RIBA Announces Winners of 2018 Awards for International Excellence

Written by Niall Patrick Walsh
Published on May 09, 2018

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the winners for its 2018 Awards for International Excellence, and the 2018 International Emerging Architect. The 20 schemes were chosen from the entries for the RIBA International Prize, the winner of which will be announced in November 2018.

The 20 winners of the Awards for International Excellence hail from 16 countries, ranging from large urban infrastructure schemes, cultural destinations and educational buildings to civic spaces, private homes, and places of worship. The schemes also form a longlist for the RIBA International Prize 2018, which will be narrowed to four buildings in September 2018, and ultimately a winner in November.

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The winning scheme will “exemplify design excellence, architectural ambition and deliver meaningful social impact.” The inaugural RIBA International Prize was awarded to Grafton Architects in 2016, who are currently curating the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale.

Meanwhile, the RIBA International Emerging Architect 2018 has been awarded to Gustavo Utrabo and Pedro Duschenes, founders of Brazilian firm Aleph Zero. Their “Children Village” scheme in Formoso do Araguaia, which they designed in collaboration with Rosenbaum, features on the longlist for the 2018 International Prize, providing accommodation for 540 disadvantaged senior school children. Constructed from prefabricated and reforested wood, the scheme demonstrated the value of community, and the importance of using natural resources in an informed, sustainable way.

It’s always a pleasure to be able to recognize and reward emerging talent. We were impressed by the way the architects embraced the question of how architecture can stimulate its users, as well as the surrounding community, in a region rich in natural resources but poor in opportunities, education, and economic resources.
-Julia Barfield, Chair, RIBA Awards Group

The 20 winning schemes announced by the RIBA can be found below, complete with a jury description of their ambition and value, and a link to our previous coverage.