Brick is one of the most widely used materials in Colombia, helping local architecture stand out globally. This prominence is due to the exceptional quality of the clay found in several regions of the country. Beyond cladding the majority of the buildings that define Bogotá's urban landscape, the material is used in all its forms, from adobe to floor tiles in rural homes.
In Bogotá, CEMEX Colombia hosted the 12th edition of the 2018 CEMEX Building Award (Premio Obras CEMEX), celebrating the best of Colombian architecture and construction—projects "capable of creating solutions that promote the social and economic development of countries and, of course, contribute to protecting the environment," explained Ricardo Naya, president of CEMEX Colombia, during the ceremony held at the C. Vilar Auditorium.
Composed of Carlos Campuzano, Rafael Esguerra, Eduardo Rocha, Francisco de Valdenebro, Argelino Durán, and Lorenzo Castro, the jury presented awards in four categories—with the Infrastructure category declared vacant—along with three special prizes for outstanding achievements in Sustainable Building, Construction Innovation, and Social Value. The universal accessibility category was also declared vacant.
The winning architects in each category will travel to Mexico in November to represent Colombia at the international CEMEX Building Award ceremony.