The UIA has launched the 5th edition of the Friendly and Inclusive Spaces Awards organised by its Architecture for All Work Programme.

The Awards were established to promote inspiring buildings and sites that have created socially sustainable environments through high quality architectural design.

A research award will also be given for evidence-based design research that makes a significant contribution to improved quality of life through facilitating a better understanding of human centred design and its application to the design of the built environment.

Award categories

New buildings

Refurbished existing buildings, including historic buildings

Public and open spaces

Research undertaken by architect(s) on the theory or practice of universal design

Eligibility

Members of the Organiser’s team, the jury/boards and their associates, business partners, employees, students and close relatives are not allowed to submit entries. Any person who has been involved in the preparation of the award/prize is not eligible to participate or to assist any participant.

Built works must have been completed since 30th November 2020 and may be submitted by the lead architect of the project or by the building owner/client with the architect’s permission. 

Research by an architect or architects which advances the theory and practice of friendly and inclusive design must have been completed since 30th November 2020. 

Projects that have previously been submitted may be submitted only one additional time.

Language

The official language for the award and submissions is English.

International jury

Categories 1-3 (built works)

Vassilis Sgoutas, Architect, Honorary President UIA, Greece (Chair)

Vanessa Zadel, Architect, UIA representative, Co-Director AfA, Peru

Alanah Honey, Architect, RIBA, UK 

Valerie Fletcher, Executive Director, Institute for Human Centered Design, USA

Olanrewaju Olusola, Architect, AfA Region V Regional Director, Nigeria

Alternate juror

Eduardo Schmunis, Architect, UIA representative, AfA Member, Argentina.

Category 4 (Research)

Allen Kong, Architect, UIA representative, Co-Director AfA, Australia (Chair)

Tom Grey, Architect, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

John Zeisel, Sociologist, I´m still here Foundation, USA

Jasmien Herssens, Architect, Belgium

Isabella Steffan, Architect, AfA Member, Italy

Alternate juror

Arina Hayati, Architect, UIA representative, AfA Member, Indonesia

Key Dates

Award launch: 21 October 2025

Deadline for receiving questions: 21 November 2025

Responses to questions published: 19 December 2025 

Deadline for submissions: 24 February 2026

Regional Nomination Panels: 4 April 2026  

International Jury: 5 May 2026

Announcement of winners: 18 May 2026

Awards

The Jury may award a Medal to the Global Winners in each of the 4 Categories, together with up to 3 Honourable Mentions in each Category.  

Global Medal Winners will be invited to present their project in person at a seminar organised by the Architecture for All Work Programme at the UIA World Congress of Architects that will take place on 28 June to 2 July 2026 in Barcelona, Spain.

Submission

All entries must be submitted through the UIA Awards Platform.

Questions must be submitted to [email protected].

Visit the Award page for more information.

The top image in the article courtesy of UIA.

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