SOM Foundation Announces Winner of the 2024 European Research Prize

The SOM Foundation is pleased to announce the winner of the 2024 European Research Prize. A team from the Technological University Dublin will receive a €20,000 prize to conduct original research that contributes to this year’s topic, “Advancing Toward a Water-Secure Future.” The European Research Prize was created in 2021 to cultivate new ideas and meaningful research that addresses the critical issues of our time.

As part of the project “Coastal Register: Research and Design of Nature-based Solutions for Wetland Water Security,” Steve Larkin and Helen McFadden aim to lay the foundation for efforts to protect and restore coastal wetlands along the western seaboard in County Mayo, Ireland. This project asks the research question: How can architectural methods and interdisciplinary collaboration support the implementation of nature-based solutions for water security?

“The jury was delighted to award the 2024 European Research Prize to ‘Coastal Register‘ by the School of Architecture at the Technological University Dublin. Wetland degradation is a critical global water-security issue; this is especially urgent in Ireland which faces the highest loss with 75% of its wetlands depleted over the past thirty years,” comments juror Jane Withers. “We considered ‘Coastal Register‘ a well-conceived approach to researching and designing nature-based solutions to wetland degradation. By engaging interdisciplinary teams including farmers’ networks and citizen scientists as well as student groups, the project has the potential to inspire far reaching change.”

“‘Coastal Register’ reflects a comprehensive approach to addressing the intertwined issues of water security and climate resilience, particularly within the context of Ireland's significant wetland loss. With a strong research and design methodology, the project brings together an interdisciplinary team of architects, geomorphologists, community members, and policymakers to develop and implement nature-based solutions. ‘Coastal Register’ clearly puts the focus on student engagement through real-world, studio-based projects, ensuring that future architects gain practical skills and insights necessary for sustainable design,” mentioned juror Montserrat Bonvehi Rosich. “By integrating cultural and ecological perspectives, the project aims to restore and protect Ireland's coastal wetlands and extend the impact of these efforts across various landscapes. The initiative’s alignment with the SOM Foundation’s focus on water further emphasizes the importance of knowledge exchange and independent thinking in tackling contemporary environmental challenges. This is going to be an incredible project to follow along during the entire process!”

This year’s jury was led by SOM Foundation Executive Director Iker Gil and included Montserrat Bonvehi Rosich (Visiting Assistant Professor of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Sam Fox School of Design at Washington University in St. Louis; SOM Foundation fellow); Margarita Jover (Professor in Architecture, Program Co-Director of Landscape + Engineering, Tulane University; cofounder aldayjover, Barcelona and New Orleans); Henk Ovink (Executive Director and founding Commissioner, Global Commission on the Economics of Water, New York City); and Jane Withers (Director, Jane Withers Studio; Curator, Water Pressure: Designing for the Future, London).

“I commend the SOM Foundation’s ambition to consistently support and provoke design talent to address the challenges of today and tomorrow,” juror Henk Ovink shared. “The SOM Foundation is a constant factor in creating a safe space for catalytic design.”

European Research Prize recipients are expected to collaborate with students, faculty, and leaders from various disciplines to pursue their research topics. They will be required to document their findings and develop suggestions for application to professional practice. The outcome of the research will be shared publicly on the SOM Foundation’s website as well as other mediums identified by the winning teams.