DDS+ and La Royale Belge recognised by the RIBA International Awards for Excellence 2026

La Royale Belge, the transformation project led by Caruso St John Architects, Bovenbouw Architectuur and the Brussels-based office DDS+, is among the 34 winners of the RIBA International Awards for Excellence 2026, announced by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Selected from projects across 15 countries and four continents, the awards recognise buildings that provide exemplary responses to contemporary social, environmental and urban challenges.

La Royale Belge: a reinvented modernist icon

Located in Watermael-Boitsfort, the Royale Belge building, originally designed in the 1960s, is a remarkable modernist landmark within the Brussels landscape. With its perfect cruciform plan and corten steel façade resting on a fully glazed base, the building appears to float above the water while integrating harmoniously into its surroundings.

The transformation project proposes an ambitious adaptive reuse of the former headquarters of the historic insurance company.

Rehabilitated as a multifunctional complex, the building now houses MIX, a hybrid destination combining a four-star hotel, several restaurants, coworking spaces and a sports and wellness centre spanning more than 5,000 m².

The awarded projects are now in contention for the RIBA International Prize 2026, whose winner will be announced on 15 October in London.