SAWA wins Architecture Masterprize

At the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the initiators of SAWA—Robert Winkel and Mark Compeer of Mei architects and planners Nice Developers proudly received the 8th architecture prize for SAWA, for the best Conceptual Architecture in the prestigious Architecture MasterPrize award competition in America. In the same week, a festive ceremony marked the symbolic start of construction of this first-ever circular wooden residential building, 50 meters high, in the Netherlands. With this, the project team proves that SAWA is more than a groundbreaking and highly acclaimed concept, but also a feasible reality.

Architecture MasterPrize

The annual Architecture MasterPrize (AMP) honors the very best in design quality and innovation across the disciplines of architecture, interior, and landscape design. The award program aims to highlight exceptional talent and its value for the quality of our lives and that of future generations. The winners were selected by an international jury of renowned architects, academics, and industry experts.

Beyond the visually striking designs, the jury members were impressed by how the awarded entries demonstrated an astonishing balance of form and function:

The capabilities demonstrated by this year’s entries are sure to inspire the next generation of architects. Their work today will resonate into the future, as the works also reflect an increasingly important focus on sustainability.

Even before SAWA was actually built, the project won eight prestigious international architectural awards. ‘This international recognition strengthens our team's belief that we are truly working on something exceptional,’ says Robert Winkel. ‘The conviction and determination to not only design but also realize a revolutionary concept like SAWA is fueled by the ambition to contribute to reducing CO₂emissions, strengthening biodiversity, achieving (inter)national climate goals, and simultaneously creating affordable housing. With SAWA, we are developing a new icon for the city of Rotterdam. An example for future generations of builders and developers.