Architectus Awarded 2026 Modernism Prize for UN’s Africa Hall Restoration
The World Monuments Fund (WMF) and Knoll have named the Australian firm Architectus as the winner of the 2026 World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize. The firm received the award for its conservation of the United Nations’ Historic Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The jury recognized the project for revitalizing a significant work of African modernism, restoring its role as a center for diplomacy and cultural exchange. This announcement adds an important project to the global record of preserved modern heritage, which is followed by the architecture platform.
A Decade of Meticulous Restoration
The restoration, which took place between 2014 and 2024, was a major undertaking. The project balanced in-depth research into the original design with the need to update the building for contemporary use. The construction work included a complete restoration of the building’s key features.
Architectus focused on reinstating important architectural and artistic elements. The team restored the reinforced concrete structure, mosaic finishes, and the notable stained-glass windows. The windows were conserved by the grandson of the original artist, Afewerk Tekle. The project also included the restoration of more than 500 custom furniture pieces designed by the original architect, Arturo Mezzedimi, which are central to the interior design.
The Historical and Architectural Context
Designed by Italian architect Arturo Mezzedimi and completed in 1961, Africa Hall is a landmark of modern architecture. African nations created it as a diplomatic hub and used it as the headquarters for the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. In 1963, the leaders of African countries founded the Organization of African Unity, the forerunner to the African Union, within its walls.
The building’s design is noted for its functional clarity and symbolic openness, offering expansive views of the Addis Ababa landscape and influencing the planning of cities. The interior features a blend of Carrara marble and locally sourced Ethiopian stone, highlighting a commitment to both international and local materials.
Recognizing and Preserving Modernist Structures
The World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize is a biennial award that honors outstanding achievements in the preservation of modernist structures. Many modernist buildings face threats from deterioration, neglect, or alterations that compromise their original design. The prize aims to raise the cultural value of these buildings and support their long-term care and sustainability.
This year’s prize is notable because the judges recognized a site on the African continent for the first time since the award’s inception. The judges considered a record 73 submissions from 28 countries for the 2026 prize.The formal award presentation will occur at an event during Modernism Week in Palm Springs on February 18, 2026. The jury also gave a Stewardship Award for Modernist Homes to the Umbrella House in Sarasota, Florida, designed by Paul Rudolph.
✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight
The existence of international preservation bodies, coupled with a biennial prize system, creates a powerful incentive structure. This framework preferentially selects projects that align with specific criteria: modernist architecture, recent restoration, and significant pre-intervention challenges.When decision-makers evaluate a site with high symbolic capital, such as a UN headquarters representing post-colonial African unity, they face heavy constraints in their process.
The decade-long timeline and rigorous research phase are necessary outcomes of a system prioritizing historical fidelity and risk mitigation for a high-value diplomatic asset. The operational need for a contemporary venue ensures the project is not merely museological.
Therefore, the resulting physical construction a meticulous restoration of original materials and spatial configurations is the logical symptom of these converging institutional, cultural, and financial pressures. It represents a calculated reaffirmation of an asset’s established value, not an exploration of new possibilities.
