Paris and its region are stepping up once again in terms of architectural marvels! This Monday, November 3rd, the Versailles Prize, a global architecture award supported by UNESCO, revealed the list of the most stunning achievements in the world for 2025. The good news? Two of the seven selected train stations are located in Île-de-France, just a stone's throw from central Paris!
The 7 Wonder(ful) Stations of the World
Inaugurated as part of the vast Grand Paris Express project, the stations of Saint-Denis Pleyel and Villejuif-Gustave Roussy, both served by line 14, are now among the seven "most beautiful train stations in the world" for 2025. The first, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, was inaugurated in the summer of 2024 for the Paris Olympics, while the second, envisioned by French architect Dominique Perr.ault made its debut in the Paris network at the beginning of 2025.
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Alongside these two stations in the Île-de-France region, projects from around the world pop up: the Gadigal Station in Sydney, Australia by Foster + Partners, the Mons Station in Belgium designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the Baiyun Station in Guangzhou, China from the Japanese firm Nikken Sekkei, and finally, the KAFD Stations by Zaha Hadid Architects and Qasr Al Hokm. from the Norwegian agency Snøhetta, both in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
A prestigious award
Train stations have once again become a " playground for great architects ," shares Jérôme Gouadain, the Secretary General of the Prix Versailles, with AFP. In fact, this year 2025 marks a turning point for the award, which has never showcased so many names of renowned international architects in the train station category. This observation highlights the revitalization of public transport infrastructure. The field has thus gained prominence in the history of the award, alongside sectors such as museums, hotels, restaurants, universities, airports, stadiums, and other selected businesses.
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By the end of the year, one project from each domain will receive the "world title", during a prestigious ceremony taking place at the Unesco headquarters in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. Awards will be given by an international jury of eight people, made up of renowned architects and cultural figures. Last year, among the eight members were personalities like French choreographer Benjamin Millepied, British-Ghanaian architect David Adjaye, and Spanish actress Blanca Suárez. As for the 2025 jury, it has not yet been revealed, notes 20 Minutes.