Arguedas, International Award-Winning Work

We are honored to share that the project and work of Restoration of the parish of Arguedas - Navarra - Spain, has just received the honor of being distinguished with the Faith and Forth award of this year just ended 2025.

Jury Comments

The entirety of this project was impressive, from the in-depth structural research that grounded the restoration plan to the integration of advanced engineering with traditional construction. Above all, what strikes us as most beautiful is how restoring the original south portal also restored the relationship of the parish church to its plaza—spatially reestablishing an inspiring connection between ecclesial and civic forms of community.

Project Partners

Arzobispado de Pamplona y Tudela
Parroquia de San Esteban de Arguedas

Acciona Construcción S.A.:
- Joaquín Cobo
- Juan Carlos Llorens
- Juan José Gómez
- Jorge Laguna

Juanjo Tenorio
Lidia Soto
Gary Skotnicki
Michael Corenblith

Winners of the 2026 Faith & Form International Awards for Religious Architecture & Art Announced

March 31, 2026 — PHILADELPHIA, PA — Today Partners for Sacred Places announced the winners of the 2026 Faith & Form International Awards for Religious Architecture & Art, a program founded in 1978 to honor excellence and innovation in architecture, design and art for religious places. With projects that include the creation, restoration and re-use of religious buildings, landscapes and artworks, this year’s 12 winners reflect the depth and breadth of complex societal needs religious places must fulfill today.

“These projects stand at the forefront of religious art and architecture. They were shaped by professionals who understand design as an act of service–both to faith communities and also the wider social fabric these communities help to sustain. As shining examples, these exciting, award-winning projects light a path for other congregations and religious property owners to follow,” Kevin Block, director of special initiatives, explained.

Why Religious Places are Critically Relevant to Contemporary Life

Religious buildings and spaces have long served as guardians of local stories, migration histories and communal milestones. They are inclusive and intergenerational places that cut across class, ethnicity and faith communities and to serve the public good. From polling places and meeting spaces to supporting soup kitchens, classes, childcare and health programs, they function as infrastructure of everyday care that sustains civic life. Yet communities often recognize their full value only when these places are lost.

For faith communities, the question is no longer simply how to preserve buildings, landscapes and art created for another era or how to create new ones. Instead, congregations must determine how to reimagine sacred places and their attendant liturgical art—whether existing or new—to support current worship patterns, community needs and financial realities.

Given these dynamics, the Faith & Form International Awards for Religious Architecture & Art are more critical than ever as congregations pursue projects that respond to evolving needs and changing climate. The program received 75 entries for 2026 from nine countries, underscoring growing global momentum in sacred design.

“This year’s entries represented a cross-section of place and spiritual connection and were significant for the remarkable solutions they offered their congregations,” noted Joshua Zinder, AIA, chair of the award’s five-person jury. “From the smallest entryway to the reinvention of city-scaled interventions, the projects address critical issues of our time through adaptive reuse, historic restoration and thoughtful insertions that create new and transcendent spaces.”

Why the Faith & Form International Awards Matter

The Faith & Form International Awards play a defining role in elevating sacred architecture, design and art by showcasing what is possible at the highest levels of creativity and purpose. “The entries this year were remarkable, a cross section of place and spiritual connection,” said Jury Chair Joshua Zinder, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB. “From the smallest entryway to wholescale reinvention of city-scaled interventions, the projects illustrated critical issues of our time, adaptive reuse, historic restoration, thoughtful insertions, creating new and transcendent spaces and places. The entries spanned the globe and showed that despite our different backgrounds and cultures, architecture and art can elevate us all. It was a pleasure to see such talent and skill from so many different faith traditions and creative minds.

At the same time, the awards serve as a bridge between faith communities, architects, artists and preservationists, offering a shared platform for collaboration and learning. They establish standards, spark new ideas and provide a roadmap for congregations and institutions considering their own projects.

About the 2026 Faith & Form International Awards Winners

The 2026 awardees represent leading examples of innovation in religious architecture, restoration, landscape design and liturgical art across diverse geographies, traditions and project scales. Winners will be recognized by Partners for Sacred Places and Interfaith Design, a knowledge community of the American Institute of Architects, at the AIA Conference on Architecture 2026 in San Diego, CA. Additional information about the winning projects, including photos, drawings and jury comments, can be found at https://sacredplaces.org/news/2026-religious-architecture-art-award-winners.

Awardees were selected by a panel of five jurors representing the design, preservation and faith communities. It included Joshua Zinder, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, principal of Joshua Zinder Architecture + Design, Landau|Zinder Architecture as jury chair; Lisa J. DeBoer, professor of art history at Westmont College; Rev. Drew Henry of Immanuel Presbyterian Church; Erica Ruggiero, Associate AIA, principal and historic preservation specialist at McGuire Igleski & Associates; and Edward Torrez, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, president at Arda Design.

San Esteban Parish Church; Arguedas, Navarre, Spain; Cherrez y Cantera Arquitectos
The project restores a historic parish church while introducing contemporary architectural elements that clarify spatial organization. It demonstrates how modern interventions can coexist with heritage structures to enhance both function and meaning.

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(in order to read the whole press release and about the rest of participants use the provided link)

https://sacredplaces.org/news/2026-faith-form-press-release/

https://sacredplaces.org/news/2026-faith-form-press-release/