ETH Zurich students win all three main prizes at the SIA Master Prize in Architecture

This year, 33 final theses from 9 architecture schools were nominated for the SIA Master Prize, which the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects SIA has been awarding annually since 2022. At the awards ceremony on October 17 at the ZHAW in Winterthur, eight projects selected by an independent jury were honored. All three main prizes, each worth 3,000 francs, and a recognition worth 1,000 francs went to students at ETH Zurich.

The jury awarded a prize to Timo Bauer for his final thesis external page "rbl+1", which densifies the SBB marshalling yard in Spreitenbach with energy infrastructure - "a proposal that is as comprehensive as it is convincing", as the jury wrote in external page the jury report. Pauline Sauter was awarded a prize, which she accepted remotely. Her densification and conversion project external page "Re-Arrangements" at the car park in Zurich weaves together old and new and pursues "a pragmatic-poetic approach", according to the jury. The team made up of Maximilian Lewark, Josiane Schmidt and Alexander Throm also received a prize for their work external page "Ode to Joy", which examines the European Union's real estate practices in Brussels and presents an alternative solution. The jury spoke of a "strong plea to understand the role of the architect in political terms too". The team was also chosen to provide one of the jury members next year.

For the project external page "Radikal Lokal", which is constructed with earth, stone and wood, the jury awarded a recognition to ETH Zurich graduate Steven Malischke. It also awarded recognitions to Gaëtan Dousse and Léo Laurence from the Fribourg School of Engineering and Architecture, and to Enzo Migliano, Meryl Barthe and Noémie Perregaux-Dielf from the EPFL. The Department of Architecture at ETH Zurich warmly congratulates all the winners.