On February 11, a press conference was held at the TASS St. Petersburg Press Center to launch the new application campaign. It was opened by Mikhail Piotrovsky, President of the Worldwide St. Petersburg Club, General Director of the State Hermitage Museum, and Honorary Chairman of the Awards’ International Council. According to Mr. Piotrovsky, the Golden Trezzini Awards are more than just a competition; they are a vital vessel for St. Petersburg’s architectural culture. He noted that St. Petersburg has always been a crossroads of global contexts, citing examples ranging from the Peter and Paul Cathedral to Pulkovo Airport. Today, the Awards project this symbol of St. Petersburg culture both across Russia and to the international community, uniting those who sincerely love the city.
Natalia Sidorkevich, Chair of the Board of the Worldwide St. Petersburg Club, highlighted the special status of the «Spirit of St. Petersburg» (Genius Petropolis) category. Laureates in this category are awarded a medal created by the Worldwide St. Petersburg Club in memory of Valentina Orlova (1946–2021), the Club’s first Chair of the Board. The award recognizes restoration projects that most accurately reflect the spirit and traditions of St. Petersburg. In 2025, the medal was awarded to KGIOP (Committee for State Control, Use and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments) for the restoration of the facade of the Buturlina Mansion (10 Tchaikovsky St.), the flagship project of a large-scale program for restoring the facades of historic residential monuments.
Maxim Poletaev, Head of the Representative Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the Russian Federation in St. Petersburg, discussed the MFA’s role in delivering award trophies to international winners unable to attend the ceremony. The initiative began when a trophy destined for Brazil could not be delivered via standard mail. At the suggestion of the St. Petersburg MFA office, the Ministry’s Department for Multilateral Humanitarian Cooperation and Cultural Ties arranged for delivery via diplomatic pouch. The trophy was sent from Moscow to the Russian Embassy in Brasília and personally presented to the laureates by an embassy representative. This successful practice will continue this year, with trophies reaching foreign winners through diplomatic channels.
Photo credits: Golden Trezzini Organizing Committee
Vladimir Grigoriev, General Director of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg and President of the St. Petersburg Union of Architects, expressed his delight that architecture remains a focal point for the Worldwide St. Petersburg Club. He emphasized that architecture largely shapes human life and influences our sense of comfort within the environment. The State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg houses 1.3 million items, a significant portion of which consists of architectural graphics and documents tracing the evolution of global architectural thought. Consequently, the museum continues the tradition of incorporating new realized and visionary projects from the Golden Trezzini winners into its permanent collection.
Alexey Mikhailov, Chairman of the Committee for State Control, Use and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments (KGIOP), spoke about last year’s initiative: the category for «Best Implemented Project of Adaptive Reuse of a Cultural Heritage Site.» In this category, experts evaluate complex restoration works that balance site preservation with functional modernization. Last year, the winner was the project to preserve the Anglican Church of Jesus Christ (56 English Embankment), a federal cultural heritage site, and adapt it into a concert hall.
Sergey Lutchenko, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Urban Planning Policy and Chief Architect of the Leningrad Region, underscored the Awards’ importance as a unique platform for «architectural diplomacy» and professional exchange. He added that including modern projects in a museum fund is not only a historical record but the highest validation of architecture as an art form. He also noted the role of the Leningrad Region, where modern urban planning tasks are solved in dialogue with a rich historical context. This season, the Leningrad Region initiated the new «Best Implemented Student Project» category to foster mentorship for young architects.
Photo credits: Golden Trezzini Organizing Committee
Greeting letters were also presented from Evgeny Grigoriev, Chairman of the Committee for External Relations and Member of the St. Petersburg Government, and Pavel Sokolov, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture and Chief Architect of St. Petersburg.
Background Information
Named after Domenico Trezzini, the first architect of St. Petersburg, the Golden Trezzini Awards are unique because winning projects are transformed into museum exhibits. The works of winners and finalists are added to the collection of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg and featured in the annual «Architecture as Art» exhibition at the Peter and Paul Fortress. This ensures the preservation and popularization of achievements by modern architects, restorers, designers, and students.
The Awards are organized by the Worldwide St. Petersburg Club. The International Council and Jury include experts, diplomats, and public figures from 35 countries. The official awards are manufactured by the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory.
In the 9th season, awards will be presented in 27 categories. Special prizes include the Crystal Trezzini, Ceramic Trezzini, People’s Choice Award, the Genius Petropolis Medal, and the Lazar Khidekel Prize. This year introduces three new categories:
Website: Applications are accepted via the redesigned portal.
Deadline: September 15.
Eligibility: Projects developed (or completed, for realized works) after January 1, 2024.
Participation: Free of charge, open globally.
Award Ceremony: November 20, 2026, at the State Hermitage Museum.
In 2025, the Awards saw 1,289 entries from 53 countries. Winners included architects from Russia, Argentina, Brazil, India, the USA, and Japan. Since its inception, the Awards have received over 6,400 projects from 114 countries.
