SAWA is the overall winner of the National Timber Construction Award
November 20, 2025
PRESS RELEASE – SAWA, the 50-meter-high circular timber residential building located on the Lloydpier in Rotterdam, has been named the overall winner of the National Timber Construction Award 2025 by the professional jury. According to the jury report, SAWA “is this year's absolute standout: elegant, beautifully designed, towering in ambition, and sustainable to its very core.”
The award is considered the most prestigious Dutch recognition for progressive timber construction. While Her Majesty Queen Máxima officially opened SAWA earlier that afternoon, a delegation from NICE Developers ERA Contour heard in a packed hall at De Nobelaer in Etten-Leur that SAWA had been awarded the highest distinction of the Timber Construction Award.
An innovative way of building – for people, climate, and nature
SAWA was developed from a central conviction: construction can and must be approached differently. The building primarily utilizes timber (CLT) and minimizes concrete, resulting in a significantly low CO₂ footprint and substantial long-term CO₂ sequestration. Through innovative engineering and intensive collaboration among all partners, the realization of a 50-meter-high, entirely timber building has been achieved – a distinction that remains rare globally.
Jury: “An icon for the city – and for the future of timber construction”
The professional jury lauded SAWA as a project “brimming with unprecedented technical solutions” and a prime example of how timber construction can transcend mere material application. The structural innovations, strategic development decisions, and intensive collaboration among all partners have culminated in a demountable, circular timber building standing 50 meters tall.
Through innovative engineering and novel connection techniques, developed in close collaboration with Derix, solutions previously considered unfeasible have been realized. SAWA seamlessly integrates technology with quality of life: 600 meters of green terraces featuring indigenous planting and over 140 nesting boxes reintroduce nature into the urban environment, while its architecture, characterized by generous terraces, verdant galleries, and shared rooftop gardens, actively promotes social interaction. The socially inclusive residential mix of owner-occupied and mid-rental units ensures SAWA serves as a vibrant hub where diverse Rotterdam residents can coexist.
“SAWA demonstrates that timber construction can contribute not only to climate goals but also to human coexistence and the reintroduction of nature into the city. It is no coincidence that this project was opened by the Queen.”
Jury National Timber Construction Award
“Construction can and must be different”
For NICE Developers ERA Contour, this award confirms what they want to prove with SAWA: that it is possible to build in a way that is better for people, the climate, and the city.
“SAWA was built from the conviction that the construction sector must pursue a different direction. This award feels like recognition for all partners who, with courage, craftsmanship, and perseverance, contributed to this pioneering project.”
Founder of NICE Developers, Mark Compeer
Special appreciation for Derix
Special appreciation is extended to Derix, the timber construction partner who was involved from the initial conceptualization in developing and engineering the complex timber structure. Their expertise, technical innovations, and perseverance were instrumental in realizing SAWA as envisioned: entirely timber-built, demountable, and circular.
Other winners
In addition to SAWA as the overall winner, the jury honored these projects:
• Public Award & Honorable Mention: Passerelle Zwolle
• Commercial Timber Construction: Parel in de Polder, Stolwijk
• Private Timber Construction: Huis in de Heuvel, Utrechtse Heuvelrug
• Serial Timber Construction: Valckensteyn, Rotterdam
NICE Developers ERA Contour would like to congratulate all winners.
About SAWA
SAWA is a development by NICE Developers ERA Contour, designed by Mei architects and planners, in collaboration with Derix Group, DGMR, Pieters, Bureau Stadsnatuur, and many other partners.
The project is internationally renowned as a model of circular timber construction, socially inclusive urban development, and nature-inclusive design.
For more information, questions, and contact, please email: pr@nicedevelopers.nl
