SAWA shines as winner at two award ceremonies in Paris

Well before the construction of SAWA is even completed, the flood of awards for this revolutionary design continues. Following the project's success at the World Architecture Festival, the Architecture Masterprize, MIPIM / Architectural Review Future Project Awards, Iconic awards for Innovative Architecture and Green Good Design Awards, among others, the SAWA team picked up two prestigious international architecture awards in two weeks in Paris. The Espace Niemeyer celebrated that the distinguished jury of DNA Paris Design Awards chose SAWA as the winner in the "Green Architecture" category. Two weeks later, SAWA was voted the Popular Choice winner of the 2023 Architizer A+ Sustainability Awards in the 'Unbuilt Sustainable Residential Project' category. The A+ Awards were presented last weekend in the presence of Lord Norman Foster at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris.

SAWA plays crucial role in promoting decarbonization of construction industry

SAWA is the first all-wood and circular 50-meter-high residential building in Europe. It was designed from the drive and high level of ambition to develop a zero-carbon building that contributes to solving the climate crisis and a healthy future. The realization of SAWA marks an important step toward international sustainability goals and proves that construction can be different. SAWA, also called "the healthiest building" in the Netherlands, adds value to neighborhood and city in the broadest sense of the word. These "shared values" relate to CO₂-storage through wood construction, enhancing biodiversity, and creating a circular building with affordable housing, where a community of residents cares for each other and for nature. The project includes 109 homes, with spacious green terraces averaging 40 m² per home, including 50 mid-rent homes. SAWA's concept led to a certified and reproducible building concept that was further developed by NICE, on the basis of which Mei architects is currently designing several projects.

DNA Paris Design Awards is an initiative of Farmani Group and the Paris-based artist collective In Between. Farmani Group is the organizer of International Design Awards (IDA), Architecture MasterPrize (AMP), European Product Design Awards (EPDA), the annual Lucie Awards for Photography and many other prestigious global awards. DNA Paris Design Awards honors the work of international architects and designers who improve our daily lives through practical, beautiful and innovative design. The Awards are given to projects characterized by courage, diversity and excellence.

The latest collection of A+ Awards winners is a dynamic tribute to the world's most innovative and impactful contemporary design. To reflect the essential work of architects in the fight against the climate crisis, this year's 11th annual Architizer Awards program introduced a new series of Sustainability Awards.
The new A+ Sustainability Awards honor architecture and design firms actively working toward a more sustainable built environment and focus on distinguishing projects that push the boundaries and set a positive precedent for greener building practices in their specific region and around the world. A prestigious jury of leading sustainability experts from around the world reviewed all submitted projects and selected five finalists, including SAWA, in the "Unbuilt Sustainable Residential Project" category.

SAWA Team of Experts

NICE Developers is developing SAWA with TBI company ERA Contour. Mei architects and planners is the project's architect.

SAWA was developed and designed in close cooperation with the Municipality of Rotterdam and with an extensive team of experts, including Pieters Bouwtechniek, DERIX, Pirmin Jung, Ralph Hamerlinck, DGMR, Peutz, DGMR, Atto Harsta, Piet Vollaard, Bureau Stadsnatuur and Copijn. Focus on Impact, development investor based in Rotterdam and Eindhoven, owns the rental housing in SAWA.