The Next Generation category of the Holcim Awards celebrates visionary ideas from young professionals and students under 30. This year’s winners reflect how a new generation of designers is tackling urgent global challenges—urban inequality, environmental degradation, and climate resilience—through design that is as socially attuned as it is technically inventive.

Reclaiming the Coast: Community Upgrade in Mumbai

Soledad Patiño, architect and urban designer, Harvard Graduate School of Design, USA

Aiming to restore dignity and infrastructure to the marginalized fishing community of Mahim Koliwada, this project introduces a network of community-driven spaces—from seafood markets and recycling centers to a community kitchen and mangrove restoration zones. It’s a layered design for both ecological recovery and social empowerment.

Jury comment: “A truly holistic approach that understands life in such a place and combines it with aesthetic sensitivity.”

Vertical Empowerment: Enhancing Informal Settlements

Lorenzo Fernandes, architect, Mumbai, India

Challenging the logic of displacement, this proposal retains the fabric of an informal settlement while adding vertical interventions—mid-rise towers built by local workers. These host vital amenities including training centers, healthcare, and solar-powered restaurants.

Jury comment: “An optimistic vision of how architecture can enhance social life through minimal land use and maximum community benefit.”

Coastal Healing Through Nature and Design

Dolathep Chetty, architecture graduate, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand

Responding to decades of coastal degradation in the northern Gulf of Thailand, this proposal uses breakwaters, bamboo screens, and sediment capture to restore mangrove ecosystems. Integrated mussel and crab farms, plus eco-tourism infrastructure, tie livelihood to environmental stewardship.

Jury comment: “A multi-layered plan that knows when its own presence should dissolve—it’s both restorative and humble.”

Living With the River, Not Against It

Rionaldi Gunari, Nicholas Rodriques & Gani Wiratama, students, Parahyangan Catholic University, Bandung, Indonesia

Instead of relocating riverside dwellers in Jakarta, this project strengthens their connection to the water. Floating bamboo platforms provide filtration-based sanitation, rainwater harvesting, and public toilets—offering a sustainable future while respecting the existing way of life.

Jury comment: “Innovative and gently scalable—this solution has real impact potential.”

A Living Facade for Indian Cities

Cultivated Envelope, India

Divya Jyoti, architect, PMA madhushala, Pune, India

Proposing a green alternative to glass towers in hot climates, this project features red sandstone slabs and planters that act as a passive cooling facade. Locally built and culturally sensitive, it’s designed for both new and retrofitted buildings.

Jury comment: “More than a green wall—this is vernacular ingenuity meeting modern performance.”

Rethinking What Sustainable Design Can Be

The Holcim Awards Next Generation category recognises that real transformation often begins with fresh ideas. Open to entrants under 30, this competition fosters bold thinking about sustainability, equity, and innovation. In this cycle alone, over 4,700 entries from 134 countries were submitted across all regions, with a remarkable range of design fields represented—from architecture and urbanism to materials science and construction engineering.

The Holcim Awards are organised by the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, which promotes innovation and leadership in sustainable building. With over USD 2 million in total prize money, the Awards are the world’s most significant competition for sustainable design.

The Next Generation prize winners from all five world regions will be featured in a virtual showcase, while the Main category winners will be honoured in a hybrid ceremony at the Venice Biennale of Architecture in November 2021. Global Holcim Awards Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners will also be announced.