One Month Left Until Applications Close for the 9th International Golden Trezzini Awards

Applications for the 9th International Golden Trezzini Awards for Architecture and Design will close in one month, on September 15, 2026. The organizers report that the Arrangements Committee has already received over 300 submissions from 30 countries worldwide.

The Golden Trezzini is the world's only architecture and design competition whose winners' projects are added to a state museum collection. Established in 2018 and named after Domenico Trezzini, the first architect of St. Petersburg, the Awards promote the concept of 'architectural diplomacy' — a platform for professional dialogue among architects, designers, and restorers from around the globe, regardless of the political climate.

'Architecture is a rare language that no one perceives as alien,' says Pavel Chernyakov, Chairman of the Golden Trezzini Awards Organizing Committee. 'While politicians debate, architects continue to build, restore, and communicate in a professional language that transcends borders. This is the core meaning of our Awards: to unite those who create, rather than those who divide.'

The organizers remind participants of the upcoming stages of the competition cycle. Once application intake closes, submitted works will be submitted to the Qualification Committee, which is tasked with compiling the shortlists. On October 20, 2026, the finalists selected by the Qualification Committee experts will be announced. Following this, the International Jury — comprising over 200 experts from 35 countries, including practicing architects, designers, art historians, restorers, and diplomats — will evaluate the projects.

The announcement of the winners and the award ceremony will take place on November 20, 2026, at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. Winners will be presented with gilded Domenico Trezzini figurines — the competition's main trophy — handcrafted by artisans of the Imperial Porcelain Manufacture, which was founded in 1744.

Architects, designers, restorers, set designers, and exhibition designers from all over the world are invited to apply. No special project preparation is required: applicants simply need to submit one of their works — either realized or created between 2024 and 2026 — across one of the 24 award categories. Participation is free of charge.

Alongside long-standing core categories for public and residential buildings, restoration and reconstruction projects, exhibitions, and theatrical set design, this year features several new categories established jointly with partners: 'Best Project Implemented in the Traditions of the Leningrad School of Restoration', 'Best Implemented Architectural Project Using Brick', and 'Best​ ​Implemented ​Architectural Project​ by Student'. Special categories returned from previous years include 'Best Implemented Project for Adaptation of a Cultural Heritage Site' and 'Best Implemented Capital Construction Project in St. Petersburg', as well as sought-after partner categories 'Best Implemented Project for Restoration of Religious Building in Russia' and 'Best Implemented Architectural Lighting Project in Russia'.

The Honorary Chairman of the International Council of the Golden Trezzini Awards is Mikhail Piotrovsky, President of the St. Petersburg Worldwide Club and General Director of the State Hermitage Museum. The Golden Trezzini Awards is organized by the St. Petersburg Worldwide Club and is presented with the support of the State Hermitage Museum, the St. Petersburg Committee for Culture, and various other relevant government bodies and institutions. The General Museum Partner is the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg, and the Strategic Museum Partner is the State Russian Museum.

Winning entries enter the collections of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg and are featured in annual exhibitions, making the Golden Trezzini Awards a unique tool for preserving and musealizing contemporary architectural and design projects of high artistic value.

Applications remain open through September 15, 2026 at https://goldtrezzini.ru/en/.

Images: some of the projects nominated for the 2026 Golden Trezzini Awards. Courtesy of the Awards Organizing Committee.

1. Uruk Museum: Where the First Words Were Written (Iraq), Huda Burak Yahya Al-Saady, "Best Architectural Design for Museum" category.

2. “Northern Sun”, traveling exhibition project (Russia), Federal State Budgetary Institution of Culture "State Artistic and Architectural Palace and Park Museum-Reserve "Tsarskoye Selo", "Best Implemented Project of Temporary or Permanent Museum Exposition" category.

3. Opus 48. Ostrovsky (Russia), Moscow Taganka Theatre, "Best Implemented Theatre Set Design" category.

4. Restoration of 12th century Church of St. George in Staraya Ladoga, site of cultural heritage of federal significance (Russia), "Staraya Ladoga Historical, Architectural, and Archaeological Museum-Reserve", "Best Implemented Project for Restoration of Religious Building in Russia" category.

5. Restoration of the Old Chalet in Pavlovsk Park (Russia), Konevskie Restoration Workshops LLC / Federal State Budgetary Institution of Culture "Pavlovsk State Museum-Reserve", "Best Project Implemented in the Traditions of the Leningrad School of Restoration" category.

6. TerraSense Mountain Charm Retreat (Portugal), Diogo Aguiar Almeida (Atelier DRK), "Best Implemented Reconstruction Project" category.

7. City Manor in Orlovo-Davydovsky (Russia), Sminex, "Best Implemented Project for Adaptation of a Cultural Heritage Site" category.

8. Vizioner ("Visionary") (Russia), Evgeny Gerasimov and Partners, "Best Project of Residential or Mixed-Use Estate" category.

9. Crab's Clow Beach Club (Sri Lanka), Thilina Liyanage, "Best Project of Public Building or Facility" category.

10. Reconstruction and adaptation of the NAMA building for a modern function (Montenegro), Ksana Shkinch, "Best Project of Public Building or Facility" category.

11. World Trade Center (Dominican Republic), Carlos Aguilar, Lina Peña & Andrés Gómez Levy, "Best Implemented Project of Public Building or Facility" category.

12. Office of International Media Service and Setanta Sports (Uzbekistan), Ulugbek Shavkat ugli Khaitov, Akmaljon Shovkat ugli Khaitov, "Best Implemented Interior Design Project for Public Space" category.

13. POPPY Roastery (Japan), Takuro Nakaya (shirokuma and company), "Best Implemented Interior Design Project for Public Space" category.

14. Classics and modernity of the apartment in Russky Dom ("Russian House") residential complex (Russia), AYA&Co., "Best Implemented Apartment / Private House Interior Design Project" category.

15. University campus and student town (Russia), Leonid Markov, Saint Petersburg Mining University of Empress Catherine II, "Best Project of Building or Facility by Student" category.