First UMAR Mediterranean Architecture Award Presented in Istanbul: 55 Housing Projects from 13 Countries Compete

The first edition of the international architecture award planned as a biennial event by the Union of Mediterranean Architects (UMAR) was presented in Istanbul on Friday, 25 September 2026. Hosted by the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects’ Chamber of Architects (TMMOB) at the Istanbul Metropolitan Branch of the Chamber of Architects in Karaköy, the ceremony was open to the profession and the public, and livestreamed on the Chamber of Architects’ YouTube channel. The event was held in English, with Turkish interpretation provided for the opening remarks.

This year’s program was themed “Living Mediterranean Culture – Housing.” According to an announcement shared by the Chamber of Architects on 26 September, the award program’s first cycle concluded with 55 projects from 13 countries. The ceremony was scheduled as an afternoon program, running from 15:00 to 19:45; according to the program, the jury’s citation was read as the First Prize was presented, and the winning practice was invited to give a speech of thanks.

The first cycle focuses squarely on housing. This choice suggests that the program aims to focus less on landmark buildings and more on spaces for everyday life. Along Mediterranean coasts, housing is among the building types most directly affected by climate, migration and pressures of change; choosing this as the award’s first theme is therefore significant.

The award’s purpose: not a single Mediterranean identity

The Chamber of Architects’ announcement describes the UMAR Architecture Award as a biennial international program recognizing contemporary architectural works that create a positive social, cultural and environmental impact in the Mediterranean. It emphasizes that architecture in the region is shaped by migration, climate, memory, coexistence and transformation.

A notable aspect of the award’s approach is that it does not impose a single definition of “Mediterranean architecture.” Instead, the program aims to make visible the diversity, complexity and richness of the region’s cultures and ways of life, and to highlight projects that contribute to a more inclusive, resilient and culturally aware Mediterranean environment. Encouraging communication and dialogue through architecture at a time of growing environmental, social and geopolitical challenges is another explicitly stated aim.

Winners

According to the results announced by the Chamber of Architects, the awards went to the following practices:

The table shows that the awards went predominantly to practices from Spain and France, with a practice from Morocco also receiving a joint third prize. Of the seven awards, four went to Spain, two to France and one to Morocco; this distribution suggests that housing production on the northern Mediterranean coast stood out in the first cycle. The announcement did not list any award-winning projects from Turkey. The names and details of the awarded projects have not yet appeared in the Chamber of Architects’ announcement, and the program’s website also appears to still be under construction.

The Istanbul Declaration and exhibition

At the ceremony, the Union of Mediterranean Architects and the Chamber of Architects of Turkey signed the “Istanbul Declaration,” with a view to advancing the profession and strengthening communication and cooperation across the Mediterranean region. The same day also saw the opening of an exhibition featuring 21 projects selected for display.

The “Mediterranean Architecture Award 2026 – Living Mediterranean Culture – Housing” exhibition can be visited at the Istanbul Metropolitan Branch of the Chamber of Architects (Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa Mahallesi, Kemankeş Caddesi No:31, Karaköy) through 9 October 2026.

Why does this matter for visualization and presentation?

The award program is not specifically a technology or visualization prize, but how projects are presented becomes crucial in a program focused on housing. In presentations of Mediterranean housing, elements such as climate, shade, courtyards, semi-open spaces and everyday life are often central to the narrative. This means that presentation images need to convey not just form, but also the relationship between the project, its climate and its users.

The 21-project exhibition is a short-term but valuable opportunity for students and young practices in Istanbul to see contemporary housing across the Mediterranean and how these projects are represented through boards, photography and images. In particular, studies of shade, sectional perspectives and the translation of climate data into visual language can offer direct lessons to students preparing competition boards.

Today, many such presentations rely on images produced in real-time engines or rendering software. But in housing awards, what most needs to be communicated is often not a showy façade, but how the courtyard, terrace and interior are experienced throughout the day. That is why accurately setting the sun’s position for the site and season, showing the patterns cast by shading elements on the ground, and depicting spaces with users at realistic scale become not merely technical details, but the narrative itself.