Italian architect Mauro Marinelli has been selected as the recipient of the prestigious 2025 Wheelwright Prize, recognizing his groundbreaking work examining rural mountainous regions and their architectural heritage. The Harvard Graduate School of Design announced the award, which comes with a $100,000 fellowship to support innovative research and travel. Marinelli's winning proposal focuses on investigating the relationship between traditional building practices and contemporary architectural solutions in remote mountain communities across Europe and beyond. His research aims to document how local construction techniques have evolved in response to challenging terrain, climate conditions, and limited resources while maintaining cultural identity. The architect plans to study vernacular architecture in mountain villages, examining how communities have adapted their building methods over generations to work with steep slopes, harsh weather, and isolated locations. Marinelli will spend the fellowship period traveling to various mountainous regions to conduct field research, document traditional construction methods, and explore how these time-tested approaches can inform modern sustainable design practices. His work is expected to contribute valuable insights into climate-responsive architecture and community-based building traditions. The Wheelwright Prize, established in 1935, is awarded annually to emerging architects who demonstrate exceptional design ability and propose innovative research that advances the field of architecture. Previous recipients have gone on to become influential figures in contemporary architecture and urban planning. Marinelli's selection highlights the growing recognition of vernacular architecture's importance in addressing current challenges in sustainable design and cultural preservation. His research is anticipated to provide new perspectives on how traditional building wisdom from rural mountain communities can be applied to contemporary architectural practice, particularly in addressing issues of environmental sustainability and regional identity.