Innovative aerogel applications in architecture and construction

The winner in the "Joint Category" is the student project: Adaptation of Fabryka Lejzerowicz, Lubelska - Kamionek, located in Warsaw, Poland. Students: Jiří Petrželka and Kristýna Klůsová from Czech Technical University, Department of Architecture, Prague, Czech republic.

The winner is a student project, "Adaptation of Fabryka Lejzerowicz" in Warsaw, where a former industrial site in the Praga-Południe district is transformed into a vibrant cultural and social hub. The repurposing of the old factory into a multifunctional hub shows how architecture can extend the life cycle of existing structures, pioneering a new model of climate-conscious urban renewal.  The use of recycled material to achieve carbon neutrality and reduce waste, in combination with the aerogel insulation, allows minimal wall build-up, preserving both interior space and historic façade. The aerogel application serves as a technical backbone to the sustainability aspect of the project, without compromising the design. The jury honored the project with the winning prize, emphasizing the visionary combination of aerogel technology, innovation and social impact.

The 2nd place was awarded to the renovation of manor estate house "Gutshaus Schafhausen“ located in Wickede/Ruhr in Germany from architect Friederike van de Loo - Schulze Schwienhorst, studio WOHNEN.PLANEN located in Münster, Germany. Contributions of Dipl.-Ing. Ralf Krüger for site management and construction supervision, the Lower Monument Authority of the City of Wickede and the Upper Monument Authority of LWL Münster as well as ISW Engineering Office from Arnsberg.

In second place comes a realized project from Germany, a visionary restoration approach of a historically protected manor house from 1743 in North Rhine-Westphalia. The planning team from WOHNEN.PLANEN chose to apply aerogel insulation plaster (FIXIT 222) to the exterior walls. This allowed the building to meet modern thermal standards without compromising its heritage character. The ultra-thin insulation layer significantly reduced the building’s heating demand by an estimated 25–30 kW per year, despite the challenge of working with a wood-hybrid façade. The jury recognized the project as a compelling example, demonstrating that historic preservation and sustainable building can go hand in hand.

The 3rd place was awarded to the student project "Urban Bloom", placed in Brasil and designed by students of architecture, Aline Eduarda Braz, Brenda Pimentel Ramos de Almeida, Gabriel Castro Osachuki and Leonardo de Oliveira Anders, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Federal University of Paraná and Federal University of Technology Paraná.

The 3rd place went to a student project from Brazil for "Urban Bloom", a modular greenhouse structure designed to promote urban agriculture through movable, prefabricated construction. The project was developed for the city of Curitiba, Brazil, which is facing rapid urbanization. The greenhouse module is based on a Glulam timber frame and translucent polycarbonate panels filled with aerogel, combining structural efficiency with high thermal performance. Its sloped façade features movable panels that open to form canopies and shelves, which enhances multifunctionality, since the structure doubles as a market stall and a community gathering space. The jury praised this creative, lightweight, high-performance solution, which supports both climate control and daylighting in compact urban structures, while promoting community empowerment.

The three winning projects received an Aerogel Architecture Award at the beginning of June. Image: Empa

The Aerogel Architecture Award was initiated by Empa in 2020. This year, it was facilitated by industry partners Agitec, Fixit, IBIH and Hasit. For the 2025 competition, 9 student projects and 1 realized project were received from different countries. A jury consisting of experts Michael O'Connor (France), Beat Kämpfen (Switzerland), Volker Herzog (Germany) and Manfred Wehdorn (Austria) evaluated the submitted projects in terms of heritage value, energy efficiency and originality of the chosen solution. The jury decided to award each nominated project with a monetary prize of 1000 CHF, a trophy, a certificate and invite all nominated projects.

Further information on all submitted projects can be found on this website.