UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Winners Announced as sauerbruch hutton Completes Berlin Presidential Office
UN-Habitat has revealed the recipients of the 2026 Scroll of Honour Award, celebrating significant contributions to urban housing and development. Among the honorees are a housing organization aiding conflict-affected communities, an Indigenous village in Brazil, a public housing authority from Pakistan, Tunisian researcher Abdelmalek Ghannem, and London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan. This announcement accompanies the World Cities Report 2026, which indicates that 3.4 billion individuals lack sufficient housing. In Berlin, the Office Building for Federal Authorities has been operational since July 2026 under President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, while construction for the Frank Liu Jr. Academy in Houston is underway, scheduled to open in August 2027.
Key facts
- UN-Habitat announced five 2026 Scroll of Honour Award recipients from Brazil, Myanmar, Pakistan, Tunisia, and the United Kingdom, selected from 101 nominations.
- UN-Habitat's World Cities Report 2026 states up to 3.4 billion people lack adequate housing.
- sauerbruch hutton completed the 18,700-square-meter Office Building for Federal Authorities at the Spreebogen in Berlin, temporary seat of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier since July 2026.
- OMA, led by Jason Long, with RDLR Architects and SWA Group, is converting Houston's 1930s J. A. Folger & Co. coffee plant into the 6,050-square-meter FLAMA charter school, opening August 2027.
- Frank Gehry's 100,000-square-foot Colburn School expansion in Los Angeles, including the 1,000-seat Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall, opens September 25, 2027.
- Benthem Crouwel Architects and Nieuwe Architecten finalized the Interfaculty Learning Centre at University of Groningen's Zernike Campus, with dismantling begun September 2026 and completion expected 2028–2029.
- Henning Larsen revealed Mill Green, a mixed-use precinct in central Perth for GDI Property Group, adapting buildings at 197 St Georges Terrace, 5 Mill Street, and 1 Mill Street.
- Utopian Hours 2026 takes place in Turin on October 16–17, organized by Stratosferica, featuring a masterclass by Archigram co-founder Peter Cook.
Entities
Artists
- Abdelmalek Ghannem
- Sadiq Khan
- Jason Long
- Frank Gehry
- Peter Cook
- Wim Walschap
- Zahra Ebrahim
- Carolyn Steel
- Frank-Walter Steinmeier
- Reyyan Dogan
Institutions
- UN-Habitat
- sauerbruch hutton
- OMA
- RDLR Architects
- SWA Group
- Frank Liu Jr. Academy for Music and Arts
- J. A. Folger & Co.
- Colburn School
- Trudl Zipper Dance Institute
- Benthem Crouwel Architects
- Nieuwe Architecten
- University of Groningen
- Henning Larsen
- GDI Property Group
- Stratosferica
- Archigram
- Herzog & de Meuron
- ArchDaily
- Housing NOW
- Aldeia do Espraiado – Tekoa Ara Hovy
- Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency
- Apni Chhat Apna Ghar
- Bank of Punjab
- Société Industrielle de Blocs (SOIB)
- Greater London Authority
- City Hall
- European Citizens' Initiative
- OBEL Award
- ROAD to Housing Act
Locations
- Brazil
- Myanmar
- Pakistan
- Tunisia
- United Kingdom
- London
- Panama
- Houston
- United States
- Los Angeles
- Turin
- Italy
- Groningen
- Netherlands
- Berlin
- Germany
- Perth
- Australia
- Swan River
- Whadjuk Noongar Country
- Spreebogen
- Schloss Bellevue
- Zernike Campus
- Nijenborgh 4
- 197 St Georges Terrace
- 5 Mill Street
- 1 Mill Street
- Bago
- Maricá
- Lahore
- Punjab
- Bizerte
- Africa
- Asia
- Europe
- Americas
- Balearic Islands