awards – DesignApplause

diébédo francis kéré receives the 2022 pritzker architecture prize.

Mar 15, 2022

above> startup lions campus, photo courtesy of francis kéré

diébédo francis kéré, architect, educator and social activist, has been selected as the 2022 laureate of the pritzker architecture prize, announced tom pritzker, chairman of the hyatt foundation, which sponsors the award that is regarded internationally as architecture’s highest honor.

“i am hoping to change the paradigm, push people to dream and undergo risk. it is not because you are rich that you should waste material. it is not because you are poor that you should not try to create quality,” says kéré. “everyone deserves quality, everyone deserves luxury, and everyone deserves comfort. we are interlinked and concerns in climate, democracy and scarcity are concerns for us all.”

francis kéré (b. diébédo francis kéré, 1965) was born in burkina faso – one of the world’s least educated and most impoverished nations, a land void of clean drinking water, electricity and infrastructure, let alone architecture.

“i grew up in a community where there was no kindergarten, but where community was your family. everyone took care of you and the entire village was your playground. my days were filled with securing food and water, but also simply being together, talking together, building houses together. i remember the room where my grandmother would sit and tell stories with a little light, while we would huddle close to each other and her voice inside the room enclosed us, summoning us to come closer and form a safe place. this was my first sense of architecture.”

diébédo francis kéré, photo courtesy of lars borges

xylem, photo courtesy of iwan baan

gando primary school, photo courtesy of erik-jan owerkerk

the success of gando primary school awarded him the aga khan award for architecture in 2004, and was the catalyst for establishing his practice, kéré architecture, in berlin, germany in 2005. the realization of additional primary, secondary, postsecondary and medical facilities soon followed throughout burkina faso, kenya, mozambique and uganda. kéré’s built works in africa have yielded exponential results, not only by providing academic education for children and medical treatment for the unwell, but by instilling occupational opportunities and abiding vocational skills for adults, therefore serving and stabilizing the future of entire communities.

serpentine pavilion, photo courtesy of iwan baan

sarbalé ke, photo courtesy of iwan baan

opera village, photo courtesy of francis kéré

national park of mali, photo courtesy of francis kéré

lycée schorge secondary school, photo courtesy of iwan baan

burkina faso national assembly, rendering courtesy of kéré architecture

benin national assembly, rendering courtesy of kéré architecture

his work has expanded beyond school buildings in african countries to include temporary and permanent structures in denmark, germany, italy, switzerland, the united kingdom, and the united states. two historic parliament buildings, the national assembly of burkina faso (ouagadougou, burkina faso) and benin national assembly (porto-novo, republic of benin), have been commissioned, with the latter currently under construction.

additional awards include the cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine’s global award for sustainable architecture (2009), bsi swiss architectural award (2010); the global holcim awards gold (2012, zurich, switzerland), schelling architecture award (2014); arnold w brunner memorial prize in architecture from the american academy of arts & letters (2017); and the thomas jefferson foundation medal in architecture (2021).

the architect has been a visiting professor at the harvard university graduate school of design (massachusetts, united states), yale school of architecture (connecticut, united states), and holds the inaugural chair of architectural design and participation professorship at the technische universität münchen (munich, germany) since 2017. he is an honorary fellow of royal architectural institute of canada (2018) and the american institute of architects (2012) and a chartered member of the royal institute of british architects (2009).

kéré is a dual citizen of burkina faso and germany and spends his time professionally and personally equally in both countries.

[ purpose ]
to honor a living architect or architects whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision, and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.

the international prize, which is awarded each year to a living architect/s for significant achievement, was established by the pritzker family of chicago through their hyatt foundation in 1979. it is granted annually and is often referred to as “architecture’s nobel” and “the profession’s highest honor.”

the award consists of $100,000 (us) and a bronze medallion. the award is conferred on the laureate/s at a ceremony held at an architecturally significant site throughout the world.

anne lacaton and jean-philippe vassal receive the 2021 pritzker architecture prize.

Mar 16, 2021

above/below > cap ferret house. photography: lacaton & vassal

in a timely nod to planet earth’s need to support life, french social housing architects, anne lacaton and jean-philippe vassal, founders of studio lacaton & vassal, have been named the 2021 winners of the pritzker architecture prizepritzker architecture prize.

their recognition marks the first time a french female architect has won the prize, with lacaton becoming the sixth woman to receive the award since it was established in 1979.

“good architecture is open—open to life, open to enhance the freedom of anyone, where anyone can do what they need to do,” says lacaton. “it should not be demonstrative or imposing, but it must be something familiar, useful and beautiful, with the ability to quietly support the life that will take place within it.”

“our work is about solving constraints and problems, and finding spaces that can create uses, emotions and feelings. at the end of this process and all of this effort, there must be lightness and simplicity, when all that has been before was so complex,” explains vassal.

above > anne lacaton and jean-philippe vassal. photography: laurent chalet

above / below > residential and office building, photo courtesy of philippe ruault

above > site for contemporary creation, phase 2, palais de tokyo, photo courtesy of philippe ruault

above >129 units, ourcq-juarès student and social housing. photography: philippe ruault

above > école nationale supérieure d’architecture de nantes

above > 53 units, low-rise apartments, social housing. photography: philippe ruault

above / below > latapie house. photography: philippe ruault

above / below > frac nord-pas de calais | image courtesy of philippe ruault

above > house in bordeaux. photography: philippe ruault

[ jury citation ]
“not only have they defined an architectural approach that renews the legacy of modernism, but they have also proposed an adjusted definition of the very profession of architecture. the modernist hopes and dreams to improve the lives of many are reinvigorated through their work that responds to the climatic and ecological emergencies of our time, as well as social urgencies, particularly in the realm of urban housing. they accomplish this through a powerful sense of space and materials that creates architecture as strong in its forms as in its convictions, as transparent in its aesthetic as in its ethics,” states the 2021 jury citation, in part.

[ 2021 jury ]
alejandro aravena, chair , barry bergdoll, deborah berke, stephen breyer , andré aranha corrêa do lago, kazuyo sejima, wang shu, benedetta tagliabue, martha thorne, executive director, manuela lucá-dazio, advisor

john ronan architects blends function and sustainability into forward-thinking iit innovation center.

Jan 15, 2021

“the kaplan institute at iit is an academic building that combines functionality and sustainability into an elegant design solution, all while working within rigorous financial constraints in a setting with tremendous architectural standards.” – jury comment: 2020 aia national honor award in architecture

DesignApplause asks notable chicago architect john ronan for a project steeped in sustainability and we are pointed to the ed kaplan family institute for innovation and tech entrepreneurship. a 2020 winner of the prestigious aia national honor award in architecture. the 2020 architecture program celebrates the best contemporary architecture regardless of budget, size, style, or type. these stunning projects show the world the range of outstanding work architects create and highlight the many ways buildings and spaces can improve our lives.

[ tremendous architectural standards ] to his credit, ronan has won very competitive commissions but this one was extra special if you consider who the client was: illinois institute of technology in chicago, a campus largely designed by ludwig mies van der rohe, the greatest concentration of mies-designed buildings in the world. subsequent buildings decades later by helmut jahn, faia, and rem koolhaas, hon. faia. the school asks one of its professors who’s been at iit since 1992, just a year after is graduation from harvard. tremendous indeed.

[ architect project statement ] the ed kaplan family institute for innovation and tech entrepreneurship at the illinois institute of technology is devoted to fostering collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship between iit’s students, faculty, alumni and partners. conceived as a hybrid of campus space and building, the building is organized around two open-air courtyards through which visitors enter the building; circulation inside the building is indirect and dispersed, designed to promote collaboration and interaction. the building provides flexibly adaptive space which can be reconfigured easily and support a wide variety of uses.

the design of the innovation center is forward-thinking in its approach to sustainability. the second floor of the building, which cantilevers over the ground floor to provide sun shading, is enclosed in a dynamic façade of etfe foil cushions which can vary the amount of solar energy entering the building through sophisticated pneumatics. the etfe foil is 1% the weight of glass and gives the building a light, cloud-like appearance.

[ images: john ronan architects ]

[ storm water detention ] the building’s two exterior courtyards double as storm-water detention tanks. rain water is directed from the roof surface to gutters at the perimeter of each courtyard from which it enters the gravel floor of the courtyard via rain chains. several feet of crushed rock below the courtyard serve as large rainwater storage cisterns, where water is held before being released slowly to the municipal sewer system; a portion of the rain water is retained onsite.

[ dynamic etfe facade ] the façade is comprised of four layers of etfe foil which create three air chambers within the façade assembly. the two outer layers of etfe are fritted with a staggered dot patterns which are offset from each other; the inner layer can be moved back and forth pneumatically, bringing it together and apart with the outer fritted layer to modulate the amount of incoming solar energy. this movement is achieved by introducing air into one chamber and removing it from the adjacent chamber, which relocates the fritted inner layer. when the inner layer is pressed together against the fritted outer layer, the dot patterns overlap to reduce light transmittance. when the inner layer is moved away from the outer layer, it increases light transmittance. controlled via automated building system controls or overridden manually, the dynamic façade can adapt throughout the day to changing weather and daylight conditions in real time to minimize energy usage and maximize daylighting potential.

the dynamic etfe facade varies the amount of solar energy entering the building through sophisticated pneumatics.

[ john ronan architects ]

yvonne farrell and shelley mcnamara of grafton architects awarded 2020 pritzker prize.

Mar 4, 2020

above/below > utec – universidad de ingenieria y tecnologia by grafton architects won the very first riba international prize in 2016. photography: iwan baan

the first two women business partners and first irish architects yvonne farrell and shelley mcnamara of dublin, ireland, have been selected as the 2020 pritzker prize laureates, announced tom pritzker, chairman of the hyatt foundation, which sponsors the award that is known internationally as architecture’s highest honor.

the other three women architects since the first award in 1979 are, in 2004 the late zaha hadid – the first women not part of a team; in 2017 co-winner carme pigem along with partners rafael aranda and ramon vilalta; in 2010, kazuyo sjima with her partner ryue nishizawa; below left to right > farrell and mcnamara

in a press statement announcing their selection, farrell wrote, “architecture could be described as one of the most complex and important cultural activities on the planet. to be an architect is an enormous privilege. to win this prize is a wonderful endorsement of our belief in architecture. thank you for this great honor.”

to which mcnamara added, “within the ethos of a practice such as ours, we have so often struggled to find space for the implementation of such values as humanism, craft, generosity, and cultural connection with each place and context within which we work. it is therefore extremely gratifying that this recognition is bestowed upon us and our practice and upon the body of work we have managed to produce over a long number of years. it is also a wonderful recognition of the ambition and vision of the clients who commissioned us and enabled us to bring our buildings to fruition.”

as architects and educators since the 1970s, farrell and mcnamara create spaces that are at once respectful and new, honoring history while demonstrating a mastery of the urban environment and craft of construction. balancing strength and delicacy, and upholding a reverence of site-specific contexts, their academic, civic and cultural institutions, as well as housing developments, result in modern and impactful works that never repeat or imitate, but are decidedly of their own architectural voice.

above > universita luigi bocconi / photo courtesy alexandre soria // below > universita luigi bocconi / photo courtesy federico brunetti

above/below > institut mines télécom, photo courtesy of alexandre soria

above> town house building, kingston university / photo courtesy of dennis gilbert // town house building, kingston university / photo courtesy of ed reeves

above/below > loreto community school, photo courtesy of ros kavanagh

[ pritzker architecture prize jury citation ]

yvonne farrell and shelley mcnamara have practiced architecture together for forty years in a way that clearly reflects the objectives of the pritzker prize: to recognize the art of architecture and consistent service to humanity as evidenced through a body of built work.

co-founding their professional practice, called grafton architects, in dublin, ireland in 1978, they have consistently and unhesitatingly pursued the highest quality of architecture for the specific location in which it was to be built, the functions it would house and especially for the people who would inhabit and use their buildings and spaces.

they have an oeuvre that includes numerous educational buildings, housing and cultural and civic institutions. pioneers in a field that has traditionally been and still is a male-dominated profession, they are also beacons to others as they forge their exemplary professional path.

many of their buildings are located in their home country of ireland, but through competitions, they have won major commissions for other places around the world, such as italy, france and peru. with a profound understanding of place gained through their research, keen powers of observation, open and ever curious explorations and deep respect for culture and context, farrell and mcnamara are able to make their buildings respond to a setting and city most appropriately, while still being fresh and modern.

this deep understanding of “spirit of place” means that their works enhance and improve the local community. their buildings are “good neighbors” that seek to make a contribution beyond the boundaries of the building and to make a city work better. their north king street housing in dublin (2000) is one example of this: it creates an inner courtyard and a welcome respite from the adjacent busy streets.

their approach to architecture is always honest, revealing an understanding of the processes of design and construction from large scale structures to the smallest details. it is often in these details, especially in buildings with modest budgets, where a big impact can be felt. for example, the urban institute of ireland (dublin, 2002) employs what the architects call a “crafted skin” to create a visually interesting building through changes in materials responding to openings, folds, needs for shade and other concerns.

at the same time, it employs common sense, good-practice environmental control methodologies for an efficient, sustainable building. on a particularly sensitive site in dublin, the masterful offices for the department of finance (2009) attests to their knowledge and care in the selection of materials and construction techniques with a carefully handcrafted bronze railing and gate and sanded limestone on the facades.

the architects are skilled and successful working at many scales—from large institutional buildings to a house of only a little more than 100 square meters. without grand or frivolous gestures, they have managed to create buildings that are monumental institutional presences when appropriate, but even so they are zoned and detailed in such a way as to produce more intimate spaces that create community within. in their large buildings such as the university campus utec (2015) in lima, peru or the school of economics building (2008) at universita luigi bocconi, they have achieved a human scale through the composition of spaces and volumes of different sizes. the dialogues they create between buildings and surroundings demonstrate a new appreciation of both their works and place.

a constant in their approach, the architects have an understanding of how to design complex sections of buildings in such a way that views connect deep interior spaces with the larger exterior realm and allow natural light to penetrate and animate spaces deep inside a building. often light streams from skylights or upper story windows throughout the interiors of their buildings, providing warmth and visual interest, helping the inhabitants easily orient themselves in the spaces, and providing the ever necessary connection to the exterior.

for their integrity in their approach to both their buildings, as well as the way they conduct their practice, their belief in collaboration, their generosity towards their colleagues, especially as evidenced in such events as the 2018 venice biennale, their unceasing commitment to excellence in architecture, their responsible attitude toward the environment, their ability to be cosmopolitan while embracing the uniqueness of each place in which they work, for all these reasons and more, yvonne farrell and shelley mcnamara are awarded the 2020 pritzker architecture prize.

[ jury members ]

stephen breyer (chair) / u.s. supreme court justice / washington, dc
andré aranha corrêa do lago / architectural critic, curator and brazilian ambassador to india / delhi, india
barry bergdoll / architecture historian, educator, curator and author / new york, new york
deborah berke / architect and educator / new york, new york
sejima kazuyo / architect and 2010 pritzker laureate / tokyo, japan
benedetta tagliabue / architect and educator / barcelona, spain
wang shu / architect, educator and 2012 pritzker laureate / hangzhou, china
martha thorne (executive director) / dean, ie school of architecture & design / madrid, spain

[ pritzker architecture prize ]

call for entries riba awards 2020.

Jul 11, 2019

above > utec – universidad de ingenieria y tecnologia by grafton architects won the very first riba international prize in 2016. photography: iwan baan

the riba international awards for excellence – 20 stand-out buildings from around the world – comprises the riba international prize – the single best of them all – and the riba international emerging architect prize (a recognition for the shortlist’s young guns). presented every two years, and now on their third edition, the british institute’s awards have been gathering pace. past winners include celebrated, worthy works, such as the children village school complex in brazil by aleph zero and rosenbaum, and utec (universidad de ingeniería y tecnología) in lima, peru by grafton architects.

french architect odile decq will oversee the different judging panels that will select the acclaimed group of honors for 2020. photography: franck juery

above/below > 2018 previous winners, little village — the architects, gustavo utrabo and petro duschenes from aleph zero, designed children village in collaboration with marcelo rosenbaum and adriana benguela from architecture and design studio, rosenbaum. chosen from a shortlist of four exceptional new buildings by a grand jury chaired by renowned architect elizabeth diller (ds+r).

though [ riba ] is a british based institution the organizers wish to clarify, these awards are open to any qualified architect in the world for a building outside of the uk, of any size and type of budget. let the submissions begin.

[ 2020 grand jury ]

japanese architect arata isozaki earns 2019 pritzker prize.

Mar 5, 2019

when i was old enough to begin an understanding of the world, my hometown was burned down. across the shore, the atomic bomb was dropped on hiroshima, so i grew up near ground zero. it was in complete ruins, and there was no architecture, no buildings and not even a city. only barracks and shelters surrounded me. so, my first experience of architecture was the void of architecture, and i began to consider how people might rebuild their homes and cities.

[ jury citation ]
arata isozaki, born in oita, island of kyushu, japan is known as a versatile, influential, and truly international architect. setting up his own practice in the 1960s isozaki became the first japanese architect to forge a deep and long-lasting relationship between east and west. possessing a profound knowledge of architectural history and theory, and embracing the avant-garde, he never merely replicated the status quo but challenged it. and in his search for meaningful architecture, he created buildings of great quality that to this day defy categorizations, reflect his constant evolution, and are always fresh in their approach.

over the more than 50 years isozaki has been practicing, he has had an impact on world architecture, through his works, writings, exhibitions, the organization of important conferences and participation on competition juries. he has supported many young architects from across the globe to have a chance to realize their potential. in such endeavors as the fukuoka nexus world housing project (1988-1991) or toyama prefecture’s machi-no-kao (“face of the city”) program (1991-1999) he invited young international architects to develop catalytic projects in japan.

above> oita prefectural library, oita japan / 1966 / photo – yasuhiro ishimoto /// below> moma gunma, gunma japan / 1974 / photo – yasuhiro ishimoto

isozaki’s oeuvre has been described as heterogeneous and encompasses descriptions from vernacular to high tech. what is patently clear is that he has not been following trends but forging his own path. an early exploration of a new vision for the city is seen in the project city in the air, from the early 1960s, for a multilayered city which hovers over the traditional city. his first works in his home country of japan include a masterpiece of japanese brutalism, the oita prefectural library (1966). such projects as the kitakyushu central library (1974) and the gunma prefectural museum of modern art, opened in 1974, reveal an exploration of a more personal architecture. in the museum, the clear geometry of the cube reflects his fascination with void and grid as it seeks to attain an equilibrium in which to display changing works of art.

arata isozaki’s reach and repertoire have expanded over the years to include projects of many scales and typologies and in numerous countries. in the united states, isozaki is probably most well-known for undertaking the museum of contemporary art in los angeles (1986) and the team disney building in florida (1991). the first is a study of the vault or what he calls “rhetoric of the cylinder” and the second is evidenced by a more playful use of shapes with a postmodern flair.

above> museum of contemporary art, los angeles / 1981-86 / photo – yasuhiro ishimoto // bottom> team disney building, orlando / 1987-90

many know his work through such significant buildings as the sant jordi stadium for the 1992 olympics in barcelona. he has undertaken exemplary works in china such as the cafa (china central academy of fine arts) art museum in beijing opened in 2008 or the shenzhen cultural center (2007) in shenzhen, guangdong.

isozaki has shown extraordinary dynamism in recent years with such works as qatar convention center (2011), the traveling inflatable ark nova (2013) designed with anish kapoor for regions in japan affected by the 2011 tsunami, and the powerful yet elegant allianz tower in milan, opened in 2018. once again, it is a testimony to his ability to understand the context in all its complexity and to create a remarkable, well-crafted and inspiring building that is successful from city scale to the interior spaces.

above> qatar national convention centre, qatar / 2004-11 /// below> allianz tower, milan / 2003-14

clearly, he is one of the most influential figures in contemporary world architecture on a constant search, not afraid to change and try new ideas. his architecture rests on profound understanding, not only of architecture but also of philosophy, history, theory and culture. he has brought together east and west, not through mimicry or as a collage, but through the forging of new paths. he has set an example of generosity as he supports other architects and encourages them in competitions or through collaborative works. for all these reasons, the pritzker architecture prize jury has selected arata isozaki the 2019 laureate.

[ jury members ]
stephen breyer (chair)
u.s. supreme court justice
washington, dc

andré aranha corrêa do lago
architectural critic, curator, and brazilian ambassador to india tokyo, japan

richard rogers
architect and 2007 pritzker laureate
london, england

sejima kazuyo
architect and 2010 pritzker laureate
tokyo, japan

benedetta tagliabue
architect and educator
barcelona, spain

ratan n. tata
chairman of tata trusts
mumbai, india

wang shu
architect, educator and 2012 pritzker laureate hangzhou, china

martha thorne (executive director)
dean, ie school of architecture & design madrid, spain

[ biography ]
2019 laureate arata isozaki was born in oita, island of kyushu, japan in 1931 prior to the onset of world war ii. he was 14 years old when hiroshima and nagasaki were bombed, and builds with the theory that while buildings are transitory, they should please the senses of the users presently passing through and around them.

“when i was old enough to begin an understanding of the world, my hometown was burned down. across the shore, the atomic bomb was dropped on hiroshima, so i grew up near ground zero. it was in complete ruins, and there was no architecture, no buildings and not even a city. only barracks and shelters surrounded me. so, my first experience of architecture was the void of architecture, and i began to consider how people might rebuild their homes and cities.”

isozaki graduated from the department of architecture in the faculty of engineering at the university of tokyo in 1954, and began his career with an apprenticeship under the guidance of 1987 pritzker prize laureate kenzo tange.

he established arata isozaki & associates in 1963, after the allied occupation when japan had regained its sovereignty and was seeking physical rebuilding amidst political, economic and cultural uncertainty from the decimation of wwii. “in order to find the most appropriate way to solve these problems, i could not dwell upon a single style. change became constant. paradoxically, this came to be my own style.”

his work began locally, with many buildings in his hometown and fukuoka, and quickly expanded to gunma, osaka and tokyo. in the 1960s, isozaki envisioned city in the air (1962 tokyo, japan), a futuristic plan for shinjuku consisting of elevated layers of buildings, residences and transportation suspended above the aging city below, in response to the rapid rate of urbanization. although it was unrealized, isozaki went on to plan cities in accelerating economies, with his most recent developments in china and the middle east.

isozaki demonstrated a worldwide vision that was ahead of his time and facilitated a dialogue between east and west. he emerged as an international leader in architecture in the 1980s,

through his critical writings, and as a jury member for important architecture competitions, he has played a significant role in bringing to realization the concepts of young architects around the world. six decades of his work include philosophy, visual art, design, music, films, and plays, alongside his iconic buildings.

isozaki has served as a visiting professor at several u.s. universities including: columbia university, harvard university and yale university.

[ about the pritzker architecture prize ]
the pritzker architecture prize was founded in 1979 by the late jay a. pritzker and his wife, cindy. its purpose is to honor annually a living architect or architects whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.

aia kills 2018 twenty-five year award. critic christopher hawthorne counters.

Jan 22, 2018

above > fire station no. 5, columbus, ind., susana torre/the architectural studio, 1987

what the 25 year award does is simultaneously celebrate a particular building and give us a peek into the state of architecture culture. ~ christopher hawthorne / architecture critic la times

the american institute of architects will not name a winner for their 2018 twenty-five year award. critic christopher hawthorne annoyance is palpable. presumably to ease his pain, we feel the pain also, he takes the time to create a list of worthy candidates. designapplause created this post as a repository for the list and hopefully more dialog.

[ mr. hawthorne’s list ] ranked in order of their suitability for the award, best candidates first.

temporary powell library, ucla, hodgetts & fung, 1992 (dismantled 1997)
oriole park at camden yards, baltimore, hok sport, 1992
restoration of majestic (now harvey) theater, brooklyn academy of music, hardy holzman pfeiffer, 1987
hayden tract, culver city, eric owen moss, begun 1986
hollywood duplex, los angeles, koning eizenberg, 1987
temporary (now geffen) contemporary, los angeles, frank gehry, 1983;
san juan capistrano library, michael graves, 1983
at&t building, new york, philip johnson and john burgee, 1984
donald c. tillman water reclamation plant & japanese garden, los angeles, anthony lumsden/dmjm and koichi kawana, 1984
berkowitz-odgis house, martha’s vineyard, steven holl, 1988 (demolished 2014);
thompson center, chicago, helmut jahn, 1985
kate mantilini restaurant, beverly hills, morphosis, 1986
patscentre, east windsor, n.j., richard rogers and partners, 1985
moore/andersson compound, austin, texas, charles moore and arthur andersson, 1992
loyola law school, los angeles, frank gehry, 1984
clos pegase winery, calistoga, calif., michael graves, 1987;
children’s museum of houston, robert venturi and denise scott brown with jackson & ryan architects, 1992
high museum of art, atlanta, richard meier, 1983
fire station no. 5, columbus, ind., susana torre/the architectural studio, 1987
metro blue line, los angeles, 1990
goldberg bean house, los angeles, franklin d. israel, 1991
humana building, louisville, ky., michael graves, 1985
vitra design museum, weil am rhein, germany, frank gehry, 1989
centennial complex, laramie, wyo., antoine predock, 1993
599 lexington avenue tower, new york, edward larrabee barnes, 1986

[ full story ] @hawthornelat #postmodernism

announcing longlist for world’s best building: riba international list 2018.

Dec 12, 2017

above > tirpitz / blåvand, denmark / big – bjarke ingels group / courtesy > laurian ghinitoiu

a biennial selection featuring some of the world’s best new—or recently completed—buildings, the riba international list 2018 comprises 62 individual buildings drawn from 29 countries. this list will get narrowed down to just four by a grand jury. across nine categories of buildings embracing public and private offices, places of worship, private homes and museums, apartment blocks, assembly plants, buildings responding to conflict and natural disasters, and new architectural landscapes.

the riba international list 2018 features 62 exceptional buildings from more than 28 countries: from a tranquil chapel wrapped within a forest canopy (sayama forest chapel japan) below>

to the bold re-imagining of a grain factory into a new contemporary art museum (zeitz mocaa, africa) below>

from a unesco world heritage site (wadden sea centre, denmark) below>

to a post-earthquake reconstruction project (guangming village, china) below>

the winners will be announced in december 2018. #RIBAIntPrize

three architectural principles later house in chau doc by nishizawaarchitects.

Aug 25, 2017

the house now offers a rich lifestyle which is fulfilled by sunlight, greenery, and natural ventilation, as it were, living in a half-outdoor gardens.

[ facts ]
architects > nishizawaarchitects
location > thành phố châu đốc, vietnam
architects in charge > shunri nishizawa, nguyen do hong quan, luong thanh tung
area > 3,660 sq/ft / 340.0 m2
project year > 2017

text description provided by the architects – edited for brevity / located in a suburb of chau doc in south vietnam, this house is a sharing residence of three nuclear families who are kin. although this project budget was tightened with local standards which only allowed a house built with thin corrugated metal panels. the house now offers a rich lifestyle which is fulfilled by sunlight, greenery, and natural ventilation, as it were, living in a half-outdoor gardens.

seven hours from hochiminh city by long-distance bus and ferry, chau doc, has been developed along a branch of mekong river. wandering around the neighboring site, we recognized several layers of the regional environment. the first layer is depicted by hundreds of floating houses on the river. the second layer, is a roadway along both sides of the river banks which serve as the main traffic for the locals. the third layer is scattered with many pilotis houses. the last layer is painted in green by beautiful rice-fields as far as our eyes could reach.

the more deeply we approached into their living context, the better we could understand the harsh natural environment they have. when all the grounds except the embanked roads are under the water during 4-5 months in the rainy season.

on the other hand, ironically, we have found that their daily-life has become unstable and un-organized after a recent drastic change eliminating the floods. formerly, flood in the rainy-season would wash away all excreta accumulated in the dry-season, and the covering water would be helpful to lower the surrounding temperature as well.

based on these conditions, we aimed to adopt regional customs such as local materials, carpenters’ techniques and their construction methods as much as possible plus three new architectural intentions below.

1/ to invert the roof shape into butterfly-roof in order to open the interior space to surrounding environment, and then cover the site with three more butterfly-roofs in different heights.

2/ to hang up rotating metal windows from end-to-end at the big openings between each roof and facade to control sunlight natural wind.

3/ to replace all the internal solid walls into movable partitions to create one big continuous space.

these three architectural principles are clearly intended to realize a half-outdoor and contemporary spaces with full of natural elements such as sunlight, wind, water, soil and plantings.

we also preserved the regional customs and spirits inside the house which can be listed as floor-sitting lifestyle, human-scaled dimensions and floating timber frames on the concrete columns. this theme is also consistent with its exterior design, which is to blend with the surrounding environment and translated into modern design languages.

2016 german design award select winners.

Nov 23, 2015

above> german design award installation at ambiente 2015 | click on image to engage lightbox | 18 images

the 2016 winners of the german design award have been made public. the gda is this one of the best award programs around. a very wide breadth of product submissions for cars, motorcycles, med & industrial equipment, architecture, it seems like everything. they’re also one of the best at showcasing winners in a huge installation at ambiente, a heavy investment in print and well represented online. this represents a heavy monetary investment in design. the above slideshow is a glimpse at 2015 during ambiente 2015. the german design award is hosted by the german design council who celebrates its 60th year in 2015

below are a sampling of 2016 winners.

above> lichtgrenze

category> event / light installation for 25 years fall of the wall celebrations in berlin 2014
client> kulturprojekte berlin gmbh für die stadt berlin
design> whitevoid / christopher bauder

award> gold 2016
jury statement> michel casertano | dr. angelika nollert | prof. hartmut a. raiser

from the 7th to the 9th of november 2014, berlin remembered the 25th anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall and the reunification of the city. in line with the festivities, there was a fascinating light installation that marked the former path of the wall with illuminated balloons along a 15.3 km stretch. on the final evening of the installation 8,000 balloon caretakers released the balloons into berlin’s night sky, each carrying a personal message. a moving project with enormous symbolic and charismatic power that made an impact far beyond the borders of germany. the project was realised through private financing – not by the city, which meant that there was a comparatively small budget. this is an impressive demonstration of the fact that one can create something extraordinarily effective even with limited means.

above> tentsile tree tent: stingray.

category> sports, outdoor activities and leisure
producer> tentsile
design> tentsile / alex shirley-smith

award> gold 2016
jury statement> prof. stefan diez | nicolette naumann | silvia olp

the tentsile stingray is a new kind of tent that is hung between three trees, poles or branches and floats in the air, extending the radius of experience from two to three dimensions. the occupants (up to three people) are not only protected from the weather, but from wild animals and insects as well. the form changes according to the tent’s tension, making it seem almost like a living creature. this fascinating tree tent is an innovative outdoor tool that totally reinterprets the leisure tent system. at once functional and poetic.

above> aerfast 20th anni by storck.

category> transportation / racing bike
producer> storck bicycle
design> storck bicycle / mario kuban

award> gold 2016
jury statement > johannes barckmann | prof. andrea lipp | jürgen lewandowski

for its 20-year anniversary, the legendary bicycle manufacturer is releasing selected models as a limited edition set. the models have special anniversary paintwork and high-quality components. the set also includes a platinum handlebar and a seat with special supports. the frame is adorned tastefully with the master’s signature. a polo shirt with the brand name and a certificate signed by markus storck himself round off this exclusive set. the combination of technical perfection and dynamic styling reflects storck’s authentic passion for designing bikes: absolutely functional, absolutely carbonic! absolutely perfect.

above> timber structure sports center

category> architecture
client> kogakuin university
design> ft architects / hiroko tominaga

award> gold 2016
jury statement> mårten claesson | dr. michael peters | stefan von terzi

this pair of extraordinary buildings on the campus of the kogakuin university in tokyo houses a japanese archery facility and a boxing club. the two wooden structures made of native, local woods each cover a space of around 7.2 m x 10.8 m. this is about the size of a traditional japanese temple, and these spaces are similarly open and minimal, which has a positive effect on the athletes’ concentration. the special quality, however, is the support-free roof construction, which was planned and realised based on traditional japanese wooden structures. a fascinating statement that contributes to keeping this architectural style alive in the cultural memory. the way these buildings have transformed functionality into aesthetics can only be described as sensational.

above> bentley – exp 10 speed 6

category> transportation / concept car
producer> bentley motors
design> bentley motors

award> gold 2016
jury statement> johannes barckmann | prof. andrea lipp | jürgen lewandowski

the designers of the exp 10 speed 6 achieved a fantastic reinterpretation of the british legend and a self-aware statement of luxury and extravagance on the highest level. this is particularly apparent when looking at the interior. the door panels are not covered with leather matching the material used for steering wheel and seats like usual, but instead are covered with high-quality wood. the possibilities in high-quality processing and craftsmanship are demonstrated here. the exterior inspires with a progressive/elegant design vocabulary that transports the classic car into the future. muscular, athletically shaped surfaces that are inspired by aerodynamic shapes such as aircraft fuselages and aerofoils convey dynamism, power and speed. an extraordinarily beautiful automobile that perfectly combines aesthetics and precision – and is unmistakably a bentley. it couldn’t be done better!

above> takata maxi

category> baby and child care / children`s car seat
producer> takata
design> takata / reiner nett

award> gold 2016
jury statement> prof. stefan diez | nicolette naumann | silvia olp

in this excellently designed children’s car seat, children stay both safe and comfortable, even on long trips. this is ensured by the stabile casing and the exceedingly soft padding on the seat itself and the arm supports. the microfiber fabrics are toxin-free and can be cleaned easily. the seatbelt guide has an auto-lock feature, guaranteeing that the belt stays in position, while the airpad safety technology protects the head. parents may enjoy the practical one-handed operation for size adjustment and belt fastening. a well-designed product, considered down to the last detail and visually appealing.

above> karuun® | kc collection

category> material and surfaces / innovative material based on natural rattan
producer> out for space
design> out for space / peter kraft, julian reuter, moritz fuhrmann, miriam bröckel

award> gold 2016
jury statement> nicole huffer | ruwen kaminski | jun.-prof. dr.-ing. jens krzywinski

karuun® is a highly innovative material that provides transformative new dimensions for the design possibilities of rattan. the composition of natural rattan can be understood as a bundle of small tubes, which makes it absolutely unique. the company out for space uses this special quality to inject natural filler material into the material. the result – karuun® – offers increased rigidity, fantastic bending properties, weather-resistance and a wide range of coloration possibilities. the kc collection gives a foretaste of what is possible with karuun®. and it is already an extremely impressive collection. all in all, a promising material that is also very sustainable. exciting.

above> smartintego

category> building and elements / digital lock cylinder
producer> simonsvoss technologies
design> ergon3 design / peter trautwein

award> gold 2016
jury statement> ruwen kaminski | jun.-prof. dr.-ing. jens krzywinski

with this new product line, simonsvoss offers the perfect solution for integrated access control systems. smart intego can be immediately connected to existing complex access control systems — and the smart intego manager makes it easier than ever by auto-configuring the system components and saving a significant amount of time and effort in comparison to other systems. the digital lock cylinder offers various additional functions such as audit trail, time zone management, event management and door monitoring.

above> illa kogelhof by paul de ruiter architects

category> architecture / residential
client> private client
design> paul de ruiter architects / paul de ruiter

award> winner 2016
jury statement> mårten claesson | dr. michael peters | stefan von terzi

villa kogelhof is designed to be completely energy self-sufficient and is located on a swath of land declared a conservation area by the government. the minimalist building, designed with straight lines, rests on v-shaped pillars to take away as little as possible from the protected habitant for plants and animals. the interior of the house is no less minimalist due to surrounding glass panels that enhance the home’s sense of openness and connection to nature. a great design that perfectly plays up interior and exterior, while redefining the standard for natural living.

above> notabag

category> lifestyle and fashion / combination of a bag and a backpack
producer> notabag
design> notabag / adnan alicusic, ilaria gregianin

award> winner 2016
jury statement> prof. stefan diez | nicolette naumann | silvia olp

notabag is a cleverly-designed combination of carrier and rucksack that can be carried on your arm or back, as desired. a simple motion is all it takes to change the rucksack into a bag or vice-versa. an internal back serves to store your wallet and keys. that means that everything is easy to find without having to rummage around for it. notabag transforms and closes all on its own, meaning that it doesn’t need any additional buttons or closures. if the bag isn’t needed it can fold down to almost nothing. a practical, amazingly designed product for daily use.

above> form

category> furniture / chair and table collection
producer> normann copenhagen
design> normann copenhagen / simon legald

award> special 2016
jury statement> prof. oliver grabes | sebastian herkner

form is a modern cup chair made using plastic mould casting, which is available with and without armrests and also as a bar stool in two different heights. the back and seat are ergonomically shaped and promise comfort and relaxation. form is an example of a flexible design that in principle fits on all frames – even those yet to be developed in the future. the series has now been expanded with a dining table in two sizes – the perfect accompaniment to the chairs.

[ 2016 winners ]