The Building Component Award 2025 goes to Lars Keller, Director of EcoCocon Denmark, and Simon Ingvartsen, Design Director at Henning Larsen Architects, for their pioneering use of straw wall systems in Bestseller's upcoming logistics centre in the Netherlands.
Straw is an agricultural by-product that stores CO2, grows quickly and can be harvested locally. Now it may well become the biogenic building material of the future. Lars Keller and Simon Ingvartsen have made it possible to build Logistic Center West in the Netherlands with 40,000 m² of straw wall systems. For this groundbreaking effort, they receive the Building Component Award 2025.
- Straw wall systems have never been tested on such a large scale before. It is impressive that these two enthusiasts have got the client on board and brought everyone together around the table. It has taken courage, commitment, experience and knowledge, says jury chair Mette Tony.
Healthy biogenic building materials
The Building Component Award is presented by Villum Foundation and VELUX FOUNDATION. It honours enthusiasts who, through innovation and perseverance, create building components that pave the way for more sustainable construction.
The straw wall system is the perfect component because it can be produced in standard building formats, is easy to transport and install, and meets all requirements for load, insulation, acoustics and moisture regulation.
- Straw wall systems are healthy, biogenic building materials that can significantly reduce the climate footprint of construction. The Bestseller project paves the way for scaling up and widespread international use, to the benefit of the entire industry, says Mette Tony.
Feldballe Friskole paved the way
The collaboration between Lars Keller and Henning Larsen Architects began back in 2016, when Lars Keller first showed his straw wall systems to the architectural firm. Four years later, they built Feldballe Friskole together. The project was a great success, receiving coverage in a host of publications and opening the possibility of using straw wall system in Bestseller’s logistics centre.
- After Feldballe Friskole, our voices carried much more weight — we were taken seriously in a whole new way. That's why it's fantastic to receive the Building Component Award together with Henning Larsen Architects. We have had a really good collaboration – they are courageous, honest, responsible, and ambitious partners, says Lars Keller.
Consultants must take responsibility
Lars Keller hopes that the Building Component Award will help pave the way for a new golden age for biogenic building materials. For Simon Ingvartsen, the award is also an expression of what can happen when an entire team works together to create something new.
- The project has been fantastic because everyone has approached it objectively. We have had time to respond to critical questions and explore the options together. It is a huge team who all had to agree and reaching consensus was essential. I am proud to receive an award usually given to manufacturers — it highlights the strong impact we consultants have on shaping what gets built. It is a huge responsibility that we must take on, concludes Simon Ingvartsen.
The jury behind the award
- Mette Tony, Praksis Arkitekter and chair of the jury,
- Frank Jensen, Søren Jensen Consulting Engineers,
- Hassan Chaachouh, Lærernes Pension,
- Claus Juul Nielsen, Gamle Mursten,
- Gitte Gylling Olesen, COWI
- Mads Okking, Dansk Håndværk.
About the Building Component Award
The Building Component Award continues the legacy of its founder, inventor and entrepreneur Villum Kann Rasmussen, who demonstrated through his work how technical insight and curiosity, combined with industrial solutions, can create real value in the built environment.
By honouring the importance of detail, Villum Foundation and VELUX FOUNDATION wish to inspire continued innovation and new thinking – as a necessary driving force in the sustainable transition of the construction industry.
The Building Component Award honours individuals and small groups who, through innovation, precision and perseverance, have created or further developed building components that contribute significantly to quality and value creation in the built environment.
The award comes with a prize of DKK 100,000 for the recipients.
The award has been presented in its current form since 2015 and was presented on Thursday 9 October at an award ceremony at the Design Museum Denmark.
