Winner - Popular House
Girona, Spain
Architect Agency: Arnau Estudi d'Arquitectura
Fabricator: Plantalech
Product solutions used: SOLEAL windows and LUMEAL sliders
Photographer: Marc Torra
”The jury was unanimous in their decision. The narrow plot was used in a clever and efficient manner. The design resembles semi-industrial structures with a well-executed interior. It's impressive that the space can be both open or closed. The site is challenging, but the architectural approach, especially with the garage, is noteworthy. The project achieves a lot with limited resources.” Jury comments
In the Olot of the 1920s, while Manuel Malagrida was constructing the "Ensanche Malagrida," the neighborhood for the wealthy, Rafael Arau was developing the so-called "Popular Ensanche," the neighborhood for the less affluent. This is how architect Arnau Vergés explains the origin of the district in Olot, Girona, where this family home is located. The house was designed for a large family, with a layout that navigates between diverse typologies and multiple levels to be overcome. A garage door became a dominant element in the project, requiring various strategies to minimize its visual impact. A half-story level difference between the street and the rear garden led to the use of split levels, making the sectional design the primary organizational and representative feature of the project. The layout is structured around the placement of the functional program across four levels at varying heights, organized on either side of the staircase and elevator core, which is located at the center of the building's usable depth. The house is arranged with the service areas facing the street façade, both at the basement and ground floor levels, while the living areas and communal spaces are oriented towards the garden façade. The vertical circulation areas are placed in the center of the house. The first-floor layout creates a central core for circulation and services, reserving the eastern and western façade strips for bedrooms. Concealed behind the façade, both the SOLEAL windows in their hidden sash version and the LUMEAL sliders, also with hidden sashes, have maximized the entry of natural light and contributed to the home's energy efficiency. Hidden behind the façade, the aluminum joinery discreetly reveals the secret of what lies within, blending seamlessly with the architectural design.
Special Mention Northern Europe - Bloembollen House
Lochristi, Belgium
Architect Agency: Sean Van Ryzeghem Architect
Fabricator: ALU-Q BV
Product solutions used: Avantis Smartline windows and Confort Smartline SHI sliders.
Photographer: Filip De Pelecyn / Annick Vernimmen
“It has been decided to give a special mention to this project for its modest approach in dividing a single plot into two houses, which includes a charming courtyard. The project also incorporates energy production through solar panels and features a green roof to help prevent overheating.” Jury comments
The Bloembollen project in Lochristi, Belgium, designed by Van Ryzeghem, involved the creation of two semi-detached single-family houses that form one architectural unit. The plot was split under strict conditions, ensuring the houses were built simultaneously using identical materials. One of the key conditions was that no two front doors would be visible from the street, maintaining a unified appearance. The 17-meter width of each plot and the south-west orientation allowed for an innovative layout, with the ground floors shaped in an L-formation around private courtyards. The upper floors are rotated to optimize sunlight in the courtyards, creating a dynamic, playful volume effect. The homes are separated from the street by a claustra wall, which provides filtered views and ensures privacy. A large window assembly at the rear, measuring 7.60 meters, uses expansive glazing to maximize natural light and connect seamlessly to the garden. Symmetry played a crucial role in the design, with perfect alignment between the mullions on both the front and rear facades. One of the core focuses of the project is sustainability, with both houses achieving a negative E-level, indicating they generate more energy than they consume. This was achieved with well-insulated structures, heat pumps, and solar panels, as well as careful material selection that prioritises durability and environmental impact. For the windows and sliding doors, aluminium systems have been installed such as Avantis Smartline SHI for the windows and Confort Smartline Sliding Monorail for the sliding doors. These systems were chosen for their sleek design, which complements the minimalist aesthetic of the houses. The glass-on-glass corner units and large expanses of glass enhance the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, ensuring abundant natural light throughout. Precision was key to this project, particularly when it came to the large glass surfaces and maintaining symmetry in the design. The Bloembollen project demonstrates how modern residential architecture can balance privacy, aesthetics, and sustainability. The design’s careful integration of natural light, energy efficiency, and architectural symmetry makes it a standout example of contemporary housing that is both innovative and environmentally conscious.
Special Mention Southern Europe - House in Red
Cebreros, Ávila, Spain
Architect Agency: Estudio Entresitio
Fabricator: Cerramientos Hontoria
Product solutions used :ARTLINE sliders and GEODE façades
Photographer Montse Zamorano
“A special mention has been awarded to this project in recognition of its beautiful natural environment and its effective use of natural light, which together create an exceptionally inviting and harmonious atmosphere.” Jury comments
On the steep slope surrounding the San Juan reservoir in Ávila, amidst a dense pine forest, the architectural firm estudio__entresitio has designed a family home created as a stilted wooden architecture: both the structure and the interior and exterior finishes are crafted from wood, where the geometry imposes a grid that breaks naturally to adapt to the terrain. The project demonstrates a strong commitment to incorporating strategies aimed at minimizing its impact on the site, a lush pine forest overlooking a reservoir. Due to the sloping terrain, the house is elevated on steel pillars driven into the ground, causing minimal disturbance to the land while following the natural topography, creating an almost levitating effect. The relationship established with the surroundings is one of permeability and enhancement. The layout of the house has been designed showing deep respect for the topography and existing trees, adapting to and developing among them. The 20 metre difference in height between the access point of the plot and the reservoir is managed through three levels, connecting similarly sized structures at varying heights, allowing the different private spaces and the central area to be linked. Openings with stairs link these areas, creating platforms that maximize views of the surrounding landscape. The ARTLINE sliding system is designed to maximize the transparent glass surface, strengthening the connection between interior and exterior spaces, and enhancing the direct relationship with the natural environment. The result? A geometry that is seamlessly integrated into its surroundings, giving it the feeling of beautiful continuity. The home’s envelope is formed by a continuous skin of red-painted wood, which allow light to permeate through its slats.
Special Mention out of Europe - San Benito House
Mar de Plata, Argentina
Architect Agency: Agüero Marcenaro Architects
Fabricator Optimall
Product solutions used LUMEAL sliders and SOLEAL windows
Photographer Eduardo Agüero
“The jury highly appreciated the creative and thoughtful use of natural light, made possible by the well-designed galleries that allowed streams of sunlight to filter through, illuminating the space with a warm and inviting glow.” Jury comments
The Agüero Marcenaro Architects firm worked on a spacious plot, 932 m2 5area, with good sunlight towards the back, located in a semi-consolidated private neighbourhood environment. Winds are a prominent feature of Chapadmalal's climate, especially during certain times of the year, with strong gusts coming from the Atlantic Ocean that can affect both temperature perception and outdoor activities. The initial design decision was to build a protected outdoor courtyard, around which everything revolved to create an enclosed "outdoor space". This foundational idea guided all subsequent decisions, allowing the house to make use of this carefully designed exterior, separate from other outdoor areas. The severe climate of Chapadmalal requires careful construction practices, including adequate insulation against cold and humidity, and robust building materials to withstand winds. By integrating all these elements into the composition, we achieved a protected exterior that facilitates different interactions between the interior and exterior. Sliding aluminium panels and large openings enable seamless connection between inside and outside, providing good thermal insulation as well. This helps maintain a stable and comfortable indoor temperature throughout the year, reducing heat transfer between the interior and exterior of the house, thereby reducing energy needs for heating in winter and cooling in summer. The LUMEAL sliders and the SOLEAL windows have helped to expand the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. The main volume of the house is developed in two wings forming an L-shape, beginning to define and embrace the outdoor space. Each side of the L protects the courtyard from prevailing winds: the bedrooms block southwest winds, while the living-dining-kitchen area neutralizes southeast winds. The proportions of the wings are symmetrical, initially forming a perfect square. For this reason, we turned to other programmatic elements to reinforce the central idea. The combination of these mechanisms opens the possibility of different spatial configurations, and the gallery itself separates from the main volume and maximizes pedestrian routes. This is what we understand as "spatial richness," which is also supported by the microclimate generated by the construction itself, allowing for intense use of the exterior. The house looks at itself, creating an atmosphere of deep intimacy
