The projects (DES)BORDE and Ecos del temps have been selected among the 10 finalists of the 38th edition of the awards, promoted by ARQUIN-FAD.
ESDI has secured two places among the 10 finalists of the 2026 Habitácola Awards, one of the leading competitions for design and architecture students, promoted by ARQUIN-FAD. In this 38th edition, under the theme “Observation Spaces”, the competition invited participants to rethink the relationship between the city, infrastructures and the natural environment through proposals capable of observing, activating and preserving the landscape from a sustainable, sensitive and contemporary perspective.
The ESDI finalist projects are “(DES)BORDE” by Sara Gómez Montolio, and “Ecos del temps” by Carla Izquierdo Martinez and Júlia Pozo Calzado. Both projects were developed under the supervision of Ivan Mases and Pau Gelpí.
(DES)BORDE proposes an active observation space in the Ripoll River area of Sabadell, to reflect on the historical, natural, and urban relationship between the city and the river. Through a system of compacted earth modules, the project creates a habitable route that adapts to the landscape’s cycles, improves conditions for wildlife, and transforms the river’s edge into a space of connection.
Meanwhile, Ecos del temps proposes an adaptable and replicable viewpoint for forests affected by fires. The proposal uses logs from the burned area itself to create an immersive structure that accompanies the natural regeneration process of the ecosystem. The project invites visitors to observe the passage of time, the memory of the forest, and the gradual recovery of life after the fire.
The selection of these two projects reinforces ESDI’s commitment to education based on research, material experimentation, and the social and environmental responsibility of design. It also highlights the students’ ability to address contemporary challenges through proposals that are sensitive to the local context and connected to current needs.
The Habitácola Awards, established in 1987, aim to promote critical thinking, creativity, and professional rigor among design and architecture students. The 2026 awards ceremony will take place on June 17, 2026, coinciding with the FAD Architecture and Interior Design Awards.