Ellen Peirson wins 2026 Wheelwright Prize for kitchens as ‘mineral landscapes’

The Harvard University Graduate School of Design has named London-based architect and writer Ellen Peirson the recipient of the 2026 Wheelwright Prize, awarding her $100,000 to support research into contemporary architecture with a global focus. Peirson’s winning proposal, Ultra-Processed Kitchens: Infrastructures of Extraction in the Home, examines the environmental and social impacts embedded within domestic kitchens. 

The project investigates kitchens as “mineral landscapes,” analyzing the materials, supply chains, and systems of extraction that underpin everyday household spaces. Through the research, Peirson aims to explore alternative approaches to kitchen design centered on material reuse, ecological limits, and long-term care.

Administered by Harvard GSD, the Wheelwright Prize supports innovative architectural research that crosses cultural and geographic boundaries. Recent winning projects have explored topics including Alpine communities, contemporary African urbanism, and t...