On June 7, 2025, during the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, the Fondation Jacques Rougerie - Académie des beaux-arts had the great honor of awarding its UNOC Special Prize to the University of Costa Rica, in recognition of its exemplary work on the city of Puntarenas, which faces the threat of submersion by 2100.
This prize highlights the outstanding commitment of 150 architecture students over the course of a year, brought together through the efforts of our Junior Ambassador, Jose Carlo Bolaños Padilla, and guided by their professors Jacqueline Gillet, Carlos Azofeifa, Esteban PĂ©rez, MĂłnica Ordóñez, and Sergio Ălvarez. Together, they worked to imagine local, sustainable, and resilient solutions to the climate emergency.
Through its Ambassadors (Arnaud RĂ©aux, Carlos Moreno, and Jacques Rougerie) and long-standing partners, the Foundation supported these young talents in developing visionary projects to reinvent their living environments.
đ± The projects presented reflect a rigorous approach, deeply rooted in local context, blending art, science, and technology in harmony with Nature.
đ We regret the absence of Her Excellency the Ambassador of Costa Rica and the President of the Republic of Costa Rica, who were initially invited to the ceremony. However, we look forward to meeting them on June 10 in the Blue Zone, to highlight the commitment of Costa Rican youth to today's major challenges.
đ Congratulations to the students, professors, and all our partners for this forward-looking collective journey!