FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OTTAWA, April 24, 2025 – The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) is proud to announce that Turenscape has been selected to receive the prestigious 2025 RAIC International Prize. Turenscape, based in Beijing and led by Dr. Kongjian Yu, has profoundly shaped the urban landscape of more than 250 cities globally through over 1,000 projects. Guided by their philosophical foundation of "Nature, Man, and Spirits as One," Turenscape seeks to promote harmony between land (Tu) and humanity (Ren) and to create sustainable environments for the future.
Turenscape’s foundation and body of work resonated with the selection committee, who noted that Turenscape “celebrates beauty and ecology, drawing lessons from natural systems to develop holistic responses that regenerate degraded urban ecosystems, increase resilience to flooding and sea level rise, cultivate natural habitats in urban areas, and create inspiring spaces that foster human reconnection to our natural world.”
Honourable Mentions
This year, the RAIC International Prize Selection Committee has also recognized five other individuals, projects, and firms for the ways they address and respond to climate action:
DnA Design and Architecture - Xu Tiantian, China
Joar Nango - Tromsø, Norway
NLÉ - Lagos, Nigeria / Amsterdam, Netherlands
Salima Naji - Morocco
Te Uru Taumatua, Te Wharehou O Tūhoe, Jasmax -Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland, Aotearoa / New Zealand
About the RAIC International Prize
The RAIC International Prize honours the belief that exceptional architecture can transform society by promoting humanistic values such as social equity, respect, and inclusiveness, and by creating environments for the well-being of all people.
The prize recognizes international architects, practices, and organizations beyond Canada that exemplify the RAIC’s values of integrity, climate action, reconciliation, social justice, and innovation. Through this initiative, the RAIC seeks to elevate exemplary global practices within an identified annual theme of relevance within Canada’s architectural community.
In recognition of the pressing planetary urgency of climate change and the RAIC’s Resolution for Urgent and Sustained Action on Climate and Ecological Health and the RAIC 1.5oC Climate Action Plan, the 2025 theme for the RAIC International Prize is Climate Action. The 2025 Prize seeks to recognize an architect, a practice or an architecturally focused group that exemplifies design excellence in climate action and regenerative development and design. Exemplars will demonstrate new precedents and innovative approaches to strengthening ecosystem and human health for present and future generations.
Learn more about the RAIC International Prize here.
About the RAIC
The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) is a not-for-profit, national organization dedicated to representing architects and architecture since 1907. The RAIC is the only national voice for excellence in the built environment in Canada focused on providing Canada’s architectural community with the tools, resources, and education to elevate their practice. The RAIC is committed to showcasing how design enhances quality of life, while advocating for important issues of society through responsible architecture. The RAIC’s purpose is to create a better world for all by empowering Canada’s architectural community. Through our work, the organization envisions a strong architectural community that is valued and empowered to create change. The RAIC’s national office is based in Ottawa with a growing federated chapter model. Current chapters and networks are based in British Columbia, Alberta, and Nova Scotia.
For more information:
communications@raic.org