IOC IAKS Architecture Prize and Architecture and Design Award for Students and Young Professionals 2025

The festive prize-giving ceremony for the awards took place on 28th October 2025 at the IAKS Congress in Cologne (Germany).

Information about the award winners and impressions

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS) were committed to advocating for excellence in the visioning, design and operation of sustainable, universally accessible and innovative indoor and outdoor facilities.

Identifying and promoting trends for transforming communities and urban areas into places of active living as well as building sustainable facilities is at the core of this international competition.

The competition aims at increasing the accessibility of all sports and leisure facilities and architectural structures in order to offer all people opportunities to practise and view sport freely and without barriers.

Young architects and planners at the start of their professional careers, as well as students, were cordially invited to took part in the young talent competition with their innovative ideas, designs and concepts. The prize, jointly organised by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and IAKS (International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities), aims to promote an active lifestyle. The awards went to designs and concepts that encourage young people to participate in sports.

The closing date for entries was 30 April 2025 and the award ceremony took place at a festive gala dinner in the presence of high-profile personalities from the worlds of sport, architecture, culture and politics on 28 October 2025 in Cologne. The architecture prize, which has been awarded since 2011, is the international springboard for young pioneers in sports facility construction!