For the first time outside of New York City, World Monuments Fund and Modernism Week are partnering to present the 2026 World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize ceremony announcing the 2026 prize recipient. (Images shown are of previous prize recipients.)

The prestigious World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize recognizes contemporary architects and preservationists whose work demonstrates innovative, replicable approaches to conserving Modernist architecture in the world.

Once considered the vanguard of architecture, many Modernist buildings of the 20th century now face deterioration, neglect, and public apathy. Too often, these structures are “too young” to qualify for landmark protection, and their experimental materials and designs require bold and inventive approaches to preservation.

Established in 2008 through a partnership between World Monuments Fund and Knoll, this biennial prize champions the idea that Modern buildings are vital touchstones of our shared twentieth-century legacy by recognizing outstanding conservation projects of Modernist buildings undertaken within the previous decade. Prize-winning projects honor the vision of the original structure while improving the site’s environmental and economic sustainability as well as community benefit.

The ceremony will include a panel discussion with the award recipient and architectural experts.

The World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize has been made possible, in part, by support from Knoll.

2026 Prize Jury Members

Barry Bergdoll, Chairman, Meyer Schapiro Professor of Art History and Archaeology, Columbia University; New York, NY
Susan Macdonald, Head, Buildings and Sites, The Getty Conservation Institute; Los Angeles, CA
Dietrich Neumann, Professor of the History of Modern Architecture and Director, Urban Studies, Department of the History of Art and Architecture, Brown University; Providence, RI
Theo Prudon, President, Docomomo US and Adjunct Professor of Historic Preservation, Columbia University and Pratt Institute; New York, NY
Karen Stein, Critic, Architectural Advisor, and Executive Director of the George Nelson Foundation, New York, NY
Mabel O. Wilson, Nancy and George Rupp Professor of Architecture, Planning and Preservation; Professor in African American and African Diasporic Studies; and Director of the Institute for Research in African American Studies, Columbia University; New York, NY