The Student Award (SA) addresses a bachelor and/or master student or student group with outstanding results in a related field to urban and regional planning. As a form of ISOCARP’s recognition of the efforts by future planning professionals, the award is bestowed for final design projects, theses, studio projects, etc.

Award winners were announced during an official ceremony at the 61st ISOCARP World Planning Congress in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in December 2025.

©Riyadh Region Municipality

In 2025, a record number of 53 entries were submitted:

1. Lushannan Placemaing by Qi Xia
2. Urban Climate Education: an international study of built environment higher education by Olivia Herrmann
3. urban610 by David Arazi
4. SPATIAL STRATEGY TO REGENERATING A SHRINKING TOWN: THE CASE OF SKUODAS by Aistė Pakamorytė
5. Egyption tsunami contengency plan by Shaimaa Mahmoud Elmowafy
6. Landscapes of resilience: Adaptive planning of green open spaces in Norman Creek, Australia by Imane Saidi
7. Reclaiming Karama | Jane Jacobs in Dubai by Lucie Salou, Marieh Khalighinasab, Sima Assaf and Alia Taher
8. Concept Plan and Urban Design for Core Area of the Xiaoyao Bay International Business District in Dalian by Yanpeng Shi and Daming Xu
9. Urban central kitchen:Harbin “central kitchen” agricultural and sideline products industrial chain by jilin zhang
10. Implementing and Reflecting on Harbin Institute of Technology’s Warm Corridor System Planning through a Climate-Responsive Lens by 正娇 刘, “婧媛 王, 吴松涛
11. Mapping Resilience to Compound Events in a Global Metropolis: A Case Study of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia by Alissa Murray
12. AgriStitch by Hikmet Eda Akbas and Sevval Bayir
13. The Sauna-Shelter: Redesigning Bus Stations For Cold-Weather Cities by Luley Osman and Carolina Rios
14. Frozen soil rejuvenates, ice city prospers by Dongyong Wei, Yueyan Qiu, Xi Zuo and Xuwen Wei
15. The Rebirth of the Aral Sea by YIFEI MU
16. The Protection and Renewal Design of Beijing Chunshu Historical District Based on the Narrative Layering Theory by Heya Na, Shuo Zhou, Jiayu Hong
17. The City Of Safety by Shuai Yan GUO, ZiXuan LI, Zhen Qiu, Xiang Yao
18. Beyond Rediscovery: Alijan Jute Mill’s Future by Fatiha Tanjim Oni
19. Al Mafraq Cultural Trail Project by Osama Al Arqan
20. The stairscape by elbin eldho
21. The influence of the urban environment on the travel behavior of citizens and the types of spatial mobility in Almaty by Dana Yessengazy and Guzal Akhmetova
22. An Integrative Analysis of Water and Climate Adaptation Governance in Bengaluru, India by Sudev Madhav Dileep
23. LAR-Go: Local Act for Resilient: Golyazı in Apollonia by Melike Cengizhan
24. Benua Etam Lestari: A Sustainable Transit Village for Indonesia’s New Capital through GIS Analysis and Smart Growth Projection by Sabrina Fatiannur, Calistha Azaria, Calistha Azaria and Kenar Putra Iswahyudi
25. CANOPY SHELTER by Lin Ma, Rui Liu, Yue Liu, Yi Ren
26. CITIES IN SYMBIOSIS: LIVING WITH FIRE by Reza Farhadi, Maryam Norouzi, Amir Rahsaz, Mahshid Del Avar and Hengameh Ghasemi
27. From Roots to High-Rise: The Role of Place Attachment in Shaping Housing Satisfaction in Kampung Susun Akuarium, Jakarta by Vimala Audira Dewi
28. ORIGIN. heritage revival and agritourism hub by samar Al.khoshman
29. SPATIAL DESIGN- User Centric Dwelling Design by Tavishi Mishra
30. SPATIAL DESIGN: User Centric Dwelling Design by Aadi Potey
31. Regeneration for Communities by Gabriel Pascoal
32. Infrastructres of Care in Borderlands by Mihir Bhagat, Nikita Mahajan, David Peralta
33. After the Ruins: The Evolution of Housing Policy in Türkiye Since the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes by Muram Bacare
34. Adaptive Reuse Assessment: Revising Redevelopment Policies in Denver, Colorado to Promote Sustainability by Victoria Lindenmuth
35. Echoes of the Canal:Landscape Planning for the Revitalization of Zhedong Canal by Yueyan Qiu, Dongyong Wei, Xi Zuo, Xuwen Wei
36. Design of the Circular University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem by Xuwen Wei
37. A Plan to Stitch the City : Future Smart Community Where Urban Resilience and Quality of Life Thrive Together — Rooted in Urban Resilience Gaps Research by Guangfeng Zhai
38. Reimagining Urban Flood Management: Role of Nature-Based Solutions and Public Engagement in Restoring the Yamuna River, New Delhi, India by Riyazul Samad Binmohammad
39. Ice Point Ligament: Cold Region Sustainable Resilient Wetland Landscape Design Based on In-Situ Biological Restoration Technology by Heya NA, Zhou Shuo and Lu Senting
40. STUDY ON THE INFLUENCE MECHANISM AND OPTIMIZATION STRATEGY OF URBAN GREEN SPACE PATTERN ON NOISE DISTRIBUTION by MINGFENG ZHANG
41. PASSING THE TORCH, CONTINUING THE LEGACY: Sustainable Planning for Urban RedCultural Heritage by MINGFENG ZHANG, JIANI JIANG, BOYI CUI, BOWEN LI
42. Organic Community by Yalin Li, Tingting Shi, Wang Qingying
43. Housing in European Metropolises: Supply dynamics and planning frameworks in large Urban Areas of the EU by Mikel Berra Sandin
44. The Green Line Community by Hamzah Alomari, Sadeen Almadi, Sara Zamili, Jood Bani Omar
45. FLOATING VEILS, FADING EDGES by MINGFENG ZHANG, WENKAI LIU, GUANG YANG, FENGCHEN ZHU, FENGYI XU
46. Weaving Liquid Veins: Reimagining Village Resilience through Khal Networks in the Sundarbans by DEBANJALI PAUL
47. Integration of Riyadh’s Megaprojects by sara almubarak
48. The Impact of Urban Renewal on Economic Activities in the City Centers: Central of Mahayil Asir, a case study by Amer Albariqi, Waleed Alzamil
49. An Economic & Tourist Vision for The Centers of Jazan Region by Maha Alqahtani
50. Majmaah Structural Plan (2023-2050) by Salem Alqahtani, Abdulrhman Alhomoud
51. Strategic Planning for Integrating Public Space Systems with Major Parks in Riyadh by Lujain Aldosari
52. Calumet: Off the Grid – A New Delta by Zihao Tang, Dimitri Nesbitt, John Mack, Aesha Acharya, Joshua Fraser, George Perkins, Ashley McKnight, Disha Chande, Clare Colvin, Kshitij Sriperambuduru, Aubrey Hills, Dr. Sevin Yildiz, Phil Enquist, Symphony Malveaux, Dr. April Jackson
53. JAKARTA – THE URGENT CALL by MAJA MAWUSI, María José Schmidt, Sanjaykumar Venkateshbabu

Jury

The jury was formed by experienced practitioners and academics: Keru Feng, Federica Fiaco, and Lamis El Khatieb

A Plan to Stitch the City : Future Smart Community Where Urban Resilience and Quality of Life Thrive Together — Rooted in Urban Resilience Gaps Research, by Guangfeng Zhai

The Plan to Stitch the City: Based on research on resilience gaps in waterlogged communities, new migrant communities, and urban villages, The Plan to Stitch the City addresses urban resilience issues such as spatial fragmentation, social alienation, ecological imbalance, and digital divide, as well as the pain point of insufficient intergenerational adaptability. With “intergenerational integration” as the thread, it builds a four-dimensional stitching system covering space, society, ecology, and digital aspects. Through measures like three-dimensional composite spaces, intergenerational co-governance, flexible facilities, and inclusive digital platforms, it creates a future all-age-friendly community where resilience and quality of life coexist, providing a replicable action-oriented urban renewal model.

Guangfeng Zhai, 2025 Student Award Winner
©Riyadh Region Municipality

Weaving Liquid Veins: Reimagining Village Resilience through Khal Networks in the Sundarbans, by Debanjali Paul

Weaving Liquid Veins: Reimagining Village Resilience through Khal Networks in the Sundarbans examines how villages in the Sundarbans, home to the Royal Bengal Tiger, can survive and thrive amid relentless cyclones, tidal surges, and rising salinity. For generations, villagers have relied on “khals” (Tidal creeks) that act as lifelines, sustaining water, biodiversity, culture, and livelihoods. Today, these waterways are increasingly disrupted by embankments, land reclamation, unplanned settlements, and siltation, leading to water stagnation, salinity intrusion, and livelihood decline. Traditional village layouts alone are no longer sufficient to withstand these pressures. This thesis proposes a resilient village framework that revives and revitalizes khal networks, establishes ecological buffers, incorporates community engagement spaces, and integrates flood resilient housing with eco-sensitive infrastructure. By reconnecting settlements to the water network and preserving ecological and cultural assets, the study presents a climate adaptive, water-sensitive blueprint for villages to endure, prosper, and harmonize life, work, and culture within the dynamic Sundarbans delta.

Debanjali Paul, 2025 Student Award Special Mention
©Riyadh Region Municipality

Congratulations to the winners, and a big thank you to all students who shared their work with us!

We look forward to receiving many successful SA submissions again next year.