The shortlist includes projects by Ecosistema Urbano, Heatherwick Studio, Mecanoo, MVRDV, and the Office for Political Innovation. Each concept proposes a space that promotes a circular way of life and inspires sustainable action. The winner will carry out a project worth 240 million euros.
Rotterdam, known for its progressive architecture, is an ideal location, with new venues such as the Netherlands Fotomuseum and Portlantis. Shift’s long-term goal is to create a global network of similar venues across six continents, focused on a sustainable future.
Each project covers between 25,000 and 30,000 square meters and includes a 10,000-square-meter immersive experience, as well as a hotel, a conference center, and a sustainable food court. The concept by Ecosistema Urbano, A Living Landmark, presents a regenerative system that functions as a dynamic social organism, connecting biodiversity with local communities and everyday life.
The Concept Urban Reef Heatherwick Studio presents a six-layered structure inspired by coral reefs, featuring interconnected spaces that encourage social interaction within a fluid design.
The project The House of Shift Mecanoo’s design emphasizes upcycling, carbon sequestration, and energy neutrality, with an aesthetic reminiscent of a space station.
The project Rotterdam Rocks MVRDV presents a layered landscape of “living rocks,” transforming architecture into an urban ecosystem and offering a futuristic interpretation of eco-brutalism.
Office for Political Innovation present Planetary Landmark for the Climate Age – a project designed to sense and understand climate processes. The winner will be selected by an international jury and announced in the spring of 2026.
Shift founder Don Ritzen explains that the project aims to make climate ambitions tangible by combining art, architecture, innovation, and education into an immersive experience that inspires action toward a circular economy. He emphasizes that true change comes through experience, noting that the project was created to showcase leaders in sustainability and demonstrate that a better future is entirely achievable.
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