news
04.09.2026
KAAP Horn and York nominated Architectenweb Awards
We’re proud to share that KAAP Horn and York has been nominated for the Architectenweb Awards, in the category Residential Building of the Year 2026! Thank you, Architectenweb for this nomination and the recognition of the project. The architectural concept for both buildings consists of an open and rational white concrete structure on the lower levels, crowned with an extravagant, sculptural ‘top’ of weathering steel. In the lower part of the buildings, apartments are horizontally oriented with panoramic views across the IJ, while the apartments on the upper floors are vertically oriented, with large windows that offer wide views of the Dutch skies. Read more about KAAP Horn and York and the other nominees via this link. KAAP comprises five residential buildings and a circular hospitality pavilion, designed by Orange Architects (Horn and York), Powerhouse Company (Coast and Verde) and NEXT architects (Blanc and circular Pavilion).
read more17.07.2026
Why Now! Keynote at Lviv Urban Forum 2026
Lviv Urban Forum 2026 was a powerful reminder of the energy, ambition and expertise shaping Ukraine’s future. On behalf of Orange Architects, Patrick Meijers was honoured to be invited as keynote speaker to share our perspective on Why Now! — identity, sustainability and the neighborhood as foundation for Ukraine’s future. The keynote focused on the why behind reconstruction: before asking what to build and how to build it, we need to ask what kind of country, cities, neighborhoods and communities Ukraine wants to become. This question also drives our work through Orange Architects, Ukraine – the Netherlands Urban Network (UNUN), Panorama Ukraine and the many Ukrainian and Dutch partners we are fortunate to work with. A special thank you to Mayor Andriy Sadovyi, City Architect Anton Kolomeytsev, the Lviv Urban Forum team and all organizers for creating an inspiring three-day symposium full of national and international expertise in urban design, architecture, planning, social development and reconstruction. During the forum we reconnected with many friends and colleagues, including Mykola Morozov, Nikita Bielokopytov, Andriy Golovchenko, Oleg Drozdov, Oleksandra Naryzhna, Alexander Ohranovych, Natalie Fadeeva, Roman Puchko, Fulco Treffers and Kees Christiaanse, and met new partners including Oleksandr Fenchuk from Lviv Municipality, Oliver Weigel from IBA Munich, Olexi Kurylyshyn and Yurko Nazaruk of Fest Republic. Together with Lviv City Councillors, we are exploring whether the PANNO Prototype, a modular, circular and biobased school prototype funded by Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO), can be positioned in Lviv North, within the wider UNBROKEN Ukraine area. We also visited Budfrank, the construction company involved in the prototype. Anton Kolomeytsev gave us a valuable tour through northern Lviv, including the UNBROKEN project, social housing designed by Oleg Drozdov and the hospital redevelopment by ABMK Architects. It showed how Lviv is connecting care, housing, public space and urban development into one future-oriented agenda. The forum made one thing clear: Ukraine is not only rebuilding. Ukraine is defining its sustainable future. Thank you, Lviv. We return with new energy, new connections and an even stronger belief in the power of collaboration.
read more01.06.2026
Floating Gardens selected as a CVU Award of Excellence winner
We are happy to share that Floating Gardens has been selected as a CVU Award of Excellence winner, competing for Best Tall Building Europe at the 2026 VU Summit in London this October! Together with Synchroon, we will present the project live before an international jury. As cities continue to grow upward, the challenge is no longer simply how to build taller, but how to create healthier, more connected, and more sustainable ways of living together. Together with Bureau Rowin Petersma (school design), Felixx landscape architects and the Municipality of Amsterdam, we created Floating Gardens. A building composed of layers of varying sizes that accommodate green roof gardens, enhance biodiversity, and improve residents’ well-being. The fully integrated, sustainable structure includes an “all-in-one school,” 192 apartments — including 85 mid-range rental studios — and a large communal living room. Exactly ten years ago, Orange Architects received the Best Tall Building Award for the Middle East–Africa region with The Cube in Beirut, marking our first project abroad. Back then, we travelled to Chicago to join the celebration and receive the award. Now, we are honoured to stand on stage once again, this time in London.
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