With the ambition of honoring and encouraging outstanding artistic talent, the Dutch state prize for the arts - the Johannes Vermeer Award - has been awarded this year to architect and writer Rem Koolhaas. The jury made a unanimous decision, citing Koolhaas’s critical contributions to architecture and urbanism since his career began with the publication of Delirious New York in 1975.
The jury of the Johannes Vermeer Award 2013 commended Rem Koolhaas for his impressive body of work as a designer and a thinker, as well as his contribution to the discourse on cities, in particular his innovative practice in areas with rapidly growing populations and economies. The jury also admired Koolhaas’ exceptional energy, which allows him and his office OMA to continuously seek and invent possibilities to shape the built environment.
The Minister of Culture, Jet Bussemaker, will present the prize to Koolhaas on Monday, October 21, at the recently re-opened Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
News via Johannes Vermeer Prijs
