APE Grupo Architecture Awards
APE Grupo Architecture Awards is an international award for completed architecture, interior design, renovation, landscape and temporary-installation projects that use ceramic materials from APE Grupo brands in a visible or materially significant way. The fourth edition is not an ideas call: renders and unbuilt proposals are excluded.
Important eligibility and rights notice: only completed projects using APE, Carmen, XLINING or Ilbagno ceramics qualify. The rules state that submitted materials must be free from reproduction restrictions and may be used for promotional publication, exhibitions and media coverage. Entrants should confirm they hold the necessary photographer, client and project-publication permissions before uploading.
Award overview
| Organizer | APE Grupo |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | Architects, interior designers, decorators, designers, renovation specialists and landscape designers worldwide; individuals, companies or teams |
| Project status | Built and completed projects only |
| Material condition | Visible or significant use of APE, Carmen, XLINING or Ilbagno ceramics |
| Entry fee | No entry fee is stated in the reviewed official rules |
| Prize | EUR 5,000, about USD 5,617 at the ECB reference rate of 21 October 2026; Spanish tax withholding applies |
| Registration | Entry and submission use the same online form; no earlier separate deadline |
| Submission | 13 November 2026, 23:59 CET — 22:59 UTC |
Eligible project scope
The award accepts new-build architecture and interiors, renovation and refurbishment of existing spaces, landscape projects and temporary installations. A specific interior or space within a larger completed development may be entered independently and can be considered for special recognition. Projects may be located in any country.
The decisive entry threshold is product-specific: the project must visibly or materially incorporate ceramics from one of the four listed APE Grupo brands. This makes the award relevant to practices with an existing completed commission that meets the condition, rather than teams seeking a new design brief.
Submission requirements
| Identification | Architect, designer or studio name and full postal, telephone and email contact details |
|---|---|
| Entry form | Completed online registration form |
| Project statement | Up to 600 words, PDF or Word, describing the project and its use of APE Grupo materials |
| Images | Eight to ten high-resolution TIF, PNG or JPEG files |
| Author image | Photograph of the author or authors at 300 dpi |
| Optional material | Plans, panels or other documentation that improves understanding of the project |
| Entry volume | Multiple projects may be submitted |
Jury and decision process
| Chair | Sol Madridejos, architect and co-founder of Sancho-Madridejos |
|---|---|
| Member | Gerard Sanmartí, co-founder and managing partner of Lagranja Design, as named in the official rules |
| Member | Susana Babiloni, president of the Castellón regional professional architects’ association |
| Decision | Majority vote; final and not subject to appeal |
| Outcome | One EUR 5,000 first prize; the jury may add special mentions |
The official award webpage contains an inconsistent line around the second juror’s name, while the signed rules name Gerard Sanmartí. ArchUp uses the rules as the governing document and recommends checking the live jury page before entry. The stated panel combines architectural practice, multidisciplinary design and professional representation, all relevant to evaluating ceramic use in completed spaces.
Rights, taxes and publication
The EUR 5,000 prize is subject to withholding under Spanish tax law. The rules do not promise a construction commission or product-development contract because eligible work is already completed. The winner and any mentioned projects may be published across APE Grupo channels, and the organizer may arrange interviews or site photography.
The reproduction clause is broad and places responsibility on entrants to provide usable materials. Teams should secure written permissions for professional photography, client-sensitive spaces and third-party credits before submission. The rules do not describe a separate licensing fee for promotional use.
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
This award has a clearly defined professional audience and evaluates actual material deployment rather than an untested concept. The requirement for completed work, a concise 600-word statement and a focused image set can make comparison relatively direct. The named jury also gives entrants a reasonable view of the professional lenses applied to the submissions.
Its main limitation is equally clear: eligibility depends on using the organizer’s own ceramic brands, so the award should not be read as a neutral survey of all architectural ceramic work. The promotional-use clause and the relatively short remaining submission window require careful rights checking and early preparation. No fee is stated, but entrants should verify the live form before relying on that absence.
Related competitions — Editors’ selection
For other material and spatial design calls, see Persian Garden Suite and Design Circle’s Art Gallery Competition.
Time remaining for submission
Official deadline: 13 November 2026 at 23:59 CET, equivalent to 22:59 UTC. This countdown uses the UTC equivalent.
Official award page
Review the current rules and open the organizer’s entry form from the official award page.
