No. 122. 2026 fib Awards for Outstanding Concrete Structures - AOS brochure. Presented at the 2026 fib Congress in Lisbon. (51 pages, ISBN 978-2-88394-208-0, June 2026).
Title: 2026 fib Awards for Outstanding Concrete Structures
AOS brochure
Year: 2026
Pages: 51
Format approx. DIN A4 (210x297 mm)
ISBN: 978-2-88394-208-0
DOI: doi.org/10.35789/fib.BULL.0122
Abstract:
Firstly, I would like to congratulate all the professionals involved in every phase and function of the award-winning projects as well as projects that received special mentions and exceptional recognitions. I also extend my recognition to all those who submitted their work. I had the privilege of serving on the jury, and it was no easy task to evaluate the entries, as all the submitted projects were truly outstanding. I therefore continue to encourage architects, structural designers, technologists, and builders to submit their work.
This award, held every four years within our organization, is particularly meaningful to me, as it represents a moment to celebrate the concrete structures built over a given period. We are often so immersed in our daily work, whether on construction sites, in research, or taking part in commissions, that we overlook the importance of contemplation. Yes, contemplation... taking the time to appreciate the beauty, form, and function of concrete structures. This is a moment to recognize the value of engineering and of the material we represent, one that has been part of human history for centuries, from the Mesopotamian civilizations (3000 BC) to opus caementitium, Roman concrete made with pozzolana, which gave rise to iconic works such as the Pantheon in Rome, and up to today’s ultra-high-performance technologies, featured in true works of art. Concrete is deeply embedded in our history and, through science, continues to evolve, shaping what we present in this special bulletin.
I would also like to highlight that the AOS evaluation criteria are closely aligned with today’s major challenges and, at the same time, key areas of innovation, such as decarbonization in pursuit of net-zero goals, the use of advanced material technologies and their components, digitalization and artificial intelligence, climate change, and resilience—both in the context of natural disasters and those caused by human activity.
Our congress is the ideal stage for this important celebration, as the role of the federation is to create the right opportunities and support these achievements by producing and sharing knowledge and publishing comprehensive references, such as the Model Code 2020, a key normative document for many countries, as well as guidelines for designers and builders. These outputs are the result of the work of professionals from around the world, supported by more than 40 member countries within our institution. In this context, our core institutional focus, bridging academia and practice, has guided us for many years, strengthening the global adoption of concrete structures.
In turn, concrete structures play a central role in our evolution, both now and in the future. They will remain part of the landscape wherever we are and will continue to serve humanity, whether in infrastructure or buildings, connecting cities and continents, enabling urban mobility, delivering energy, providing shelter, and promoting human well-being. In this sense, they are not only technical solutions, but also essential elements of societal development.
I conclude this editorial with a reflection from one of our great masters, Eduardo Torroja, in his book Razón y Ser de los Tipos Estructurales:
“Each material has a specific and distinct personality, and each form imposes a different stress phenomenon. The natural solution to a problem, art without artífice, optimal in light of the set of prior conditions that gave rise to it, impresses through its message while simultaneously satisfying the demands of both the technician and the artist. The birth of a structural whole, the result of a creative process, a fusion of technique and art, of ingenuity, study, imagination, and sensitivity, escapes the purely logical domain to enter the secret boundaries of inspiration. Before everything else, and above all, calculation is preceded by the idea, which shapes the material into a resistant form to fulfill its mission.”
I invite everyone to celebrate another historic edition of the AOS.
Ms Iría Lícia Oliva Doníak
fib President
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