Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026 – Global winner
The VELUX Group has announced the recipient of the global daylight prize for the 2026 edition of Light of Tomorrow by VELUX, formerly known as the International VELUX Award. The biennial international competition for students of architecture, endorsed by the UIA since 2004, invites participants to explore the role of daylight in architecture and everyday life.
The eight finalists developed their proposals during a workshop in Barcelona, with live presentations held as part of the official programme of the UIA World Congress of Architects. The jury evaluated the projects based on conceptual strength, design approach and the innovative use of daylight, selecting one project to receive the global award.
The winning project, “Sun the Quilt”, by XU Qicheng, LUO Jun, GAO Rui, RUAN Guoqiang, ZHANG Xuanyi and CAI Kunhong from Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology (China), was selected as the global winner of the 2026 edition.
The project reinterprets the everyday domestic act of drying textiles, food and household objects within dense urban environments, translating it into an adaptable façade system that integrates daylight modulation, ventilation, shading and drying into a single architectural element.
The jury highlighted the project’s ability to transform an existing domestic practice into a clear and grounded architectural response. By consolidating multiple functions into a single system, the proposal addresses a specific social and environmental context through a low-technology and context-sensitive approach. The jury further noted its sensitivity to local living conditions, its handling of the relationship between interior and exterior space, and the clarity of its overall intent.
The global winner receives a prize of €4,000, with an additional €1,000 awarded to the supervising teacher.
Explore the winning project here and regional winners here.
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