The European Commission and the Mies van der Rohe Foundation have announced the 40 shortlisted projects that will compete in the 2022 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award.

The EU Mies Award is awarded biennially to works completed within the previous two years and exceptionally, this time, 2,5 years. The principal objectives are to achieve a thorough understanding of the transformation of the built environment; to recognize and commend excellence and innovation in the field of architecture; and to draw attention to the important contribution of architects in the development of new ideas with the undeniable support of clients and the involvement of those who will become the inhabitants and users of these places.

The jury met over three days in Barcelona to discuss the most relevant challenges that European contemporary society and its architecture are facing. 

As Tatiana Bilbao, chairwoman of the jury, said, "the current pressing paradigm shift is the achievement of equity and democracy through inclusion and acceptance of diversity."

"Rethinking the way we are building is a must. High-quality architecture is a cornerstone of the European Commission’s approach to sustainability. In redefining European architects’ role as caregivers, architecture contributes to the European Green deal and its cultural component: the “New European Bauhaus", said Mariya Gabriel EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, responsible for Creative Europe and Horizon Europe. 

"The EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture - the Mies van der Rohe Award, highlights the contribution of architecture to sustainable development. We need young people, architects, artists, education and cultural professionals, innovators, entrepreneurs and regional authorities from all over Europe to actively engage and benefit from this initiative," Gabriel added.

Many of the topics that came up correspond to the aims of the New European Bauhaus – building a sustainable future through creativity, innovation, and imagination – and focus on reuse and circularity as a key form of sustainability, inclusion through collective and participatory processes that chart new approaches to urban development and therefore contributing to improve local and global policies; and the use of materials, skills, and technology connected to aesthetic and general values.

The 40 shortlisted projects are distributed across 12 categories: Collective Housing is the most represented program with 9 works (2 of the mixed-use works also include housing). 

Cultural Buildings category, including museums, galleries, art and cultural centres, and heritage recovery, adds 7 projects, the list also includes 6 Mixed Use projects and Educational Environments category, containing schools and universities, adds 6 projects. 

4 Urban Planning category includes squares and public spaces projects, while 2 Sport and Leisure constructions and 1 Commerce, 1 Food & Accommodation, 1 Industrial, 1 Landscape, 1 Office, and 1 Social welfare work are added to the 2022 shortlist. 

The second list of the Mies van der Rohe Award included 85 nominated projects which was announced in September, 2021.

The jury, comprised of Tatiana Bilbao, chairwoman, Francesca Ferguson, Mia Hägg, Triin Ojari, Georg Pendl, Spiros Pengas, and Marcel Smets, selected 40 outstanding works of architecture from which 5 will become the finalists. The 5 finalists will be announced on 16 February 2022. 

The Architecture and Emerging Winners will be announced in mid-April in Brussels. 

Read on to see the full list of 40 shortlisted projects of the 2022 Mies van der Rohe Award:

 Collective Housing: 9 works (2 of the mixed-use works also include housing)

Student Residence and Reversible Car Park in Saclay, France by BAUKUNST; BRUTHER. Image © Maxime Delvaux

La Borda - Cooperative Housing by Lacol in Barcelona, Spain. Image © Lacol

Gleis 21 - We bring the village to the city in Vienna, Austria by einszueins architektur. Image © Hertha Hurnaus

- Gleis 21 - We bring the village to the city in Vienna, Austria by einszueins architektur

- La Borda - Cooperative Housing in Barcelona, Spain by Lacol 

- Revitalization of a Town House in Linz, Austria by mia2 ARCHITEKTUR

- Housing Rack / Pre-fab House in Berlin, Germany by FAR frohn&rojas

- Vindmøllebakken in Stavanger, Norway by Helen & Hard

- Urban Spaces 2 / Mumuleanu 14 Apartment Building in Bucharest, Romania by ADN Birou de Arhitectura

- Fabra & Coats & Social Housing in Barcelona, Spain by Roldán+Berengué, arqts.

- 85 Social Housing Units in Cornellà, Barcelona, Spain by peris+toral.arquitectes

- Student Residence and Reversible Car Park in Saclay, France by BAUKUNST; BRUTHER

Cultural buildings: 7 works (museums, galleries, art and cultural centres, and heritage recovery)

Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, Germany by David Chipperfield Architects. Image © Simon Menges

Pierres Blanches Cultural Centre in Saint-Jean-de-Boiseau, France by RAUM. Image © Audrey Cerdan

Recovery of Merola's Tower in Puig-reig, Spain by Carles Enrich Studio, courtesy of Carles Enrich Studio

- Recovery of Merola's Tower in Puig-reig, Spain by Carles Enrich Studio

- Pierres Blanches Cultural Centre in Saint-Jean-de-Boiseau, France by RAUM

- New Gallery and Casemates / New Bastion in Wiener Neustadt, Austria by Bevk Perovic arhitekti

- The Hill House Box in Helensburgh, United Kingdom by Carmody Groarke

- Z33 House for Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture in Hasselt, Belgium by Francesca Torzo

- Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, Germany by David Chipperfield Architects

- Wadden Sea Centre in Ribe, Denmark by Dorte Mandrup A/S

Mixed Use: 6 projects

Marquês de Abrantes' Palace in Lisbon, Portugal by Trabalhar com os 99%, CRL (Working with the 99%, coop);  ateliermob. Image © Francisco Nogueira

The Malt Factory in Ebeltoft, Denmark by Praksis;  VMB restoration Architects; Kirstine Jensen landscape Architecture; Morten Skovmand Artist;  Henry Jensen Engineers. Image © Jens Lindhe

Tikkurila Church and Housing in Vantaa, Finland by OOPEAA Office for Peripheral Architecture. Image © Hannu Rytky

- Frizz 23 in Berlin, Germany by Deadline (Britta Jürgens + Matthew Griffin)

- LocHal Public Library in Tilburg, The Netherlands by Civic Architects;  Braaksma & Roos architectenbureau;  Inside Outside / Petra Blaisse

- The Malt Factory in Ebeltoft, Denmark by Praksis;  VMB restoration Architects; Kirstine Jensen landscape Architecture; Morten Skovmand Artist;  Henry Jensen Engineers

- Marquês de Abrantes' Palace in Lisbon, Portugal by Trabalhar com os 99%, CRL (Working with the 99%, coop);  ateliermob. Image © Francisco Nogueira

- Tikkurila Church and Housing in Vantaa, Finland by OOPEAA Office for Peripheral Architecture

Educational environments: 6 projects (schools and universities)

Vizafogó Tagóvoda rekonstrukció és bővítés in Budapest, Hungary by Archikon. Image © Tamás BUJNOVSZKY

School Campus Neustift in Neustift im Stubaital, Austria by fasch&fuchs.architekten. Image © Hertha Hurnaus

- Enrico Fermi School in Turin, Italy by BDR bureau

- Vizafogó Tagóvoda rekonstrukció és bővítés in Budapest, Hungary by Archikon

- School Campus Neustift in Neustift im Stubaital, Austria by fasch&fuchs.architekten

- Melopee Multipurpose School Building in Ghent, Belgium by Xaveer De Geyter Architects

- Town House - Kingston University in London, United Kingdom by Grafton Architects

- Nursery and Primary School in Guécélard, France by Atelier Julien Boidot

Urban planning: 4 works (squares and public spaces)

Local Activity Centre in Rybnik, Poland by Marlena Wolnik MWArchitekci. Image © Michał Jędrzejowski

Market Square Ptuj in Ptuj, Slovenia by Arhitektura Krušec; Studio AKKA. Image © Miran Kambič

- Local Activity Centre in Rybnik, Poland by Marlena Wolnik MWArchitekci

- Portas do Mar - Public Space and Car Parking in Lisbon, Portugal by Carrilho da Graça, arquitectos

- Prague Eyes - Riverfront Revitalisation in Prague, Czech Republic by Petr Janda / brainwork

- Market Square Ptuj in Ptuj, Slovenia by Arhitektura Krušec; Studio AKKA

Sport and Leisure: 2 projects

Helsinki Olympic Stadium Refurbishment and Extension in Helsinki, Finland by K2S Architects Ltd;  Arkkitehdit NRT. Image © Tuomas Uusheimo

- Turó de la Peira's Sports Centre and Layout of the Interior Urban Block in Barcelona, Spain by Arquitectura Anna Noguera; J2J architects

- Helsinki Olympic Stadium Refurbishment and Extension in Helsinki, Finland by K2S Architects Ltd;  Arkkitehdit NRT. 

Commerce: 1 project 

Gare Maritime in Brussels, Belgium by Neutelings Riedijk Architects. Image © Filip Dujardin

- Gare Maritime in Brussels, Belgium by Neutelings Riedijk Architects

Food & Accommodation: 1 project

Dexamenes Seaside Hotel in Kourouta, Peloponnese, Greece by K-Studio. Image © Claus Brechenmacher & Reiner Baumann Photography

- Dexamenes Seaside Hotel in Kourouta, Peloponnese, Greece by K-Studio

Industrial: 1 project

Vertical Farm in Romainville, France by ilimelgo; Secousses Architectes. Image © Paul Lengereau

- Vertical Farm in Romainville, France by ilimelgo;  Secousses Architectes

Landscape: 1 project

The Great Synagogue Memorial Park in Oświęcim, Poland by NArchitekTURA / Bartosz Haduch. Image © Piotr Strycharski

- The Great Synagogue Memorial Park in Oświęcim, Poland by NArchitekTURA / Bartosz Haduch

Office: 1 project

Second Home Offices in Holland Park in London, United Kingdom by selgascano. Image © Iwan Baan

- Second Home Offices in Holland Park in London, United Kingdom by selgascano

Social welfare: 1 project

The Railway Farm in Paris, France by Grand Huit; Melanie Drevet Paysagiste. Image © Myr Muratet

- The Railway Farm in Paris, France by Grand Huit; Melanie Drevet Paysagiste

The EU Mies Award Day that comprises the Awards Ceremony, will take place on 9 May 2022 at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona, in a day-long-event that will include lectures by the authors of the winning and finalist works, discussions with the architects, clients, policymakers and jury members; the exhibition with the 532 works participating in the EU Mies Award 2022; and the events of the Barcelona Architecture Week that include the International Architecture Film Festival among many others.

> via Mies van der Rohe Foundation