The 2026 Built Environment Professional winner is Earth Court Case Study 001 (Sanctum) from Kindred Studio. Sanctum is the first in a series of unique “earth court” basketball courts designed and built by Kindred Studio, set in a forest environment and conceived as a celebration of the intersection of sport, art, and nature. The project aims to reimagine the basketball court as a site-specific sculptural experience that honors the natural landscape while creating a space for community and athletic play.

The jury selected this project because it “turns a basketball court into something much more than a place to play. The sculptural design creates a unique sense of place, bringing together sport, art, and nature in a way that feels both inviting and memorable.” The design team included John Dennis, Natashia Betancourt, Jonathan Brand, Haliei Benedict, David Hernandez, Patrick Cherry, Ashlynn Savannah, Stephanie Shum, Jason Price, Matthew Solomon, Dana Gluck and Donovan Barrow.

The 2026 Student winner in Built Environment is Space for Grief by Norris Hung, Jose Chavarría and Chris Downs at Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design. Space for Grief is an immersive installation that fosters community connection through the embodied expression of grief and compassion. The installation transforms individual grief into a shared, embodied language—allowing the body to express what words sometimes cannot, and inviting communities to process loss together rather than in isolation.

Jury captain Zhaoxiong Han noted that the “project’s greatest strength lies in making an intangible emotional experience tangible. By giving grief a physical and visual form, it creates a powerful bridge between personal reflection and collective connection.”

Built Environment Award Honorees

Zhaoxiong Han, Architectural Designer at Gensler, led the jury team for Built Environment. The team included Alastair Stokes, Associate at Gensler; Dingdong Tang, Project Coordinator at Corgan; and Liem My Tran, Associate Architectural Designer at ZGF Architects.

The 2026 Built Environment category celebrates spatial design that shapes how people inhabit the world around them, from permanent architectural interiors and public installations to temporary retail displays, exhibition booths, restaurant environments, and set designs that define a moment in space.

2026 Core77 Design Awards All Honorees:

Apps & Platforms | Built Environment | Branding & Identity | Commercial & Industrial Equipment | Consumer Technology | Design for Social Impact | Emerging Technologies | Furniture & Lighting | Home & Living | Interaction | Lifestyle Accessories | Medical & Healthcare | Packaging | Speculative Design | Sports & Outdoor | Sustainability | Tools | Toys & Play | Transportation & Mobility | Visual Communication