Exhibition
Europe’s best Buildings. Mies van der Rohe Award 2013
The European Union Prize for contemporary architecture
Exhibition poster: Europe's best Buildings. Mies van der Rohe Award 2013
© Architekturzentrum Wien, photograph: Nic Lehoux, graphic design: LIGA: graphic design
An exhibition by the Fundació Mies van der Rohe – Barcelona
Speakers:
Dietmar Steiner, director Az W, welcome address
Ivan Blasi, coordinator Fundacio Mies van der Rohe – Barcelona, introduction
María Langarita & Víctor Navarro, Langarita-Navarro arquitectos, Madrid, brief lecture
ambassador Martin Eichtinger, General Director Cultural Policy Section of The Austrian Foreign Ministry
The Opening will be followed by the traditional Az W summer party.
The Mies van der Rohe Award, today one of the most important and prestigious prizes for architecture within the European competition, was first set up in 1987 by the European Union, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe – Barcelona. This prize which involves a total sum of 80.000 EUR (main prize: 60.000 EUR, emerging architect’s prize: 20.000 EUR) is organised and awarded every two years.
The intention is to acknowledge and honour outstanding achievements in the field of architecture in Europe. The prizes are generally awarded to projects displaying an innovative character that serve as orientation, and indeed often as a manifesto, for the development of contemporary architecture. The award is intended to promote the profession and to encourage architects who are at the start of their careers. Both awards – the main prize and the special “Emerging Architect” prize, are given for achievements that are exceptional in terms of concept, technology and construction.
In 2013 five finalists were chosen from 335 projects nominated by European institutions and international experts – ultimately the eminent members of the jury chose the new Harpa concert hall and conference centre in Reykjavik designed by the Danish architectural firm Henning Larsen in collaboration with the Islandic practice Batteríið and the artist Olafur Elíasson, which was opened in 2011. The “Emerging Architect Special Mention” went to Maria Langarita and Victor Navarro for their Nave de Mucia Matadero (Red Bull Music Academy) in Madrid.
The travelling exhibition presents a total of 39 exceptional buildings from throughout Europe using plans and photographic material as well as numerous models. In the Architekturzentrum Wien the exhibition is augmented by the virtual presentation of 15 additional nominations with Austrian involvement.
A catalogue with the projects selected by the jury – prizewinners, finalists and shortlist – will be presented in the context of the exhibition.
Winner:
Harpa – Reykjavik Concert Hall & Conference Centre, Reykjavik, Iceland
Batteríið architects; Henning Larsen Architects; Studio Olafur Eliasson
Emerging architect special mention:
Red Bull Music Academy/Nave de música Matadero, Madrid, Spain
Langarita-Navarro Arquitectos
Finalists:
Stadshal Gent, Ghent, Belgium
Robbrecht en Daem architecten, Marie-José Van Hee architecten
Superkilen (inter-cultural urban park), Copenhagen, Denmark
BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, Topotek1, Superflex
Old person’s home, Alcácer do Sal, Portugal
Aires Mateus Arquitectos
Metropol Parasol (cultural and commercial centre), Sevilla, Spain
J. MAYER H. (Jürgen Mayer H., Andre Santer, Marta Ramírez Iglesias)
Projects on the shortlist:
The shortlist, which comprises a total of 34 projects from among which the finalists were selected, represents an unique anthology of the development of contemporary European architecture from 2011 to 2013.
Curator of the exhibition: Fundació Mies van der Rohe – Barcelona
Project coordination Az W: Karoline Mayer
Patrons of the exhibition: Fundació Mies van der Rohe, European Commission Culture 2000 Programme, Ajuntament de Barcelona, Generalitat de Catalunya, Ministerio de Fomento, Consorci de la Zona Franca
Sponsors of the exhibition: USM, Roca
Public Funding:
Geschäftsgruppe – Stadtentwicklung, Verkehr, Klimaschutz, Energieplanung und BürgerInnenbeteiligung
The Arts Division and the Culture Division of the Federal Chancellery of Austria
Geschäftsgruppe Kultur und Wissenschaft
Sponsor: ARCHITECTURE LOUNGE