Project 1. Echternach bus stop

Commissioned by the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works from the architectural firm CBA, in the category of projects exceeding 1,000 m². This is the story of a bus stop that was originally intended to be double or triple in size. The project eventually evolved into the creation of a canopy and its site. The 50-metre-long bus stop features gentle curves and is defined by a distinct rhythm of trees that guided the overall design. Rather than fragmented architecture, a continuous canopy reinforces the site’s natural dynamics and its horizontal character. The wooden structure reflects a natural aesthetic in harmony with the surroundings. This preserves and enhances the existing vegetation, integrating nature and architecture into a connection that speaks of aesthetics and sustainable mobility.

Project 2. Casinotuerm

Listed but not set in stone, the Casino Tower now incorporates a second tower within its own silhouette. Designed by the firms 2001 and Elementar Architectes, with contributions from HLG, the project restores the historic building with the precision of traditional craftsmanship whilst imbuing it with a contemporary presence. Constructed from solid welded steel, this new structure brings together access points, services and living spaces within a compact vertical framework. The staircase thickens, becoming a backbone, housing the technical systems and organising the functions. More than an object, it is a reversible mechanism: the monument remains intact, whilst a new life is freely invented within it.

Project 3. GuestHouse50

Born from a building scarred by fire, GuestHouse50 opts for restoration rather than demolition. Designed by Kaell Architecte, The project reveals the layers of a forgotten history and reimagines the ordinary as an act of care, remembrance and environmental responsibility. This approach led to its inclusion in the Supplementary Inventory of National Monuments. More than just a restoration, the project demonstrates how the vision and perseverance of private individuals can preserve the urban fabric and identity of Rollingergrund. Today, the house combines privacy with community, blending private living spaces with flexible communal areas, to reinvent the townhouse as an open, inclusive and evolving urban commons.

Project 4. H(a)er House

In the heart of Ehnen, a former notary’s office and a wine barn coexist without merging. Designed in 2001 in collaboration with De Stabiker, HLG and K. Niederkorn-Boesen, the project orchestrates their dialogue through a compact wooden core that concentrates services and circulation, whilst preserving the integrity of the existing structure. The former office becomes a space for sharing; upstairs, reused doors open onto rooms shaped by transformation rather than mere conservation. A green-tinged passageway cuts through the load-bearing wall and reveals the generous volume of the barn, where the original structure remains visible. The openings have been retained, with the exception of a bay window framing the vineyard landscape. Here, the existing structure is not a static legacy but a living resource: repaired, adapted and reimagined, the house weaves a subtle link between memory, use and the local area.

Project 5. The Kutter Villa

Commissioned in 1929 by the painter Joseph Kutter from the young architect Hubert Schumacher, the Villa Kutter was Luxembourg’s first modernist house. Marred by successive alterations (notably in 1942, when its flat roof and vertical openings were replaced by elements alien to its architectural language), it had lost the strength of its original identity. The project led by Diane Heirend architecture & urbanisme, in collaboration with HLG, seeks neither reconstruction nor nostalgia. It revives the house’s modern spirit by adapting it to contemporary uses: a family home capable of accommodating several generations, enriched by two artists’ studios. Between memory and transformation, the villa thus rediscovers its original purpose: to be a place of creation, life and transmission.

Project 6. Spektrum

The estate of sculptor Albert Hames is set to become the home of Spektrum, a prototype immersive arts centre where memory, creativity and hospitality come together. Designed by the firm 2001 in collaboration with Njoy, Goblet Lavandier & Associates and Schroeder & Partners, The project restores the 1950s house to an almost archaeological state, revealing a distinct remnant into which the design fits seamlessly. A preserved studio, a gallery, immersive suites and shared spaces form a subtle continuum between domesticity and exhibition space.

Rather than altering the existing structure, the intervention reveals its potential, incorporating contemporary standards without adding any visible layers. At the rear, an extension in exposed concrete and a rough-textured aluminium façade extend and reinterpret the house through a play of echoes and distortions. The workshops and living spaces thus open out onto a hybrid landscape, at the crossroads of the pastoral, the industrial and the territorial, where the architecture itself becomes an immersive experience.

Project 7. Atelier Graas

The Graas Hotel is unique in that it is situated in a former industrial hall at the heart of a residential block. The architectural practice CBA and Steve Krack have transformed a former industrial site into a contemporary hospitality venue where heritage, architecture and nature come together harmoniously. Beneath the existing steel structure, 28 modular rooms are arranged around a vast open space, whilst abundant greenery brings life to the central courtyard, shared spaces and roof terraces.

The wooden rooms, with their clean lines and warm atmosphere, offer a true haven of tranquillity. By clearly distinguishing between private and semi-public spaces, the project creates an experience that is both welcoming and intimate, making the Graas Hotel an exemplary renovation in the heart of the city.

Project 8. The House of Osbourg

This building has been given a new lease of life as a music school. Designed by the architectural firm WeB, the project preserves the historic building’s identity whilst opening it up to new uses. The former inner courtyard is covered by a glass roof, creating a light-filled multi-purpose hall where the original façade remains fully visible. An open-plan stage extends activities into the garden, blurring the boundary between indoors and outdoors during the warmer months. Beneath the courtyard, an additional level houses the technical and storage areas essential to the facility’s operation.

In addition to this transformation, the project involves a comprehensive restoration of a building weakened by significant structural damage. The acoustic and technical works required for music teaching are discreetly integrated into the restored building in accordance with heritage conservation principles. Straddling the line between restoration and reinvention, the Maison d’Osbourg thus creates a space where history and music now resonate in unison.

Project 9. Dentzescheck

In the heart of Wintrange, The Dentzescheck Project, designed by Valentiny HVP Architects, the project breathes new life into a vineyard complex by transforming it into a residential development rooted in its local area. Acting as both the master plan developer and the architect, the commissioned team devised a coherent scheme that reinterprets the site’s original purpose rather than erasing it. A restored winegrower’s house, a barn converted into housing and new terraced houses form a development where densification and preservation go hand in hand.

The façades and main structures have been preserved, whilst contemporary interventions have been incorporated with restraint and precision. A shared architectural language links the building’s different eras and weaves a harmonious dialogue with the village landscape. Between heritage and transformation, Dentzescheck demonstrates that densification can be an act of continuity, capable of revitalising a space’s uses whilst preserving its identity.

Project 10. La Möllerei

This major remnant of Belval’s steel-making heritage is now taking on a new role within the city. Built in 1912 and largely listed, this imposing 170-metre-long structure retains its volume and façade, which have become iconic landmarks of the site. The project led by BFF architecture & urbanisme has been carried out with sensitivity, making conservation its primary focus. Whilst part of the building houses the university library, the remaining section has been refurbished for Esch2022 – European Capital of Culture and incorporated into the blast furnace tour route. The intervention does not seek to impose a new architectural gesture, but rather to reveal what already exists: to restore, make legible and convey. Selective additions accommodate the new uses, whilst the industrial heritage remains at the forefront. Straddling heritage and revitalisation, the Möllerei regains its original value and demonstrates architecture’s ability to extend history without erasing it.

Support and vote now for your favourite project on the Luxembourg Architecture Award (LAA) website: architectureaward.lu/the-nominees/