EQS-News: Global architects share inspiration for cities of the future at BRICK AWARD 26 Architecture Symposium

EQS-News: Wienerberger AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous
   Global architects share inspiration for cities of the future at
   BRICK AWARD 26 Architecture Symposium

   15.06.2026 / 09:00 CET/CEST
   The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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   Global architects share inspiration for cities of the future at
   BRICK AWARD 26 Architecture Symposium

     • The 12th biennial BRICK AWARD Architecture Symposium was held on
       Friday, June 12, 2026, at MAK Museum, Vienna
     • Cities of the Future: Transforming for a Resilient, Sustainable and
       Inclusive Tomorrow showcased and debated best practice and
       architectural innovation from around the world

   Vienna, June 15, 2026 – With cities accounting for more than 70 per cent
   of global greenhouse gas emissions, and accelerating urbanization
   increasing exposure to climate and disaster risks, a select group of the
   world's leading architects gathered at the BRICK AWARD 26 Architecture
   Symposium in Vienna last week to discuss how they can help to ensure the
   cities of the future are resilient, sustainable and inclusive.

   Since 2004, the biennial BRICK AWARD has been giving architects a platform
   for their unique designs and celebrating brick and ceramic building
   products as timeless materials for innovative and forward-looking
   architecture. Hosted by wienerberger, the independent awards bring
   together some of the world’s most inspirational and innovative pioneers of
   brick architecture, providing an unrivalled pool of knowledge and
   experience that is shared and developed at a symposium that takes place in
   the days following the awards ceremony.

   Taking as its theme "Cities of the Future: Transforming for a Resilient,
   Sustainable and Inclusive Tomorrow", the BRICK AWARD 26 Architecture
   Symposium saw leading thinkers in the field discuss the critical role of
   architecture, urban planning and the building sector in creating the
   sustainable cities of the future.

   Through a series of talks, the symposium presented innovative, radical and
   groundbreaking projects and ideas that sparked discussions on solutions
   and possibilities to form more resilient and liveable cities for all.

   Architecture in dialogue with place, culture, and material

   Daniel Mangabeira, co-founder of BLOCO Arquitetos, a leader in
   contemporary Brazilian architecture, highlighted the importance of
   "building with place" through the example of the Brazilian Cerrado, a vast
   ecologically rich but increasingly threatened territory in the heart of
   Brazil. By framing the Cerrado as both physical and cultural landscape,
   Mangabeira discussed how the work of BLOCO Arquitetos responds to
   environmental pressures and spatial inequalities in the region. “In
   Brasília, we inherited a modern architecture deeply connected to
   structure, light and landscape. Today, our challenge is to carry this
   legacy forward while responding to environmental fragility and
   contemporary social inequalities. In the Cerrado, one of the world’s most
   threatened biomes, architecture should incorporate the territory,
   recognizing its limits, preserving its memory and understanding the
   landscape itself as part of the project”, said Daniel Mangabeira. His
   insights helped delegates explore how architecture can reconnect
   construction with territory and address contemporary challenges while
   proposing more resilient and context-sensitive futures.

   Turning to Vietnam for practical examples of how to embrace cultural
   sensitivity and inclusivity, ARB Architects founder Nguyen Há explained
   the concept of "Situated Serenity". This approach, deployed by Há through
   her MM Labs initiative, sees buildings not as objects, but as processes of
   knowledge making through matter. “Situated Serenity sees architecture as a
   living entity, constantly becoming through experimentation with matter,
   memory, and the belief systems of a territory”, said Nguyen Há. Working
   across research, experimentation and practice, Situated Serenity engages
   site-sourced materials, processes of making and tacit knowledge as living
   agents that carry memory, territory and systems of belief. In this sense,
   architecture becomes a living archive, where the sacred is not represented
   but gently constructed and experienced.

   Preserving the past, shaping the future: architecture for resilient and
   livable cities

   The symposium also considered examples of adaptive reuse strategies in
   West Africa, where Jeanne Autran-Edorh, co-founder of Studio NEiDA,
   believes there is much to learn from the architecture that precedes and
   exceeds the discipline as it is understood today. Studio NEiDA is engaged
   in documenting the modernist buildings produced in the decades following
   independence from former colonial powers, proposing futures for these
   structures that are rooted in the communities that inhabit them. “A
   resilient city is one that transforms and adapts what already exists. For
   the West African cities I work in, this means grappling with a building
   history whose transmission was violently disrupted by colonialism and then
   flattened by the dominant canon. The knowledge held in the hands of
   craftspeople and generations of builders risks being lost, while modern
   ruins are read as failure rather than potential. These multiple legacies,
   studied and applied with care, can ground an architecture fit for a future
   of communal urban life,” said Jeanne Autran-Edorh. Eschewing
   one-size-fits-all solutions, Autran-Edorh pointed towards the multitude of
   ways in which this can be achieved.

   Brooklyn Bridge Park in the USA, which was funded by a self-sustaining
   economic model that has become a new standard for ambitious public space
   projects, was the subject of a talk by Matthew Urbanski, partner at MVVA.
   More than 20 years in the making, the park has transformed an abandoned
   waterfront into a public landscape visited by five million people a year.
   “Parks are the most vital and welcoming gathering places for urban
   communities providing a connection to nature and each other. We hope the
   creation story of Brooklyn Bridge Park inspires other cities to grasp the
   opportunities and tackle the challenges presented by large-scale civic
   landscape projects,” said Matthew Urbanski. The project sets a benchmark
   for waterfront projects globally that both reconnect cities to their
   shorelines and provide storm buffers in the face of climate change. The
   idea for Brooklyn Bridge Park came from the public in response to a
   proposed plan to build apartment towers at the water’s edge. Urbanski
   explored how, through advocacy and community engagement, the vision of an
   accessible, continuous riverfront park became a reality.

   “Cities are big drivers of climate change, representing two-thirds of
   global energy consumption, but they are also hubs for creativity,
   innovation and education. Through sharing their innovations and
   experience, the architects attending the BRICK AWARD Architecture
   Symposium have the capacity to affect significant systemic changes across
   a range of critical areas, from climate change mitigation and adaptation
   to ecosystem preservation, restoration and circular economies.

   Cultural sensitivity and human-centric design are also vital to ensure
   cities of the future succeed as places to live. Smart renovations that
   focus on the efficient use of energy and resources need to increase in
   scale and contribute to a sustainable and affordable housing sector, while
   accessible, high-quality green spaces are vital to support biodiversity,
   physical and mental health, and social well-being.

   wienerberger is proud to once again be providing a forum for the world's
   leading innovators to connect with their peers and further best practice
   in global architecture. The urgency of this debate and the insights it
   brings are vital not only for our industry but for the entire built
   world”, says Heimo Scheuch, CEO wienerberger.

   About the BRICK AWARD

   The BRICK AWARD is an international architecture prize that celebrates
   outstanding brick architecture from around the world. Hosted by
   wienerberger, the award recognizes innovation, craftsmanship, and
   sustainable design, while remaining independent; use of wienerberger
   products is not a requirement for participation. Established in 2004, the
   biennial prize has become a prestigious platform for visionary architects,
   showcasing the creative and ecological potential of brick and ceramic
   materials in contemporary architecture. Winners from around the world are
   celebrated during an award ceremony, and their work is featured in the
   official BRICK book, alongside nominated projects.

   wienerberger
   wienerberger is a leading international provider of innovative, ecological
   solutions for the entire building envelope, in the fields of new build and
   renovation, as well as infrastructure in water and energy management. With
   more than 20,000 employees worldwide, wienerberger's solutions enable
   energy-efficient, healthy, climate-friendly, and affordable living.
   wienerberger is the world’s largest producer of bricks and the market
   leader in clay roof tiles in Europe as well as concrete pavers in Eastern
   Europe. In pipe systems (ceramic and plastic pipes), the company is one of
   the leading suppliers in Europe and a leading supplier of facade products
   in North America. With its more than 200 production sites, wienerberger
   generated revenues of €4.6 billion and an operating EBITDA of approx. €754
   million in 2025.

   For further information, please contact:
   Claudia Hajdinyak, Head of Corporate Communications Wienerberger AG
   t +43 664 828 31 83 | [email protected]

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   15.06.2026 CET/CEST This Corporate News was distributed by [1]EQS Group

   View original content: [2]EQS News

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   Language:    English
   Company:     Wienerberger AG
                Wienerbergerplatz 1
                1100 Wien
                Austria
   Phone:       +43 1 60 192-0
   Fax:         +43 1 60 192-10159
   E-mail:      [email protected]
   Internet:    www.wienerberger.com
   ISIN:        AT0000831706
   Listed:      Vienna Stock Exchange (Official Market)
   EQS News ID: 2345196


    
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