GROHE Announces Winner of 2026 GROHE Water Prize at the World Architecture Festival

The award-winning, "Terracotta Fog Water Harvester" addresses an innovative terracotta facade tile system to harvest atmospheric fog.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GROHE, a global leader in bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings, has announced the winner of the 2026 GROHE Water Prize for the World Architecture Festival (WAF), slated to be held this year from November 18–20 in Fort Lauderdale.

A Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture team, spearheaded by Associate Professor and Lead Researcher, Laura Garófalo, has been awarded the £10,000 prize for "Bio-inspired Architectural Terracotta for Sustainable Water Harvesting," an initiative designed to advance community water self-sufficiency in arid, fog-prone regions. Combining ancient ceramic craftsmanship with digital fabrication and surface physics, the project uses modular terracotta tiles for fog water-harvesting. Drawing design inspiration from leaf venation and the Namib Desert beetle, the tiles pair hydrophilic (water-attracting) clay peaks with hydrophobic (water-repelling) glazed channels to capture fog up to 400% more efficiently than standard flat surfaces.

As a rigid, mineral-based alternative to traditional synthetic plastic netting, the terracotta concept eliminates microplastic pollution while offering a significantly smaller carbon footprint. Designed for future integration into building facades and rainscreen systems, the research shows how exterior walls could one day act as durable, decentralized freshwater collection systems that strengthen local health and climate resilience.

Of the winning project, Patrick Speck, Leader, LIXIL Global Design, Europe & Americas and a jury member of the GROHE Water Prize, remarked: "At GROHE, we believe the future of water stewardship requires rethinking how our built environment interacts with natural resources. By transforming a building facade into an active water-harvesting asset, this project embodies GROHE's design ethos, in which biomimicry, material craft, and human-centered purpose converge to reshape how society experiences water."

"Receiving the Grohe Water Prize is an honor critical to advancing the development of our bio-inspired architectural terracotta system," said Laura Garófolo, Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University. "It will make it possible to move through material experimentation toward a scalable architectural application for sustainable water harvesting. We are deeply grateful to GROHE for recognizing the potential of design and architecture to address the growing challenges surrounding water."

Paul Finch, Programme Director, World Architecture Festival, and fellow jury member, added, "As ever, reviewing this year's entries was a pleasure, and we congratulate GROHE for continuing to support this research prize. This year's standout winner offers a brilliant approach to harvesting atmospheric fog - research with clear potential to benefit numerous regions around the world. It is particularly fitting that such an idea should emerge as WAF explores the theme of 'Water' at this year's festival in Fort Lauderdale. We look forward to the project presentation on Thursday, 19 November on the Festival Hall Stage."

With over 50 entries for this year's prize, each submission examined the evolving relationship between water, architecture, and community through innovative, future-focused design. The shortlisted projects demonstrated a remarkable breadth of ideas. Among this year's standout finalists were:

Projecto Vito Volcanic Catchment: An off-grid marine conservation headquarters on Fogo Island featuring vaulted brick roofscapes that serve as the primary rainwater and fog-harvesting system in a region without surface freshwater. Project submitted by Studio Ma (Applicant) with Associação Projecto Vitó — NGO co-applicant (Lead researcher: Christiana Moss, FAIA)

Glasgow Bath Commons: An adaptive reuse project transforming an abandoned railway viaduct and church into a civic water commons that integrates rainwater harvesting, heat recovery, and public bathing culture. Project submitted by Lap Shing Sy.

Lo—TEK Water: A Field Guide for TEKnology: Applied research supporting the Miccosukee–ReefLine Biocultural Stewardship Corridor of Miami Beach, integrating underwater public reef infrastructure with Indigenous co-governance frameworks. Project submitted by Julia Watson

Since 2017, the GROHE Water Prize has supported innovative projects addressing global water challenges, underscoring the transformative potential of water-conscious design for the built environment. While also reflecting the values at the heart of GROHE: combining sustainable innovation, exceptional design, advanced technology, and enduring quality to elevate everyday experiences and help protect one of our planet's most precious resources.

About GROHE
GROHE is a leading global brand for complete bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings. Since 2014, GROHE has been a cornerstone of LIXIL's global portfolio of pioneering water and housing brands. To deliver "Pure Freude an Wasser", every product is based on the brand pillars of quality, technology, design and sustainability. From curated experiences within our luxury sub-brand GROHE SPA to refined water solutions for every home, we provide products tailored to the exacting requirements of our professional partners and their differentiated target groups.

With water at the core of everything we do, we manage our value chain and its impact responsibly, contributing to LIXIL's Impact Strategy. By developing technologies that optimize water- and energy-saving potential, we empower a more conscious use of resources without ever compromising on "Pure Freude an Wasser".

About LIXIL
LIXIL (TSE Code 5938) makes pioneering water and housing products that solve everyday, real-life challenges, making better homes a reality for everyone, everywhere. Drawing on our Japanese heritage, we create world-leading technology and innovate to make high quality products that transform homes. But the LIXIL difference is how we do this; through meaningful design, an entrepreneurial spirit, a dedication to improving accessibility for all, and responsible business growth. Our approach comes to life through industry leading brands, including INAX, GROHE, American Standard, and TOSTEM. Approximately 53,000 colleagues operating in more than 150 countries are proud to make products that touch the lives of more than a billion people every day. Learn more at www.lixil.com

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