In Spring 2025, with the support of Creative Europe, the Architects’ Council of Europe launched A View from Above: Comparing Public Procurement Guidelines for Architects — a comprehensive overview of architectural procurement practices across Europe.
Developed by ACE’s Public Procurement & Architectural Design Competition Work
Group (PP/ADC WG) and compiled by Co-Chair, Kathrin Rapp, this study brings
together key insights from national public procurement guidelines tailored specifically
to the architectural profession: “Improving public procurement procedures is not only about changing the law, but also about improving the application of the law. Therefore, tools like the guidelines play an important role that should not be underestimated”.
The publication responds to the European Commission’s 2018 Public Procurement
Guidance for Practitioners—a valuable resource, but one not focused on the unique
needs of the architectural sector. To bridge this gap, ACE reviewed and compared
procurement guidelines from five Member Organisations: Denmark, France,
Germany, Latvia, and Sweden.
Colophon:
Title: A View from Above: Comparing Public
Procurement Guidelines for Architects
Authors: Katarina O’Cofaigh & Kathrin Rapp, ACE
Public Procurement & Architectural Design
Contests (PP & ADC) Work Group Chairs with the
support of the PP/ ADC WG
Publisher: ACE
Year of Publication: 2025
Design & Layout: Red& Grey
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
