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The European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture is rewarded to a person with multifaceted accomplishments. They’ve highlighted their home as a model for a sustainably smart city. Their work extends beyond national boundaries. They bring the field’s practitioners closer. They define a common European culture. They exalt architecture’s key role in technological, constructional, social, economic, cultural and aesthetic feats.
In 2025, Aalborg University graduate Signe Glud’s thesis project became one of the nominees for the official architecture prize by the EU – no small deed considering the region is widely considered the place where the field reached its zenith. Whether or not she wins the 60,000 euros prize, what she gained from her project will always hold far greater value: the know-how to build cities for people.
“The diverse range of engineering and architecture subjects — ranging from indoor climate and structural tectonics to materiality, transformation, and sustainability — allowed me to explore my passions, while the interdisciplinary nature of the programme provided invaluable support for this journey,” Glud says.
CREATE: Master’s programmes that manifest liveable and sustainable cities for all
Located in Aalborg on the waterfront, the Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology (CREATE) is part of the second best university in the EU for engineering and fourth in the world for sustainability that puts the human experience first. CREATE harnesses the disciplines in its namesake in pursuit of the same, with a good dose of engineering thrown in. In the tradition of Scandinavian architecture, programmes here aim to make liveable and sustainable cities a reality.
The Architecture & Urban Design section offers two master’s degrees blending engineering into its curriculum: Architecture, Master of Science (MSc) in Engineering and Urban Design, Master of Science (MSc) in Engineering. The first prepares you to draw and model energy-neutral buildings and sustainable architecture. You’ll work with environmentally sound materials and constructions and with user-oriented design, and immerse yourself in building design, tectonic design, indoor climate, and room acoustics. It’s an effective approach – one that’s led students to win awards for their proposal on sustainable public housing and to be nominated for awards, like Glud did.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have studied in such a great programme,” she reflects. “Throughout the programme, the emphasis on finding, developing, and strengthening my position in the field of architecture was a key focus.
Research at Aalborg University aims to be user-friendly, technologically driven, sustainable, and methodological. Source: Aalborg University
The Urban Design MSc in Engineering, on the other hand, has a strong focus on mobility and transformation. The programme handles contemporary urban challenges to shape cities, creating new spaces for people and new ways of moving around them.
“My master’s experience in Urban Design at Aalborg University was the greatest, thanks to the unique integration of social science and engineering,” graduate Daniel Hermansen says. “I also appreciate the flexibility of my field, allowing me to pursue diverse career paths, from city planning and community engagement to engineering firms or small architectural firms. Whether working on small-scale urban details or large-scale city planning, the skills I have acquired empower me to contribute to sustainable and long-term urban development.”
These programmes take a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach to their curriculum. You will work in groups to identify and understand current real-world issues and then develop detailed solutions for them. Tackling global issues like climate change and sustainability, alongside pressing social challenges such as urban growth and shrinkage, migration, and inequality will form the core of your projects here.
Aalborg University is among the world’s top five in sustainability. Source: Aalborg University
“The PBL approach, which centres around real-world problems and addressing societal challenges, particularly in sustainability, equipped me with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge needed for life after graduation,” Glud says. “Furthermore, collaborative group work was a fundamental aspect of the programme, pushing us to develop the skills necessary to work effectively in a team-based environment. This experience taught me to work alongside people from different disciplines, tackling complex challenges that extend far beyond what any individual could address alone.”
Alongside projects, research is a big part of these master’s programmes. Specifically, research that can and must change the world. Take the Brain, Body, Architecture Research group, for example. This interdisciplinary collaboration involves experts from architecture, neuroscience, urban design, urban mobilities, and sociology seeking to improve human mobility and its relations to building a contemporary city. Another is the Urban Design – Transformation and Mobilities group, which looks into critical design challenges cities face and strives to create more sustainable and democratic futures for the built environment.
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