The Building Arts Awards are a set of distinctions awarded in Spain since 2017 to outstanding masters of the various traditional building trades, for their whole career. These awards thereby contribute to the preservation and continuation of these trades, as well as giving their practitioners recognition. Traditional building work is grouped for these purposes into four categories, in each of which an annual prize funded with 10,000 euros is awarded, together with a commemorative plaque.
The Rafael Manzano Prize for New Traditional Architecture is intended to disseminate the value of traditional architecture as a benchmark for the architecture of our time. Since 2012 it has served to recognise careers that have been outstanding in this field in Spain and Portugal, contributing especially to the continuation of traditional architecture, both in the restoration of architectural and urban heritage and in the building of new work which, based on local tradition, is able to blend harmoniously into such ensembles. The Rafael Manzano Prize is funded with 50,000 euros, awarded with a commemorative medal.
The Richard H. Driehaus Medal for Heritage Preservation is an award given since 2019 together with the Rafael Manzano Prize for New Traditional Architecture. This distinction takes the patronage of Richard H. Driehaus himself as a model and is intended to honour stewards who, in public or private bodies, have made significant contributions to the conservation of heritage and to giving continuity to the architectural traditions of Spain and Portugal: entrepreneurs, developers, managers of foundations and leaders or promoters of other initiatives and institutions.
The three sites selected during the first phase of the 2025–2027 edition of the Richard H. Driehaus Architecture Competition were presented during the Building Arts Awards ceremony, held on 18
For the tenth consecutive year, the Building Arts Awards, endowed with €40,000, have been presented to four outstanding craftspeople. The award ceremony took place at the National Archaeological Museum in
After the first month of the 2026 Building Arts Grants, training work alongside masters of traditional building crafts is already underway in different parts of Spain. The programme, promoted by
