Villa at Meijendel in Wassenaar declared winner of the Rijnlandse Architectuur Prijs (RAP071) 2025

Villa at Meijendel in Wassenaar, designed by Cepezed, has been declared the winner of the Rijnlandse Architectuur Prijs (RAP071) 2025 by the professional jury. The transparent residence in the forests of Meijendel convinced the jury with its craftsmanship, innovative construction technique and poetic relationship with the landscape.

The audience award went to the Multifunctional Center PGS Het Venster in Teylingen, designed by Van Schie Architects. This church and social center was appreciated by the public for its connecting role in the community and its careful design that puts meeting at the center.

What makes this edition extra special is that both prizes went to projects from the region itself: Wassenaar and Teylingen. RAP071 thus shows that not only Leiden, but the entire Rhineland region is rich in high-profile architecture that contributes to a sustainable, livable future.

Jury prize: Villa at Meijendel

Villa at Meijendel was realized in just six months as a construction kit with minimal use of materials. The house combines modern building technology with a strong relationship of inside with outside.

Audience Award: MFC The Window

The Window in Teylingen was praised for its carefully crafted urban integration and connecting function. The public appreciated the building as a meeting place for both religious and social activities. With a limited budget, a versatile center was realized that forms a powerful gesture to the village center.

About RAP071

The Rijnlandse Architectuur Prijs is organized every two years by RAP Leiden and celebrates the power of architecture in the Leiden region. For the 2025 edition, 44 projects were nominated, of which 9 made it to the shortlist. Besides Villa de Meijendel and Het Venster, these included Herta Mohr (Leiden, De Zwarte Hond), Gorlaeus College Hall (Leiden, Civic Architects), Sportcomplex De Vliet (Leiden, Slangen+Koenis Architects) and the Sumatrahof (Leiden, Zijdekwartier). In the region, Kantoor vol Afval (Katwijk, Popma Ter Steege Architects), Reinwater (Lisse, Ontwerpburo Veldhoven) and the Cantilever Villa (Noordwijk, Donald Osborne Architecture) are eye-catchers.

The Jury

The professional jury of RAP071 2025 was chaired by Ton Venhoeven (VenhoevenCS) with members Renske van der Stoep (Roffaa), Annemarie Jol (AM Area Development), Dirk van Peijpe (De Urbanisten) and Bart Akkerhuis (Studio Akkerhuis, winner RAP071 2023). Esther Geradts acted as secretary.

The RAP_Jury Report_2025 can be read at the link.