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 June 2026 at the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid.
The Richard H. Driehaus Architecture Competition is one of the initiatives organized by the Traditional Building Cultures Foundation.
Aracena, Huelva
Aracena, located in the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche region in the north of the province of Huelva, has been selected as one of the three municipalities for the new edition of the Richard H. Driehaus Architecture Competition. Designated a Historic Ensemble and recognised for the richness of its architectural heritage, the town preserves a complex layering of historic urban fabrics. The proposed intervention focuses on the regeneration of a deteriorated area within the historic centre through the rehabilitation of the surroundings of the medieval walls and the Cilla building, as well as the urban reorganisation of the former suburb and the landscape restoration of several degraded spaces located at the foot of the historic fortifications.
Frigiliana, Málaga
Frigiliana, located in the Axarquía region of Málaga, on the southern slopes of the Sierra de Almijara, has been selected as one of the three municipalities for the new edition of the Richard H. Driehaus Architecture Competition. Its historic centre, designated a Site of Cultural Interest, is distinguished by the preservation of its Andalusi urban structure and the unique character of its traditional architectural fabric. The proposed intervention focuses on the rehabilitation of El Ingenio, a historic manor house and sugar-cane honey factory—the only one of its kind still operating in Europe—through the recovery of its disused spaces, the introduction of new cultural and tertiary uses compatible with its industrial activity, and the reorganisation of its urban and landscape setting. The project aims to strengthen pedestrian connections between the different levels of the historic centre.
Sahagún, León
Sahagún, located in the province of León, within the historic region of Tierra de Campos and along the route of the Camino de Santiago, has been selected as one of the three municipalities for the new edition of the Richard H. Driehaus Architecture Competition. Designated a Site of Cultural Interest as a Historic Ensemble and recognised as one of the principal centres of Hispano-Mudejar architecture, the town preserves a remarkable architectural tradition linked to the use of brick and to the historic development of the French Way pilgrimage route. The proposed intervention focuses on the transformation of the surroundings of the Monastery of San Benito through the creation of a new “Green Atrium”, including the reorganisation of pedestrian routes, the landscape integration of the access road, interventions in several ground-floor premises of adjacent buildings, and the restoration of the monumental and symbolic character of this historic entrance space to the monastic complex.
