2026 International Architecture Awards – Three Atelier Ten Projects Recognized

We are pleased to share that three Atelier Ten projects received 2026 American Architecture Awards from the Chicago Athenaeum. These awards celebrate innovative projects around the world for their significance in architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning. Read more about each project below.

Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, NE | Museums and Cultural Buildings
As a cultural cornerstone for Nebraska, the Joslyn expansion creates a prominent new entrance open to the surrounding city while carefully balancing a precise indoor environment for the precious artwork. Atelier Ten optimized the new entrance so visitors are welcomed by a comfortably lit space suitable for occupants and artwork alike. In Omaha’s extreme climate, Atelier Ten’s main goal was to optimize the façade for energy performance while balancing daylight. Atelier Ten minimized excessive daylight on the south perimeter and ensured sufficient daylight for the north shop and east community rooms. Outside, the new sculpture garden and landscape showcase native and adaptive plantings while also reducing exterior water for irrigation.

Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA | Public Space
Longwood Gardens reimagines one of America’s greatest gardens, expanding public spaces and unifying the grounds. Critical to the revitalization of Longwood Gardens’ core conservatory area is the balance of environmental stewardship and visitor experience. Atelier Ten developed a sustainability approach that optimized the building envelope, maximized the effect of passive strategies, and enhanced visitor comfort. Atelier Ten’s thermal conditioning study led to the incorporation of operable windows, insulated roof glazing, interior shading, and a thermal blanket to improve temperatures significantly. To supplement the passive design strategies, tempering strategies and active systems include an earth duct system, radiant heating, and ground source heat pumps.

California College of the Arts Unified Campus, San Francisco, CA | Schools and Universities
Sustainability is an intrinsic part of the CCA curriculum and is a main driver of the new unified campus. Atelier Ten identified the project’s primary energy demands and worked with the team to minimize these through integrated passive design and equipment efficiencies in the individual art studios.

One of the key characteristics of the project is the integration of indoor and outdoor space to create an active and vibrant campus year round. As a highly passive building, the majority of spaces within the new building have abundant access to daylight and natural ventilation. Courtyards create usable outdoor spaces which bring daylight and natural ventilation to the ground level studios. This design not only extends the spaces usable area and activates the courtyards, but also naturally ventilates the space to reduce energy loads.