UfM awards outstanding student projects advancing climate resilience in Mediterranean cities
Barcelona, 9 July 2026. The UfM announced the winners of the second UfM Student Competition, Exploring Mediterranean Urban Solutions to Climate Change and Resilience, during a ceremony held at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona.
The ceremony took place on the sidelines of the UfM meeting International Knowledge Exchanges in Architecture and Urban Planning: Exploring Mediterranean Urban Solutions, held on 8 and 9 July. Together, the competition and the meeting highlighted the role of student innovation, architectural education and regional cooperation in responding to the climate challenges facing Mediterranean cities.
The competition attracted 163 pre-registrations from 57 universities across 13 UfM countries, with 48 projects submitted by students from 32 universities. The proposals explored architectural and urban planning solutions to challenges including heatwaves, droughts, flooding and environmental degradation.
Around 60 participants attended the award ceremony, including awarded students, academics, representatives of Schools of Architecture and Urban Planning and regional organisations.
Winners of the UfM Student Competition 2025
First Prize, €5,000
SUNKEN
Martina Cutillo, Elena Pagliuso, Valentina Santoro and Rebeca Temperanza
Università IUAV di Venezia, Italy
Second Prize, €3,000
V-LIVE. Regenerating Vjosa: A Living Corridor for Europe’s Last Wild River
Erva Sala
POLIS University, Albania
Third Prize, €2,000
Metamorfosis Besòs
Álvaro Rosell Serrano
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Spain
Five additional projects received Special Mentions for their contributions to climate resilience and sustainable urban development.
The jury sessions for the 2023 and 2025 editions were hosted by Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul, reflecting its continued support for regional cooperation in architectural education.
The competition is a flagship initiative of the UfM Network of Schools of Architecture and Urban Planning of the Euro-Mediterranean Region. It seeks to encourage curriculum innovation, strengthen links between universities and public authorities, and integrate climate adaptation, sustainability and disaster risk reduction into architectural education.
The wider Barcelona meeting brought together representatives of universities, development agencies, regional organisations, donors and institutional partners to discuss how higher education and research can contribute more effectively to sustainable urban development.
Organised under the UfM Strategic Urban Development Action Plan 2040, the meeting was held in cooperation with the European Institute of the Mediterranean, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, TRAGSA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe.
Participants also discussed the report International Knowledge Exchanges in Architecture and Urban Planning, which maps regional cooperation initiatives and draws lessons from experiences in Algeria and Libya, as well as programmes including Erasmus+ GET-MED, CURA and initiatives supported by the British Council.
Discussions underlined the need to move beyond short-term projects and develop longer-term partnerships linking academic research, policymaking and urban practice.
Looking ahead, participants agreed to launch the 2027 edition of the UfM Student Competition and to develop a travelling programme of thematic sessions hosted by participating universities. These activities will showcase successful urban resilience projects and strengthen exchanges among students, academics, public authorities and regional partners.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to ensure that student innovation, higher education and regional cooperation play a central role in building more resilient, inclusive and sustainable Mediterranean cities.
