Submission phase for the 2026 Erich Mendelsohn Prize for Brick Architecture has begun
A success story continues: the renowned prize for brick architecture is entering its seventh round. Once again, the focus is on outstanding projects that make sustainable use of the architectural potential of brick as a traditional building material. The last competition, which is held every three years, received more than 600 submissions from 30 countries.
The submission period for the 2026 Erich Mendelsohn Prize for Brick Architecture runs from January 5 to April 30, 2026. Entries can be submitted online on the architecture prize website (erich-mendelsohn-preis.com). The submission fee is €349, while young architects and students are exempt from the fee as usual. The Newcomer Award, which is presented as a separate prize for young architects, will be held this year in cooperation with the architecture magazine DETAIL.
The Erich Mendelsohn Prize 2026 will be awarded in the following categories:
Residential construction/multi-story residential construction
Public buildings, leisure and sports
Office and commercial buildings
Single-family house/semi-detached house
Additional awards will also be presented for:
Renovation/recycling/energy efficiency/sustainability
Best in Germany
Groundbreaking projects that meet the high legal requirements for ecological sustainability in Germany will be honored for the first time with the “Best in Germany” award at the 2026 Erich Mendelsohn Prize for Brick Architecture. All buildings constructed in Germany are eligible for the “Best in Germany” award, regardless of the location of the architectural firm.
Brick projects completed on or after January 1, 2021, are eligible for submission. Projects already submitted for the previous award in 2023 may be resubmitted, provided they were completed after January 1, 2021, and have not been nominated previously. The composition of the jury will be announced shortly. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in Berlin in fall 2026.
Interested architects who would like to be automatically informed about news regarding the 2026 Erich Mendelsohn Prize for Brick Architecture can subscribe to the free Brick Newsletter. In addition, the Instagram and Facebook pages provide the latest news about the competition.
About the 2026 Erich Mendelsohn Prize for Brick Architecture:
First held in 2008 under the name Fritz Höger Prize for Brick Architecture, the competition takes place every three years and has been supported in partnership by the Association of German Architects (BDA) since 2011. Since 2022, it has been known as the Erich Mendelsohn Prize for Brick Architecture. The great significance of the competition in the world of architecture is underlined not least by the illustrious names of the award-winning planning offices from previous rounds. The premier class is made up of outstanding Grand Prix projects such as the Siza Pavilion on the island of Hombroich (2014), the Bremer Landesbank designed by Caruso St John Architects (2017), and the two very different Grand Prix winners of 2020: the Musée Cantonal des Beaux-Arts in Lausanne by Barozzi Veiga and the Nakasone House in Mexico City by Escobedo Soliz. In 2023, the Grand Prix went to the Catalan firm Harquitectes for the Clos Pachem Winery.
