European Historic Houses

2026 European Young Heritage Entrepreneur of the Year Award

25. 04. 2026

The 2026 NextGen Prize Award took place during the celebration of our annual EHH NextGen Conference. On this occasion, the awards ceremony was celebrated at the magnificent Scone Palace in Perth, Scotland.

By blending innovation with sustainability, leadership with historic heritage, this edition’s applicants have shown that privately owned historic buildings, gardens, and parks remain vibrant centers of cultural life. The jury, composed of Karin Zumbotel, Harry Rosebery, Ménélik Plojoux, Justin Green, and Nicoline Schaub, has awarded recognition to three creative projects.

Winner: Ismaël Murat el Hakim & Laurie Mortreuil – Château de Paley (France)

Served by a background in video games, immersive creation, and creative entrepreneurship, the winners were honoured for their project to create a twin version of Château de Paley as a simulation game built from a real castle. While documenting and supporting its restoration, it allows the castle to become playable, explorable, and creatively reusable.

2nd Place: Otto van Bouwdijk Bastiaanse – Buitenplaats Zwanenburg (The Netherlands)

Following the commitment to restoring and sustainably developing the cultural-historical landscape of Buitenplaats Zwanenburg, De Strepen project was developed. This initiative is the result of collaboration with local partners and emphasizes promoting sustainable, nature-inclusive agriculture.

3rd Place: Federico Gallo Perozzi – Palazzo Gallo (Italy)

After more than a decade of closure, Federico took the initiative of reactivating Palazzo Gallo as a cultural space open to the public, hosting a series of contemporary art exhibitions and experimental installations. 

Special thanks to the sponsors of the prize:  

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