Green View Tower receives Special Mention at Architizer A+Awards 2026

The Green View Tower project, developed by MJARC Architects in Covilhã, has received a Special Mention at the 2026 Architizer A+Awards in the Unbuilt – Multi-Unit Housing (L >10 Floors) category. The distinction recognizes the architectural and urban ambition of an intervention that transforms a structure abandoned for over 50 years into a new residential building.

The award was granted as part of an international competition with entries from over 70 countries, honoring projects that stand out for their quality, vision, and architectural ambition. Currently under construction in Covilhã, the project rehabilitates the former Santo António Tower, an unfinished structure abandoned for more than five decades. MJARC Architects’ proposal stems from a deep reading of existing urban memory, transforming a building once associated with neglect into a new element of life, housing, and regeneration for the city.

From Abandoned Structure to New Urban Symbol

Green View Tower represents a rehabilitation intervention with a significant urban impact. Instead of erasing the memory of the existing construction, the project preserves a large part of the original structure, reducing the need for new materials and reinforcing a more sustainable approach to construction. This decision extends the building’s lifespan, diminishes the environmental impact of the intervention, and restores meaning to an architectural presence that, for decades, remained suspended in time. More than just building anew, the proposal seeks to transform what already exists—recognizing the value of material, memory, and the city.

Sustainability, Housing, and Urban Regeneration

The distinction at the 2026 Architizer A+Awards reinforces MJARC Architects‘ commitment to a conscious architectural practice, where sustainability and urban regeneration are conceived as part of the same vision.

Green View Tower proposes a new housing solution for Covilhã, as well as a new relationship between the city and one of its most striking structures. By converting an urban stigma into a contemporary residential building, the project contributes to reactivating the urban fabric and restoring vitality to an area with strong transformational potential.

International Recognition

Receiving a Special Mention at the 2026 Architizer A+Awards is a significant recognition for Green View Tower and the journey of MJARC Architects, validating the effort and dedication of a team committed to rehabilitating a building as controversial as the Santo António Tower.

We thank Architizer for distinguishing this mission of transforming an abandoned structure into a new symbol of vitality for Covilhã. A special thanks to all those who work daily to bring this project to life..