As the launch of the Prix d’architecture 2026 (or Luxembourg Architecture Award) was announced, the vocation of Luca (Luxembourg Center for Architecture) was recalled from the outset: the main mission of the private foundation, declared to be of public utility, is to promote architectural quality while addressing the issues facing professionals in the sector.
We need to give greater visibility to key issues such as housing, sustainability or spatial planning.
“In fact, while the Luxembourg Architecture Award does indeed represent a celebration of the sector, it is also a means of giving greater visibility to key issues such as housing, sustainability or spatial planning”, stressed the Minister for Culture, 
In a context marked by the housing crisis and the imperatives of ecological transition, Luca president 
Thought of as a cultural mediation tool as much as a professional distinction, this new edition, supported by the Ministry of Culture and sponsored by Paperjam, is part of an in-depth reflection initiated several years ago by the Luca. For its director, Maribel Casas, “architecture awards play a key role in defining quality standards and help build a collective vision of what today’s relevant architecture is”.
To counter the limitations observed in many international competitions, the prize awarded will introduce several major changes. The jury, made up of international professionals, will systematically visit the finalist projects. “Architecture cannot be judged solely on images”, Maribel Casas reminds us, defending an approach based on the concrete and the real experience of spaces.
The new categorisation will make it possible to respond to current challenges and the needs of society.
Another notable change: a new grid for reading projects. Gone is the classification by typology (housing, offices, etc.), replaced by five thematic categories reflecting contemporary issues such as sustainability, construction quality, the relationship with existing buildings, social cohesion and critical production. “This categorisation will make it possible to respond more effectively to current challenges but also to the needs of Luxembourg society,” said Luca’s director.
The predominantly international jury is made up of six experts in architecture and the applied arts from several countries and prestigious institutions. The call for nominations is open until 30 April 2026 from the Ordre des architectes et des ingénieurs-conseils and from specialists at the University of Luxembourg. Each nominator may propose up to three candidates. The five most nominated architects and any runners-up will have their dossiers examined by the jury. The winner will ultimately be chosen by the jury and his or her name announced at the prize-giving ceremony on 25 June 2026, the prize being endowed with €10,000.
But beyond the award, the organisers are claiming a broader ambition: that of helping to structure a shared architectural culture in Luxembourg. “The more we talk about architecture, the better,” summarised Maribel Casas, followed by Éric Thill: “This relaunch also sends a strong signal to the profession. It’s a way of thanking the sector and encouraging young people to get involved.”
As such, in conjunction with the event, the first edition of the Lëtzebuerger Architekturpräis will be held, created by the Ministry of Culture to honour an architect for their body of work and commitment.
With this new edition, the Prix d’architecture du Luca thus intends to go beyond the simple framework of an award to become a genuine tool for reflection and the promotion of architecture as a whole and in all its dimensions.
