MoMA and Ambasz Institute Launch $200K Annual Architecture Prize

On Earth Day, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) introduced the Ambasz-MoMA Annual Prize for Nature-Reconciled Architecture, made possible by a significant donation from the Legacy Emilio Ambasz Foundation. This award grants $200,000 each year to an architectural endeavor completed within the past 30 years that embodies the fundamental values of the Ambasz Institute. The prize money is divided equally, with $100,000 awarded to the architect(s) and the remaining $100,000 designated for a nonprofit organization focused on tree planting in the client's name. A panel of five judges—three from MoMA's Department of Architecture and Design, including Martino Stierli and Evangelos Kotsioris, along with two rotating external experts—will assess the entries through a research-based, nomination-driven approach. The first winner will be revealed in late 2026. Additionally, the donation will support a new annual lecture series titled "Architecture as Poetry," commencing in spring 2028.