Architectural student, James Langlois, has won the renowned, international architectural award ‘The EU Mies Van Der Rohe Young Talent Open 2025’.
The award was presented to him in June, in Venice at the Biennale.
There were 80 entrants for this prestigious prize which recognises exceptional
student work from member countries of the Council of Europe, South East
Asia and Australasia.
Mr Langlois won the prize for his final student project ‘Poolside Politic’ which
restores and reimagines a controversially defunded community swimming
pool complex located on the outskirts of Marseille.
He said: “It’s an honour to win this Award, I could never have imagined that my architectural education would be recognised in a moment like this.”
Mr Langlois selected the Marseille site and proposed a citizen led project that implemented construction based activism, and introducing low cost housing, self-sufficient food cultivation, and focussed on re-establishing local industry through the production of Marseille’s historic soap.
He said the idea was to bring the space back to the people; “The reopening of the Olympic size swimming pool and community baths for the public aims to rejuvenate the former oasis and return it to the citizens of Marseille. The adaptive reuse of the existing concrete buildings and utilising reclaimed site and locally sourced materials provides a sustainable, renewable approach to construction.”
Mr Langlois continued; “In the context of the climate crisis it is an increasing necessity to utilise existing built fabrics. It is the obvious way to make construction more sustainable”
He grew up in Guernsey and studied at the Grammar School. His interest in architecture grew from involvement in his parent’s architectural practice and his design projects in Design and Technology.
Mr Langlois attended Liverpool University School of Architecture where he was nominated for the prestigious RIBA President’s Bronze Award.
He achieved a distinction in his Architectural MA at the University of Westminster where he was also nominated for the RIBA President’s Silver Award and received the RIBA West London ‘Best Student Project’ Award which required him to present his project at the RIBA Headquarters to an 250 strong audience.
Mr Langlois is currently working for a London based architectural practice and will
take his final exams next year to become a Chartered Architect.
