The Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction announced the winners of the 2023 edition, celebrating projects that showcase innovative approaches to sustainable construction practices. For the Europe region, the Gold Prize was awarded to Husos, Elli, and Ultrazul for their project “Composition of Knowledge House.” In a video interview with the winners, they explain the details of this rehabilitation project. Developed for the Carasso Foundation headquarters, the project uses an innovative “360° co-design process” to promote inclusivity and community involvement.
Situated in Madrid, the project prioritizes the adaptive reuse of a former industrial building, retaining 95% of the existing structure. Additionally, its designed business and management models align with impact investing and open governance, incorporating grants for community art and sustainable food production. Using biomaterials and recycled elements also showcases the project’s sustainability and material circularly commitment. Additionally, over one-third of the total floor area is dedicated to multi-purpose spaces that foster community interaction and permeability.
At the project's core is one of the Carasso Foundation’s visions: to select architects capable of cross-disciplinary work. A substantial bioclimatic approach, a life cycle analysis of the materials, and an emphasis on developing multipurpose spaces that promote community engagement are just a few of the creative solutions incorporated into the design. By merging architectural ideas with a sustainable economic framework, the project seeks to become a model for sustainable building.
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From the very beginning, it was clear that we had to be ambitious in ecological terms, respecting the heritage of the city while negotiating design decisions from the constructive detail to the territorial and planetary scale.
Furthermore, the team underlined in the interview how crucial it is to provide communal spaces in European cities that integrate traditionally divided roles like employment, education, and culture. Similar to the multidisciplinary nature of the project, the designers explain that collaborating with different skill sets and having exposure to different lifestyles is what creates strong communities. In fact, according to the speakers, these multifunctional areas are essential for envisioning urban life in the future.
The project redefines sustainable architecture with its embrace of complexity and early integration of community demands. Ultimately, the "Composition of Knowledge House" project's overall goal is to demonstrate how old structures may be renovated to satisfy the needs of contemporary European cities while protecting the region's natural and architectural history. Furthermore, the project highlights how nontraditional and inventive formats for renovating existing structures may be the “key to imagining the future of cities."
Belinda Tato, Co-Founder of Ecosistema Urbano and the chair of the jury for the European Region Holcim Awards praised the winning project for its innovative approach to sustainable construction. She also highlighted the new use of materials and energy efficiency, emphasizing a new design thinking format. Most notably, Tato explains that the winning project offers a solid social approach and acknowledges architecture “as a catalyst for social change and equity.” Overall, the jury particularly appreciated the project’s holistic intervention in an existing building, its mixed-use nature, and the clear presentation of its sustainability metrics.
The Holcim 2023 Europe Region Awards also recognized an Urban Nature Project by Feilden Fowles and J&L Gibbons in the United Kingdom, HAUS 2+ by Office Park Scheerbath in Germany, and High-Rise H1 Zwhatt Site by Boltshauser Architekten in Switzerland. For the Middle East and Africa Award, ArchDaily announced that the founders of Deroché Strohmayer won the gold medal for the design of Surf Ghana Collective. Finally, ArchDaily also had a chance to sit with the Gold Prize Winner for North America for their low-cost modular housing solution for urban living in Toronto.
You can now register on the Holcim Awards 2025 page, where individuals can express their interest and receive notifications when the competition opens.
