European Research Prize Grant

European Research Prize Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Skidmore, Owings and Merrill Foundation
Amount: €20,000
Last Updated: October 06, 2025

Summary

The European Research Prize, established by the SOM Foundation in 2021, awards €20,000 to a faculty-led interdisciplinary team in Europe for original research on mobility corridors. This initiative encourages innovative approaches to infrastructure that enhance sustainable growth and community engagement. Eligible faculty from accredited architecture and engineering programs can apply, fostering collaboration across disciplines. This year’s focus is on how interconnected systems can shape the future of urban environments.

Overview

About Founded in 1979, the SOM Foundation’s goal is to advance the design profession’s ability to address the key topics of our time by bringing together and supporting groups and individuals, each with the highest possible design aspirations. The Foundation’s award programming was established in 1981 and currently offers six annual awards across the United States, Europe, and China. The awards support students and faculty of architecture, landscape architecture, interior architecture, urban design, and engineering to undertake rigorous interdisciplinary research that can help shape our future. European Research Prize Fellowship In 2021, the SOM Foundation introduced the European Research Prize as an expansion of the US-based Research Prize. The €20,000 European Research Prize is awarded annually to a faculty-led interdisciplinary team based in Europe to conduct original research that contributes to the SOM Foundation’s current topic. Topic: Exploring the Potential of Mobility Corridors This year’s topic aims to explore how every scale of movement infrastructure shapes our built environment. How might new approaches to mobility corridors provide sustainable growth, from improving how people and goods move from place to place to supporting the ecosystems, communities, and activities that surround them? Ultimately, how can existing or proposed interconnected systems help define the future of our cities?

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The European Research Prize is open to faculty currently teaching at a professionally accredited bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD program in architecture, landscape architecture, interior architecture, urban design, or engineering in Europe. For a list of eligible countries, please visit the Architects’ Council of Europe: https://www.ace-cae.eu/architects-in-europe. The research must be developed in a studio and/or seminar within the academic institution. The lead faculty member(s) will be expected to work in a collaborative manner with faculty from other disciplines, leading professionals, nonprofit organizations, and/or community representatives in addition to students enrolled in the studio and/or seminar. Collaborator(s) can be based worldwide.

Ineligibility

SOM Foundation affiliated members and SOM employees should not be included as part of the proposals. Faculty from previously awarded proposals are not eligible. However, previously awarded academic institutions can submit new proposals.