Seven finalists have been selected for the 2026 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture Mies van der Rohe Awards—or as the prestigious biennial program is better known, the EUmies Awards. Chosen by the European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe, and supported by the European Union’s Creative Europe program, five projects were named finalists in the Architecture category and two in the Emerging category.

The finalist contenders, selected from a total of 40 shortlisted works by a seven-person jury, were chosen for their contributions to the future of European architecture. Per an announcement, each project “demonstrates an ability to respond to its local environment while serving a clear human purpose. Together, they exemplify a unique balance between radical innovation and respecting the contexts in which they stand.”

Among the Architecture finalists is the Palais des Expositions in Charleroi, Belgium, by AgwA and Architecten Jan de Vylder Inge Vinck, a renovation of a 1950s convention center that maintains its original charm while introducing improvements for function and accessibility. In Terrassa, Spain, the rehabilitation of Vapor Cortès-Prodis 1923 by H Arquitectes transforms old industrial buildings into a center organized around a recovered service street that becomes a new boulevard for the city. Another finalist, Lot 8, LUMA Arles includes the renovation of Le Magasin Électrique in Arles, France, by Atelier Luma and BC Architects & Studies with ASSEMBLE. The Josephine Baker-Marie-Jose Perec Sports and Cultural Centre in La Bouëxière, France, designed by onze04, creates a new cultural and sports hub integrating existing facilities and reconnecting the area with neighboring districts. Finally, the Gruž Market in Dubrovnik, Croatia, by ARP/ Peračić-Veljačić, features an adjustable canopy that floats above the marketplace, giving new life and shelter to a public square.

The Emerging finalists include the Multi-Service Cultural Centre Le Foirail in Laguiole-La Guiòla, France by Betillon & Freyermuth and Crypto Architectes. Designed as an open, and reversible hall, it is utilized as a public space and built with local resources. Temporary Spaces for the Slovenian National Theatre Drama in Ljubljana, Slovenia, by Vidic Grohar Arhitekti, involves the adaptive reuse of a former industrial hall.

The jury will travel to the site of each finalist and decide the winners in March. The announcement of both the Architecture and Emerging winners will be made April 16 in the city of Oulu, Finland. The EUmies Awards Days, including the awards ceremony, will take place May 11 and 12 at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona and Palau Victòria Eugènia. The two-day event is slated to include lectures by the designers of the winning and finalist works, along with discussions with architects, clients, policymakers, and jury members.

Gustav Düsing and Max Hacke's Study Pavilion at TU Braunschweig in Brunswick, Germany, was the winner of the 2024 EUmies Awards cycle.