Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP) Director Dirk Denison and 2023 MCHAP Jury Chair Sandra Barclay (Barclay & Crousse) have just announced the six finalists for the 2023 Americas Prize. The award recognizes the best-built works of architecture in the Americas completed between December 2018 and June 2021. This represents the latest stage of the fourth cycle of the MCHAP, launched in Venice, Italy, in August 2021. On March 24, 2023, the jury will announce the winners of the the 2023 Americas Prize. The authors of the winning project are set to receive a $50,000 fund for research along with a publication.
We knew going into this trip that we would be visiting projects that demonstrate the relevance
of a simple idea, but one that is so crucial right now: doing more with less. The finalist projects all exhibit radical generosity, giving their communities so much with the most targeted of interventions.
- Dirk Denison, MCHAP Director
The announcement of the finalists concludes the jury's tour of the project sites. The tour included discussions and interviews with the architects and their teams. The jury also conducted interviews with the project clients to obtain a complete image of the quality of the buildings. The MCHAP 2023 Jury includes Sandra Barclay (chair), Mónica Bertolino, Dirk Denison (ex officio), Alejandro Echeverri, Julie Eizenberg, and Philip Kafka.
The finalist projects were announced at an event in Medellín, Colombia. MCHAP director Dirk Denison underlined the importance of concluding the trip in this location. “This city is perhaps one of the most potent examples of how design can change human life for the better. Medellín truly shows us the way: the transformations that are possible when we layer thoughtful and impactful design onto a vital urban environment."
Read on to discover the six finalist projects selected for the 2023 Americas Prize. The descriptive texts are provided by the MCHAP jury to underline the merits of each individual project.
Anahuacalli Museum remodeling and expansion / Taller | Mauricio Rocha
Mexico City, Mexico
A sensitive dialogue with an existing museum in an ecological reserve, forging a new public space that extends Diego Rivera’s vision for the site.
Guadalupe Market / Colectivo C733
Tapachula, Mexico
A framework for everyday exchanges that leverages prefabricated and local materials to prioritize comfort, safety, and a fluid connection with the landscape.
The Menil Drawing Institute / Johnston Marklee
Houston, United States
It is an addition to a historic arts campus that meets strict conservation requirements while offering intimate, direct encounters with works on paper.
Park in the Prado Neighborhood / Connatural
Medellín, Colombia
A succession of terraces that thoughtfully engage the activities of animals, qualities of soil, and existing materials to shape a living urban landscape.
The Polygon Gallery / Patkau Architects
North Vancouver, Canada
A studio-like exhibition space that reestablishes a relationship between city residents and a dynamic, independent arts center.
Valois Building / José Cubilla
Asuncion, Paraguay
An apartment building that explores the urban possibilities of rammed-earth construction, integrating vegetation and ventilation without imposing on the surrounding neighborhood.
Explore the 2022 MCHAP outstanding projects and discover ArchDaily's comprehensive coverage of MCHAP and MCHAP.emerge.
