Seven projects signed by professors, former students, and a former professor from the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (FAUP) are included in the list of twelve Portuguese works nominated for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture/Mies van der Rohe Award 2026 (EUmies Awards 2026). The list released by the European Commission and the Mies van der Rohe Foundation includes 410 works from 40 countries.

Among the projects by professors currently affiliated with FAUP are the ‘A Nacional’ building in Porto, by the Menos é Mais Arquitetos Associados team, led by Cristina Guedes and Francisco Vieira de Campos; the apartment building on Rua Roberto Ivens, in Matosinhos, designed by the URSA studio, founded by Luís Ribeiro da Silva and Margarida Quintã; and the Corcet Headquarters, in Penafiel, designed by Nuno Melo Sousa. These are joined by works by former students of the school, such as the Adega Quinta de Adorigo winery in Tabuaço, by the Sérgio Rebelo studio; the renovation of the public space on Avenida Carvalho Araújo, in Vila Real, by the Belém Lima Arquitetos studio, founded by António Belém Lima; and the Hotel Lince Santa Clara, in Vila do Conde, by the Carvalho Araújo studio, owned by José Manuel Carvalho Araújo.

The list also includes a project developed by a former FAUP professor—the renovation of buildings in the Cerco do Porto neighborhood, designed by the firms José Gigante Arquiteto and Virgínio Moutinho Arquitetos—as well as other projects nominated in Portugal, namely the Laje Soccer Field in Oeiras, by Miguel Marcelino; Building 4 of ISCTE-UL in Lisbon, by the campus rehabilitation and expansion team; the Padre Cruz Market Hall neighborhood, also in Lisbon, by the REDO architects firm; the Carcavelos Health Complex, by Simão Botelho with Stúdio J and Duoma; and the Graça Funicular, by Atelier Bugio.

The 19th edition of the EUmies Awards, supported by the European Union's Creative Europe Program, reflects the diversity and vitality of contemporary European architecture. In January 2026, the jury will narrow down the initial list to 40 projects, before selecting the seven finalists in February. The winners of the Architecture and Emerging Architecture categories will be announced in April 2026 in Oulu, Finland, one of that year's European Capitals of Culture.

The 2026 jury that will evaluate the projects for the European Prize for Contemporary Architecture is chaired by architect Smiljan Radić and includes Carl Bäckstrand (Sweden), Chris Briffa (Malta), Zaiga Gaile (Latvia), Tina Gregorič (Slovenia), Nikolaus Hirsch (Germany/Belgium), and Rosa Rull (Spain).

Considered one of the most important distinctions in the field, the EUmies Awards recognize works that contribute to sustainability, innovation, and the cultural quality of the built environment. Portugal received the award in its inaugural edition in 1988, with the distinction awarded to Álvaro Siza for the former Banco Borges & Irmão building in Vila do Conde.

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