Erich Mendelsohn Brick Architecture Award 2026
Competition Brief
The Erich Mendelsohn Brick Architecture Award is an international accolade that highlights the most creative and sustainable uses of brick in architecture across the globe. It takes place every three years and has gained a reputation as one of the most distinguished awards that concentrate on the brick’s contemporary architectural properties of aesthetics, functionality, and eco-friendliness. “Initiative Bauen mit Backstein” together with the Association of German Architects (BDA) is the organizer of the initiative.
Intent
The main objective of the award is to bring to light the projects that put to best use the qualities of bricks as a building material, thus integrating economic, environmental, and aesthetic factors in architectural design, and at the same time encouraging worldwide sustainable and innovative brick construction.
Purpose
The award’s purpose is to promote a culture of excellent construction by recognizing the outstanding projects and providing an international platform for the architects to showcase their works to a professional audience worldwide. Besides, it offers opportunities for networking, publication, and professional acknowledgment.
Requirements
Architects, architectural teams, and design professionals who are the intellectual creators of the submitted projects are eligible to participate. Projects must have been completed after January 1, 2021, and brick must be a prominent feature. Multiple categories are open for submission including a Newcomer category for students and graduates within four years of graduation.
Jury
The independent jury of architecture and design experts evaluates the submissions. The jury assesses the design quality, innovation in the use of brick, environmental considerations, and aesthetic integration. The names of the jury members are kept confidential until after the evaluation.
Fees
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Project Submission | EUR 349 + VAT per project |
| Newcomer Category | Free |
Rewards
| Award | Description |
|---|---|
| Erich Mendelsohn Award | Recognition of the best project using brick in terms of design, creativity, and sustainability. |
| Newcomer Award | Honors projects from students and recent graduates. |
| Additional Awards | Special awards for energy efficiency, sustainability, reuse and renovation, and Best in Germany. |
Important Dates
| Phase | Date |
|---|---|
| Start of Submission | 5 January 2026 |
| Submission Deadline | 30 April 2026 |
| Winner Announcement & Awards Ceremony | Autumn 2026 |
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
The Erich Mendelsohn Brick Architecture Award 2026 is an event steered by the Initiative Bauen mit Backstein together with the BDA (Bund Deutscher Architekten). Although the names of the jury are kept secret until the evaluation is completed, the panel consists of architecture and design experts, which provides a professional credibility but a limited transparency level. The award is a recognition of the professional/academy rather than simply an event for promoting one’s practice. The fees for entering the competition are reasonable, while the prizes are related to the promotion of works with the criteria of innovation and sustainability. Thus, the prizes are in a fair alignment with the effort that has been put into the works and the costs of the competition. The participants gain not only portfolio value but also international recognition, although the opportunities of direct implementations are not offered.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
The Erich Mendelsohn Brick Architecture Award is a top-notch contest that rewards and recognizes creative ways of brick being used as a basic material in the construction of buildings. The competition has a long history of more than fourteen years and has attracted numerous global participants, hence it is a good platform to create awareness about the role of innovation and sustainability in architecture. Besides, the Newcomer category is there to support student and recent graduates’ participation and to open up their talent. The award favors economic, environmental, and aesthetic balance projects, thus providing participants with exceptional international visibility and professional recognition.
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