We have made it our mission to accelerate the global movement for sustainable design and construction by putting knowledge in the hands of everyone.

Whether transferring insights from one generation to the next or from one neighbourhood to another across the world, the Holcim Foundation has long brought people together and curated enriching learning experiences. Our educational initiatives aim to enable both blue-sky thinking and practical knowledge sharing that are critical to transforming the way the construction sector designs and builds.

The Holcim Foundation Fellowships were created as a cornerstone initiative to empower emerging building practitioners to become impactful voices of change. Designed for exceptional master’s and post-master’s students dedicated to advancing sustainability in construction, the in-person intensive programs cultivated learning from in-design, in-construction, and in-use projects while highlighting best practices that were both regionally specific and globally transferable.

The Emerging ChangeMaker Retreat held in December 2025 invited selected Fellows to engage in discussions, interactive workshops, and thought-provoking modules focused on impactful leadership, systems thinking, and industry interdependence. The program aimed to strengthen a purpose-driven global network, inspired collaboration, and empowered participants to become catalysts for sustainable and inclusive transformation in their fields.

A cohort of emerging practitioners, the Holcim Foundation’s Next Generation Ambassadors Meriem Chabani (France), Namjoo Kim (South Korea), Twaha Kyomuhendo (Uganda), Andi Subagio (Indonesia), Vedhant Maharaj (South Africa) and Stefan Novakovic (Canada) are leading two projects under the thematic umbrella Clinic of Care. Supported by grants from the Holcim Foundation, the practitioners are leading two projects: a maternity ward expansion in the village of Nkweshoo (Tanzania), the restoration and adaptation of abandoned vernacular housing (Indonesia) into a rehearsal space and cultural venue for a traditional dance collective.

The Research in Practice Grant (RPG) program offered by the Foundation (2018-23) extended the Next Generation category of the Holcim Awards competition. The program offered financial support and feedback to emerging professionals engaged in pioneering research within the realm of sustainable design and construction. An explicit focus on addressing practical gaps and needs in the domains of architecture, urban planning, and building construction made the RPG a distinctive program with sustained impact.