A three-day event brought award-winning architects, exhibitions, and a gala beneath the Acropolis to the Greek capital.
Athens served as the meeting point for architects from across the globe last week, as the Chicago Athenaeum, in partnership with the European Centre of Architecture, Design, and Urban Studies and Global Design News, held “The City and the World Athens Symposium.”
The three-day program combined interviews, an awards gala, and public presentations, spotlighting the winners of the International Architecture Awards 2026 and the European Prize for Architecture 2026.
Day One: Interviews with the Award Winners
The symposium opened with a meet-and-greet at Contemporary Space Athens, where organizers conducted interviews with the architects behind this year’s winning projects.
The session offered a first look at the thinking behind the designs that would later be celebrated on the symposium’s main stage, ahead of the formal ceremony to follow.
Day Two: Awards Ceremony at the Divani Palace Acropolis
The symposium’s central event took place on Friday, September 18, at the Secret Roof Garden of the Divani Palace Acropolis, where the International Architecture Awards 2026 and the European Prize for Architecture 2026 were formally presented.
The European Prize, awarded with its traditional laurel wreath, went to grand winner Sergei Kuznetsov. A group photograph of the winners was taken with the Acropolis in the background, marking the occasion.
The ceremony also included Honored Guest Addresses, Dr Konstantina Siountri, Architect and Acting Director at the Greek Ministry of Culture, and Iro Nikolakea, Architect and Head of Exhibitions and Cultural Events at the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST) in Athens.
Running in parallel with the symposium, the exhibition “The City and the World” opened on September 18 at Contemporary Space Athens (Mitropoleos 74) and continues through October 18, 2026, with free admission.
It presents the award-winning projects and Honorable Mentions of the International Architecture Awards 2026, along with a section dedicated to Kuznetsov’s work.
Day Three: Project Presentations
The symposium closed with a day of presentations at Contemporary Space Athens, where several winning teams discussed their projects in detail.
Presenting firms included Cardim Arquitetura Paisagística, JSWD Architekten, K-Studio with Alexandros N. Tombazis & Associates, Magnom Properties, MAXX LLC, PIERIS Architects, PKA arkitekter with Rambøll Arkitekter, Schormann Architekten & Ingenieure, Sung et Associés architecture, Surfacedesign, and Wowhaus with Kengo Kuma and Associates, each outlining the ideas and processes behind their award-winning work.
