Sasaki
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Regional & Urban Design Awards recognizes the best in urban design, regional and city planning, and community development. For the 2026 program, Sasaki is proud to announce that the Tecnológico de Monterrey Innovation District was recognized with an honor award.
Born out of Sasaki’s comprehensive master plan for Tec de Monterrey, the Innovation District is a new research, innovation, and entrepreneurship habitat for Monterrey and Mexico. It creates an ecosystem that fosters strong ties between academia, allied industries, and the community. With the recently completed Expedition and Innovation Hub buildings as its anchor, the district offers housing, offices, labs and community uses, all connected by a network of verdant public spaces and streets.
At the heart of the Research Cluster, the Innovation Hub is a focal point for Tec innovators, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and the larger community.
The Expedition building is a new collaboration habitat and the first building implemented in the new Innovation District
The plan’s holistic approach addresses the interdependencies among people, building, infrastructure and the environment in coherence with the Framework for Design Excellence. Sustainability is woven throughout, from energy-efficient buildings and passive design strategies to water-sensitive landscapes and native ecosystems. Guided by principles of equity, flexibility, and community engagement, the district dissolves barriers between campus and city, creating an open, walkable, and inclusive environment that reflects a new paradigm for urban university campuses in Latin America.
District-wide sustainability strategies address shared energy infrastructure across the entire campus, water conservation and stormwater management, and design for ecosystems with native and climate-adapted plants, bioswales and rain gardens.
An AIA award is the ultimate acknowledgment of impactful, exemplary work that sets new standards and inspires others. Sasaki is honored to receive this recognition, which reflects the collective vision and collaboration that have made the Monterrey Tec Innovation District a transformative model for universities, communities, and cities across Latin America.
Learn more about the project and see the 2026 AIA Universal Project-Based Award Submission Gallery.
The jury praised the Tsai Field House for its sophisticated yet playful use of form and space, expressed through undulating rooflines, elegantly curved ceilings, and a material palette of exceptional quality.
How a context-driven master plan created new opportunities for one of Mexico’s largest universities and its neighbors.
