Set on the banks of the Sava River in Belgrade, Serbia, the site of a former cement factory became the starting point for the 21st edition of the Saint-Gobain Architecture Student Contest. Organized in cooperation with the World Green Building Council, OneClick LCA, the City of Belgrade, the Academic Yachting Club Belgrade, the Serbia Green Building Council, and the Green & Blue Corridors Association, invited students to imagine a new Sports and Recreation Hub capable of transforming an industrial waterfront into a year-round public destination. More than 200 universities from 34 countries participated in this 21stedition of the Architecture Student Contest.
The brief moved between renovation, new construction, and urban strategy. Students were asked to renovate the ground and first floors of the Academic Yachting Club Belgrade, connect the existing building to the rest of the site, design new athlete accommodation, and organize a wider network of uses, green areas, and public programs. Circularity, embodied carbon, energy efficiency, and low-impact construction were also part of the evaluation criteria.
Launched in Serbia by Saint-Gobain Isover in 2004, the competition has since grown into an international platform for architecture students, with each edition placing stronger emphasis on environmental performance, life cycle thinking, and the social role of design. In Belgrade, this ambition took shape through proposals that explored how neglected urban sites can be reconnected to the city, adapted to local conditions, and opened to new forms of collective life.
International Jury (2026)
The jury comprised representatives from local Serbian authorities, recognized international architects, and SaintGobain experts:
- Nebojša ANTEŠEVIĆ, Architectural Curator – Museum of Applied Arts, Belgrade
- Bojana ZEKOVIĆ, President – Green Building Council Serbia - Assistant Professor – Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade
- Jugoslav JANJIĆ, Architect, Owner and Managing Partner – Dizajn Arhitektura
- Vladimír HAIN, Associate Professor, Engineer Architect – Institute of Structures in Architecture and Engineering Buildings, STU Bratislava
- Sofia GALÁN RIVERA, Associate, Spain Building Envelopes and Façades Leader - Arup
- Daniel FÜGENSCHUH, President – Architects Council of Europe
- Pascal EVEILLARD, Director of Sustainable Construction – Saint-Gobain
- Pierre-Alain GILLET, International Marketing Director Building Solutions – Saint-Gobain
1st prize, Ceding the Sava, South Africa
The project combines strong contextual understanding with a clear and effective architectural response to environmental and social conditions. It proposes an open, accessible landscape strategy—freeing ground space and organizing functions within a compact, layered structure—resulting in a coherent spatial hierarchy and strong public value. The integration of program under a unifying roof enables both functional efficiency and improved environmental performance.
Sustainability is not only present but structurally embedded in the project's logic, supported by technical clarity and innovation. The proposal demonstrates the highest level of coherence, and depth among all entries.
2nd Prize, COEXISTENCE, Portugal
The project achieves a rare equilibrium between architecture, landscape, sustainability, and social use. The concept of "coexistence" is clearly defined and consistently translated into both masterplan and architectural scales. Buildings, public spaces, and ecological systems are conceived as a single integrated framework, where sustainability is spatially visible and functionally embedded.
The proposal demonstrates technical maturity through clarity and simplicity, avoiding unnecessary formal complexity while maintaining strong performance logic. It stands out for its consistency, feasibility, and overall design intelligence.
3rd Prize, The bird's nest, France
The project is distinguished by a strong and memorable architectural identity, driven by a clear concept expressed consistently across structure, envelope, and spatial organization. The jury particularly valued its visual impact, narrative strength, and coherence between form and user experience. The biomimetic "nest" logic creates a unified architectural language and a compelling spatial experience, reinforced by rich interior–exterior relationships.
Sustainability is integrated through passive and material strategies, contributing to a holistic approach rather than a purely technical add-on. The project is ambitious and well executed, with strong representational quality.
Student Prize, Meandering Confluence, China
The project demonstrates a highly refined integration of water systems, landscape, and built form, where architecture operates as part of a continuous ecological system rather than an isolated object. The concept of "confluence" is clearly articulated and consistently translated into spatial and environmental strategies, achieving a strong balance between poetic expression and spatial clarity. The proposal shows a high level of control in scale, sequencing, and decision-making, reflecting notable methodological maturity for a student project. Programmatic additions, such as the birdwatching annex, enhance both function and narrative coherence.
The project stands out for its coherence and sensitivity; however, its technical and building-scale sustainability strategies remain less developed than the most performance-driven proposals.
Teacher Prize, The Sava Thread, Morrocco
The project demonstrates a solid understanding of the local context, effectively integrating site conditions and cultural references into a clear, site-specific response. The "thread" concept provides a legible narrative that connects spaces, flows, and functions, resulting in a proposal that is both accessible and logically structured. Emphasis on landscape continuity, accessibility, and shared spaces contributes positively to its social and urban quality.
The design is realistic and implementable, avoiding unnecessary complexity while maintaining coherence. However, compared to stronger entries, it lacks a distinctive level of innovation and depth in sustainability strategy.
About the Architecture Student Contest
The Architecture Student Contest (for students in architecture, design, and civil engineering) offers realcase professional experience with a local client and emphasizes sustainability in modern construction.
TwoStage Structure:
- National Stage — Organized locally with universities by the SaintGobain Local Leader; each country's winning project advances.
- International Stage — Winners present to the International Jury (5minute pitch); all projects are exhibited during the opening.
Learn more via the official contest website.
Credits & Courtesy
- Courtesy: SaintGobain
- Locations: Belgrade, Serbia
- Photos: Sam Pinto
- Partners: World Green Building Council, OneClick LCA, the City of Belgrade, the Academic Yachting Club Belgrade, the Serbia Green Building Council, the Green & Blue Corridors Association
