THE IABSE AWARDS 2026 & THE SWISS ALPINE ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE

From the Lake Side Zurich to the Peak of the Alps

Following the success of the sold-out 2025 edition, the IABSE Awards return to Zurich on 13 November 2026 to celebrate outstanding talents and groundbreaking projects shaping the future of bridge and structural engineering.

Set against the stunning backdrop of Lake Zurich, with its waterfront setting and views of the majestic Swiss Alps, the venue provides the perfect stage to celebrate excellence and honour the world's leading achievements in bridge and structural engineering.

Bringing together award finalists, jury members, industry leaders, and international partners, the event offers a unique opportunity to celebrate engineering excellence while strengthening professional connections across the global structural engineering community.

Thursday, 12 November | The Swiss Alpine Engineering Experience

To make the 2026 IABSE Awards experience truly memorable, the programme begins with an exclusive pre-event technical excursion. Hosted by our Partner, FATZER, the journey starts at FATZER's state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Romanshorn before continuing to one of Switzerland's renowned Alpine summits.

This exceptional experience offers a rare behind-the-scenes insight into Swiss cable engineering and its real-world application in the demanding environments for which these cables are designed. Combining technical innovation with breathtaking scenery, it provides an inspiring introduction to an event dedicated to engineering excellence, innovation, and achievement. Participation is limited to 50 guests.

Friday, 13 November | The Gala Dinner & Awards at Lake Side

The evening will begin with an Apéro Cocktail Reception, offering guests and partners dedicated time for networking before the Gala Dinner. During the reception, attendees will have the opportunity to explore the Excellence Gallery Walk in the Lake Side foyer, showcasing the shortlisted projects from the Project & Technology Awards and providing a closer look at their engineering excellence and innovation.

Following the Apéro Cocktail Reception, the Awards Ceremony will commence with the presentation of the People & Paper Awards, celebrating the individuals, researchers, and publications that continue to advance the profession.

The ceremony will then continue with the Project & Technology Awards, where the winners of the ten award categories will be announced and honoured. Each category recognises outstanding achievements that set new international benchmarks in innovation, sustainability, technical excellence, and the built environment.

The evening will culminate in the presentation of the Gold Star Award, IABSE's highest distinction, recognising the most outstanding project across all award categories. Presented by our Partner, FATZER, this award represents the pinnacle of engineering excellence.

We look forward to welcoming you to Lake Side Zurich for the IABSE Awards & Gala Dinner 2026—an unforgettable evening dedicated to celebrating excellence and the achievements shaping the future of bridge and structural engineering.