It is with immense pride that I share the news that 40 projects registered through my lens are among the nominees for the prestigious ArchDaily 2026 Building of the Year (Obra do Ano) Award. This distinction recognizes the best built works in Portuguese-speaking countries, and photography plays an essential role in valuing and internationally projecting these works. The true heroes of this achievement are the architects, whose talent and vision continue to elevate contemporary architecture.

The nominations span 10 distinct categories, reflecting the diversity and conceptual rigor of Lusophone architecture. In the Houses category, the most represented with 21 projects, we find Casa Covelo by spaceworkers, Casa do Parque IV, Casa da Encosta and Moradia do Retiro by Ricardo Azevedo Arquitecto, Casa CL by Artequitectos, Casa Alcoutins by Paulo Martins, Casa PI by ArquitectosRT, Casa do Castanheiro by Luppa Arquitectos and Casa Pedrantil by Helder da Rocha Arquitectos. Also in this category are Casa em Mesão Frio by felixARQS, Casa na Lameira by João Pedro Pedrosa - Arquitectos, Casa CS by WALAA + Jorge Gonzalez, Casa Arco by Tiago Castro Sousa, Casa Clara by M2.senos arquitectos, Casa da Levada by Tsou Arquitectos, Casa DR by nmdarq, Casa SA by Sandro Ferreira arquitectura, Casa Corten by HPA Arquitetura, Monte Do Divor by Vasco Burnay Arquitectura and, finally, Casa M and Casa do Engenho by Silverline.

In Collective Housing, the highlights include Puro Tower by Mário Alves arquiteto, Urban Rehabilitation of Bairro do Boneco by Adarq, Apartamentos Vitória by Floret Arquitectura, António Enes 13 by Pedro Carrilho Arquitectos Pedro Carrilho Arquitectos Reabilitação Poveira – FS11 Building by Urbanpolis, Edifício Estação by Sónia Cruz - Arquitectura and the Macau Valley Residential Building by Hori-zonte. In the Hospitality & Entertainment area, the nominees are The Capsule Neo-Bistro by Atelier Réalité, KI.art.music.coffee. by MAT Arquitetura, Abrigos de Montanha by Filipe Pina and Restaurante CONCERTO by MiMool. For Office Architecture, the Vermoim Parish Council by Rui Mendes Ribeiro and the Metyis Technology Center by UNUM are nominated.

The impact of architecture also extends to the public and service sectors. In Cultural Architecture, Ponto C – Culture and Creativity by Galeria Gabinete is nominated; in Mixed-Use Architecture, the Oriente Green Campus by LJ-Group Landscape Architecture; in Sports Architecture, the Level Private Gym Academy by stu.dere; and in Healthcare Architecture, the Odemira Cerebral Palsy Association by Filipe Xavier Oliveira. Finally, the Urban Refuge Apartment by Atelier Réalité competes in Interior Design, and the remarkable Fareja Bridge by Rómulo Neto Arquitectos in Infrastructure.

These nominations strengthen the international visibility of contemporary architecture and the work of Ivo Tavares as an architectural photographer, highlighting the importance of imagery in building the architectural discourse and promoting projects globally.

We invite everyone to participate and support these projects on the ArchDaily Brasil platform, where you can vote for your favorite work once a day. The nomination phase runs until April 7, 2026, with the announcement of the 15 finalists scheduled for April 8.