Awards: The Latest Architecture and News

The Obel Award is an international prize for architectural achievement presented annually by the Henrik Frode Obel Foundation. Each year, the jury selects a specific theme and grants an award to a promising solution. For the 2024 edition, the prize that honors architectural contributions that positively impact both people and the planet will be focused on “Architecture With”.

Previous emphasis included Adaptations, Emissions, Cities, Mending, and Well-being. In 2023, the fifth cycle recognized ‘Living Breakwaters’ in New York, a green infrastructure project off the shore of Staten Island, by SCAPE Landscape Architecture and its founder Kate Orff. In 2022, the Obel was awarded to Seratech, a carbon-neutral concrete solution, in 2021, the concept of the 15-minute city received the prize for its value in creating sustainable and people-centric urban environments, and in 2020, Studio Anna Heringer was acknowledged for Anandaloy, in Bangladesh, an unconventional, multifunctional building that hosts a therapy center for people with disabilities on the ground floor and a textile studio on the top floor producing fair fashion and art. Finally, in its first edition, fixated on well-being, the Obel Award was granted to the Art Biotop Water Garden project in Tochigi, Japan, by Junya Ishigami & Associates.

Architectural awards serve as a fundamental platform within the profession and the wider community. They recognize and celebrate outstanding achievements in architectural projects, promoting excellence and innovation, while also providing visibility and exposure for architects and companies, highlighting projects that might otherwise go unnoticed. This impact is particularly evident in collective housing projects, which face a range of challenges, from issues of cost and compliance with urban planning legislation to the need to create welcoming and functional environments for residents. By highlighting diverse initiatives and approaches, awards inspire and educate, stimulate dialogue and the exchange of ideas, and contribute significantly to the advancement of architecture by recognizing projects that address specific themes such as sustainability or social impact.

New York-based architecture office WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism has been named the 37^th recipient of the Louis I. Kahn Award, offered by DesignPhiladelphia. The firm, founded by Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi, is recognized for its wide range of projects, from cultural institutions to urban landscapes, all demonstrating and responding to contextual conditions, sustainability standards, and centered around the human experience.

+ 5

The European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe just revealed the 7 finalists for the 2024 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Awards. There are 5 finalists in the Architecture category and 2 in the Emerging category. In March, the jury will visit these architectural works and will decide on the winning projects that will be announced on April 25th at the CIVA in Brussels.

Selected by the jury comprising 7 members: Frédéric Druot, Martin Braathen, Pippo Ciorra, Tinatin Gurgenidze, Adriana Krnáčová, Sala Makumbundu, and Hrvoje Njiric, from a list of 362 nominees, the "7 finalist works promote local policy references and can become global European models since all of them create inclusive and high-quality living environments."

+ 5

The 1940s architectural marvel Casa Sobre el Arroyo has been awarded the 2024 Worlds Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize for its outstanding restoration. Initially designed in 1943 by architects Amancio Williams and Delfina Galvez Bunge de Williams, this “house on the bridge” symbolizes Argentina’s modernist movement. The project is the first winner of the prestigious Modernism prize in the Global South, now standing as a museum for the protection of Argentina’s modern heritage.

+ 11

The Jane Drew Prize for Architecture 2024 and the Ada Louise Huxtable Prize for Contribution to Architecture 2024 have been awarded to Polish-French architect Iwona Buczkowska and American political activist and author Angela Davis, respectively. Honoring their work and commitment to their practices, the awards highlight their efforts to raise the profile of women in architecture. The Jane Drew Prize celebrates Buczkowska’s innovative approach to social housing and public buildings in France. Meanwhile, the Ada Louise Huxtable Prize recognizes Angela Davis’s leadership in the movement to abolish the prison system.

The European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe have announced the 40 shortlisted works for the 2024 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Awards. Selected by the jury comprising 7 members: Frédéric Druot, Martin Braathen, Pippo Ciorra, Tinatin Gurgenidze, Adriana Krnáčová, Sala Makumbundu, and Hrvoje Njiric, from a list of 362 nominees, the projects “are spread out in 38 European Cities in 33 Regions and 20 Countries”, showcasing 14 different programs.

+ 8

International non-profit organization World Habitat, in partnership with UN-Habitat, has announced the World Habitat Awards 2024. The prizes strive to highlight projects that demonstrate novel and transformative approaches to housing that incorporate principles of climate change adaptation and community-driven solutions. This year, 8 projects have been selected, out of which 2 projects were recognized with the Gold World Habitat Award.

+ 10

The Danish Landscape Award 2023 has been awarded to the H.C. Andersen Garden, designed by MASU Planning. The award focuses on honoring landscape architectural works with character, serving as “inspiration” for the industry. Situated in Odense in Denmark, this year’s winner was praised for reviving urban renewal in the city center by creating an escape that blends with the existing context.

When it comes to contemporary Portuguese architecture, the initial association often leans towards tradition. The historical significance of the program, the importance of typologies for the locals, and the construction methods all play a role. These associations are not unfounded, but they are not limiting either. In this context, Portugal boasts a prominent figure who exemplifies this balance: Álvaro Siza Vieira.

Siza is the foremost representative of Portuguese architecture. There are many reasons for this distinction. It is not only because he was the first Portuguese architect to receive a Pritzker Prize in 1992 or for the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale in 2012. It is not solely due to his extensive and prolific career. Above all, his unique and simultaneously universal approach to architecture sets him apart. His involvement on national and international fronts highlights a characteristic likely intrinsic to his nature: the ability to embody many facets within a singular entity, just like his compatriot Fernando Pessoa.

+ 9

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), in collaboration with The Jencks Foundation at The Cosmic House, has announced that Dogma is the 2023 recipient of the Charles Jencks Award. Previously awarded to Zaha Hadid, Níall McLaughlin, Herzog & de Meuron, and OMA, the award celebrates other forms of thinking and production that can drive architecture beyond design. This year’s recipient, Dogma, is a Brussels-based architecture practice focusing on the interplay between architecture and urban environments.

The American Institute of Architects has announced David Lake and Ted Flato, the founders of Texas-based firm Lake|Flato Architects, as the winners of the 2024 AIA Gold Medal. The pair was selected by the jury for their ability to make "sustainability exciting in a way few other architects have accomplished." Founded in San Antonia in 1984, their office set out to make environmentally conscientious design both accessible and exciting, by finding ways to strengthen he bond between humans and nature.

+ 3

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has been awarded the 2023 ULI Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development, one of the most respected honors in global land use and community development. The honor comes in recognition of Mayor Hidalgo’s vision for a more inclusive and sustainable Paris and the global impact of her policies. Hidalgo, the first female Mayor of Paris, is credited with advancing ambitious policies that have reduced Paris’ carbon emissions by 40% in ten years and have increased the percentage of affordable housing. Hidalgo has also been named among Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2020.

+ 1

Sir John Soane’s Museum has announced French architecture practice Lacaton & Vassal as the recipient of the 2023 Soane Medal. The award comes in recognition of the office’s work spanning over 3 decades. Through an honest design approach, the office became known for the resourceful repurposing of materials and existing structures to prioritize the needs of residents and local communities. For this approach, the office has been previously awarded as the 2021 Pritzker Prize 2021 Laureate.

+ 1