the winner of Young Talent Open 2025 in a conversation with jury member Konstantinos Pantazis about community and nature. The project draws on the current sociopolitical and environmental context in France. It is a restoration of a swimming pool carried out by a collective of marginalized citizens. It uses elements such as concrete, steel, metal structures, and reclaimed wood.

The competition concluded with a discussion with the winners, the presentation of diplomas, and a visit to the "Intelligens. Talent. EUmies Awards Young Talent 2025" exhibition, where each project can be viewed from a more detailed and spatial perspective.