SAWA, the 50-meter-high circular wooden residential building on the Lloyd Pier in Rotterdam, has been named the overall winner of the National Timber Construction Award 2025 by the expert jury. According to the jury report, SAWA is “this year’s absolute standout: elegant, beautifully designed, towering in ambition, and sustainable down to its very core.”
The award is considered the most prestigious Dutch recognition for progressive timber construction. While Her Majesty Queen Máxima officially opened SAWA earlier that afternoon, a delegation from Mei architects and planners, NICE Developers, and ERA Contour heard in a packed hall at the Nobelaer in Etten-Leur that SAWA had been awarded at the highest distinction of the Timber Construction Award.
An innovative way of building – for people, the climate, and nature
SAWA was developed based on one central belief: construction can and must be done differently. The building consists largely of wood (CLT) and minimizes the use of concrete, giving it a very low carbon footprint and enabling it to store large amounts of CO₂ for long periods of time. Innovative engineering and intensive collaboration between all partners have made it possible to construct a 50-meter-high building made entirely of wood—something that is still rare worldwide.
Jury: “An icon for the city – and for the future of timber construction”
The expert jury described SAWA as a project “packed with unprecedented technical solutions” and an example of how timber construction can go beyond the mere use of materials. The structural innovations, development choices, and intensive collaboration between all partners have resulted in a detachable and circular timber building 50 meters high.
Thanks to innovative engineering and new connection techniques, developed in close collaboration with Derix, solutions have been found that previously seemed impossible. SAWA combines technology with quality of life: 600 meters of green terraces with native plants and more than 140 nesting boxes bring nature back to the city, while the architecture, with its spacious terraces, green galleries, and shared roof gardens, encourages social interaction. The socially inclusive mix of owner-occupied and mid-range rental homes ensures that SAWA is a place where different Rotterdam residents live together.
“SAWA demonstrates that timber construction can contribute not only to climate goals, but also to human coexistence and bringing nature back into the city. It is no coincidence that this project was opened by the Queen.”
Jury National Timber Construction Award
“Construction can and must be done differently”
For NICE Developers and ERA Contour, this award confirms what they want to prove with SAWA: that it is possible to build in a way that is better for people, the climate, and the city.
“SAWA was built on the conviction that the construction sector needs to move in a different direction. This award feels like recognition for all the partners who contributed to this pioneering project with courage, craftsmanship, and perseverance.”
Founder of NICE Developers, Mark Compeer
Special appreciation for Derix
Special thanks go to Derix, the timber construction partner who was involved in developing and engineering the complex wooden structure from the very first sketch. Thanks to their expertise, technical innovations, and perseverance, SAWA could be realized as intended: made entirely of wood, detachable, and circular.
Other winners
In addition to SAWA as the overall winner, the jury awarded the following projects:
• Audience Award & Honorable Mention: Passerelle Zwolle
• Commercial Wood Construction: Parel in de Polder, Stolwijk
• Private Wood Construction: Huis in de Heuvel, Utrechtse Heuvelrug
• Serial Wood Construction: Valckensteyn, Rotterdam
NICE Developers and ERA Contour would like to congratulate all winners.
About SAWA
SAWA is a development by NICE Developers and ERA Contour, designed by Mei architects and planners, in collaboration with Derix Group, DGMR, Pieters, Bureau Stadsnatuur, and many other partners.
The project is internationally renowned as a model of circular timber construction, socially inclusive urban development, and nature-inclusive design.