Awards: The Latest Architecture and News

Diagonal 00 Telefonica Tower in Barcelona, designed by the architect Enric Massip-Bosch_EMBA and developed by Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona, has been awarded the LEAF PRIZE 2011 for Best Commercial Building of the Year.

This summer Coop Himmelb(l)au recieved two awards for two different buildings in Europe. The Dedalo Minosse International Prize was awarded for the firm’s design of BMW Welt in Munich on June 24, 2011 in Vicenza, Italy. According to the president of the Italian Association ALA, Bruno Gabbiani, who presented the award, the prize boosts “the quality of architecture looking at final result, analysing and focusing on project and constructive plan process and giving special attention to people who determine the success of the work: the architect and the client”. The awarded works, with Coop Himmelb(l)au among them, will be presented at the CISA, Cento Studi di Architecttura Palladio in Vicenza until September 18, 2011. Read more on this project here: BMW Welt / Coop Himmelb(l)au

The Board of Trustees of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has chosen Laurie Olin as the recipient of the 2011 ASLA Medal, the highest honor the organization bestows upon a landscape architect. The Medal is given to those whose lifetime achievements and contributions to the profession have had a unique and lasting impact on the welfare of the public and the environment. Olin will accept the award at the ASLA’s annual meeting to be held in San Diego from October 30 through November 2.

Each year the Texas Society of Architects recognizes a building that was completed 25-50 years ago which they believe has “stood the test of time by retaining its central form, character, and overall architectural integrity”. This year, the prestigious honor is awarded to Fountain Place, designed by Henry Cobb of I. M. Pei & Partners and completed back in 1986 in Dallas, Texas.

Entries from across the globe have flooded in, with some of the world’s most iconic buildings being shortlisted to set the benchmark for the Architectural world in 2011. This year looks set to be the toughest competition yet. With practices flying in from all over the globe, The Emirates Glass LEAF Awards 2011 is now regarded by many of the world’s architectural community as the annual event for viewing quality international design and build projects.

The awards will be celebrated and honored at London’s Landmark Hotel on September 16th, 2011 for the buildings and design solutions that are setting the benchmark for the future of architecture and design. The Architectural community from across the globe will gather at The Emirates Glass LEAF Awards which will double up as an international networking event. This gathering of industry experts will include a judging panel comprising of key individuals drawn from various areas of the international architectural design and construction community. More images and the complete shortlist awards after the break.

The FGMF architects office, under the command of the young architects Fernando Forte, Lourenço Gimenes and Rodrigo Marcondes Ferraz and placed in São Paulo, Brazil, has just won one more international award: “The international award Dedalo Minosse”-“Prêmio Internazionale Dedalo Minosse”, delivered in Vicenza, Italy, on June 24th 2011, at CISA (Andrea Palladio Centro Internacional de Estudos de Arquitetura – Andrea Palladio International Center for architecture studies). This is one of many awards received by FGMF, being the most awarded architecture Office in Brazil in the year of 2010. More information on their award after the break.

AIA recently made us aware of this year’s CAE Educational Facility Design Awards. The purpose of the design awards program is to identify trends and emerging ideas, honor excellence in planning and design, and disseminate knowledge about best practices in educational and community facilities. Check out the list of 13 after the break, including several of the firms we have previously featured.

In May, we covered the RIBA Awards 2011 and today, we have a great set of photos of Stephen Marshall Architects’ latest project which has been recognized for its architectural excellence by the Royal Institute of British Architects. The project houses the Rothschild Foundation and the Waddesdon Archives in a renovated dairy building situated on the Estate at Windmill Hill, in Aylesbury, England.

More about the project after the break.

The eight winners of the 2011 Small Project Awards were recently announced by the AIA. In its eighth year the program focuses on highlighting good design at any scale. The jurors for this year included: Deborah Pierce, Obie G. Bowman, Randy Brown, Lance Hosey, and Wendy Evans Joseph.

A complete list of winners following the break.

The Boston Society of Architects/AIA announced the winner of the 2010 Harleston Parker Medal as the Cambridge Public Library by William Rawn Associates Architects and Ann Beha Architects. Each year, the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) and the City of Boston award the Harleston Parker Medal to “the single most beautiful” building or structure built in the Greater Boston area over the past 10 years.

More images of the winner after the break.

Animal Architecture wants to hear your ideas. Animal Architecture (formed in 2009) is dedicated to providing a forum for addressing the myriad issues arising from the complex interactions between animals and human society. The lens of our focus is Architecture. The aim of our study is to again see ourselves as partners in an intimate and reciprocal relationship with larger (sometime smaller) ecological forces.

The Horbury Hunt Award recognises excellence and innovation in built projects. Also recognising the collaboration of a project team to deliver architectural outcomes. The Award rewards innovation and craftsmanship in brickwork and recognises the contribution of all parties in that process. The Horbury Hunt Awards includes commercial as well as residential and landscape built projects.

Back in August, we featured Henning Larsen Architects’ winning proposal in an invited competition to design the Batumi Aquarium in Georgia. Today, we are happy to announce that the Danish architects received the “Architecture of the Year” award by the 2011 International Design Awards in Los Angeles. Congratulations!

AIA New York celebrated their 30th year of the annual design awards program which recognizes projects located in New York City or design by architects practicing in New York City. Three projects received “Best in Show”: the Hypar Pavilion Lawn and Restaurant by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with FXFOWLE, Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects’ David Rubenstein Atrium, and another collaboration by Diller Scofidio + Renfro with FXFOWLE and Beyer Blinder Belle’s Public Spaces.

A special exhibition featuring all of the winning projects will be on view through June 25th at the NYC Center for Architecture. The complete list of AIA New York 2011 Design Award Winners following the break.

The European Commission and the Mies van der Rohe Foundation recently announced the six finalists competing for the 2011 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – the Mies van der Rohe Award. They have been shortlisted from 343 works in 33 European countries. The award ceremony will take place on June 20 at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona, Spain.

See the complete list with photos from the finalists after the break.

The Philips Livable Cities Award has announced a shortlist of eight initiatives, narrowed down from 450 ideas received from 29 countries around the world. The eight simple solutions all share a common thread, a reasonable approach to improving the health and well-being of people living in cities. Shortlisted designs include a smart grid athletic light for city recreation in NY, design your own park competition, a shade stand in Kampala, and a moveable street park in Buenos Aires. Cast your vote for your favorite Philips Livable City by March 24th. Design Your Own Park Competition in Binghamton, USAIn many cities, neglected urban spaces are seen as unsightly and unusable areas of land. David Sloan Wilson’s shortlisted ‘Design Your Own Park Competition’ idea would turn these areas into a space Binghamton residents can use and be proud of.Shade Stand in Kampala, Uganda James Kityo’s idea involves creating 45 ‘Shade Stands’ across Uganda’s capital, Kampala, providing shelter against both the hot sun and torrential rain, and displaying post­ers about health education topics. Plaza Movil Street Park in Buenos AiresManuel Rapoport’s ‘Plaza Movil Street Park’ idea would see Buenos Aires’ streets tempo­rarily closed to traffic during weekends and public holidays, and portable playground equipment and benches used to convert them into recreational spaces.Smart Grid Athletic Light in New York City, USA Andrew Burdick’s ‘Smart Grid Athletic Light’ shortlisted idea involves modular solar or wind-powered streetlights connected to a ‘smart grid’, allowing children and sports teams to play later in the day in a well-lit and safer environment. Neighborhood Network Scheme in Abeokuta, NigeriaMichael Iyanro’s idea proposes the development of a ‘Neighborhood Network Scheme’ in Abeokuta, Nigeria, by providing access to a network of welfare services, designed to help elderly citizens live inde­pendently and more securely within their city.Rainwater Aggregation in Sana, Yemen In Sana’a, Yemen, water can quickly become scarce, posing a risk to vulnerable city residents. Sabrina Faber’s shortlisted idea of ‘Rainwater Aggregation’ addresses this problem by using existing flat rooftops to capture, filter and store water during rainy periods. iQare in Edinburgh, UKEve Hatton’s shortlisted idea, ‘iQare’, works by simplifying how elderly people in Edinburgh, UK, access the latest digital tools. Thus making it easier to remain independent, stay in touch with friends and family, and access service providers and retailers.Health Education Initiative for the Deaf in Embu, KenyaJacob Ireri has submitted an idea to address the significant challenges faced by deaf children in Embu, Kenya. His ‘Health Education Initiative for the Deaf’ aims to promote health-related information through the teaching of Kenyan Sign Language.

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce holds the annual Building Brooklyn Awards. Currently accepting nominations for the 11th Annual Buidling Brooklyn Awards, the event is a signature real estate industry event that recognizes recently completed new, and renovation construction projects, that have a positive impact on the borough’s economy and quality of life.

The event honors individuals who have made significant contributions toward enhancing the business conditions and economic climate of Brooklyn. This year’s awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, July 14, 2011, at the Steiner Studios in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

More information and images from last year’s winners after the break.