10 May 2018
RIBA announces list of world's 20 best new buildings
BY Kim Megson
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the 20 buildings that have won its International Excellence Awards, one of which will go one to be named the world's nest new building by the design body.
The buildings, from 16 countries, range in scale and typology and include a number of leisure projects.
RIBA International Excellence Awards
The leisure winners
Audain Art Museum, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, by Patkau Architects
Jury quote: “Overall it is a very elegant gallery which exploits its beautiful forest setting. It uses the site and climate constraints to inform the design that is modest, considered and well built.”
Museum Voorlinden, Wassenaar, The Netherlands, by Kraaijvanger Architects
Jury quote: “Overall, the building provides a beautiful setting for its modern collection and temporary exhibitions – it sits well in its surroundings. It aspires to be a timeless piece and brings Renzo Piano’s de Menil gallery in Texas to mind.”
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, Athens, Greece, by Renzo Piano Building Workshop with BETAPLAN
Jury quote: “The project is very important for Greece and Athens. It is patently successful, having already been embraced by the general public - drawing large numbers of people from the city to a delightful park and two world-class venues.”
Musee d'arts de Nantes, nantes, France, by Stanton Williams
Jury quote: “The conservation, alteration and major extension of Nante’s Musee d’Arts is a project of particular interest and importance.
“The major work of opening-up the elevated, main entrance to the Musee by removing the original tall railings and gates and extending the three flights of granite steps across the full width of the recess between the wings, coupled with the attractive repaving of the street in subtly coloured and patterned granite setts and the introduction of a pair of elegantly detailed, glazed structures – one containing a platform lift, the other, containing a changing art-work – have provided welcoming access to the building from the City.”
RIBA International Excellence Awards
The other winning buildings
• BBVA Bancomer Tower, Mexico City, Mexico, by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners with Legorreta + Legorreta
• Buendner Kunstmuseum Chur, Chur, Switzerland, by Barozzi Veiga
• Captain Kelly's Cottage, Tasmania, Australia, by John Wardle Architects
• Central European University – Phase 1, Budapest, Hungary, by O'Donnell + Tuomey with M-Teampannon Kft
• Children Village, Formoso do Araguaia, Brazil, by Alephzero with Rosenbaum
• Lanka Learning Center, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, by Feat Collective
• M4 Metro Line Budapest, Budapest, Hungary, by Palatium Studio, with Budapesti Epitomuveszeti Muhely, Gelesz es Lenzser Epiteszeti, Puhl es Dajka Epitesz Iroda, sporaarchitects, VPI Epitesz Studio and Palatium M4 Projekt
• Mount Herzl Memorial Hall, Jerusalem, Israel, by Kimmel Eshkolot Architects in collaboration with Kalush Chechick Architects
• Sancaklar Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey, by EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture
• Studio Dwelling at Rajagiriya, Colombo, Sri Lanka, by Palinda Kannangara Architects
• Tatsumi Apartment House, Tokyo, Japan, by Hiroyuki Ito Architects
• The Ancient Church of Vilanova de la Barca, Spain, by AleaOlea architecture & landscape
• Toho Gakuen School of Music, Tokyo, Japan, by Nikken Sekkei
• University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris
• Vertical Forest, Milan, Italy, by Boeri Studio with Studio Emanuela Borio and Laura Gatti
• Xiao Jing Wan University, Shenzhen, China, by Foster + Partners with GDI
“The RIBA Awards for International Excellence 2018 are a testament to the breadth and quality of architecture being created around the world,” said RIBA president Ben Derbyshire. “These 20 outstanding projects were selected for their architectural ambition, design ingenuity and excellence of execution. Importantly, they demonstrate the significant and far-reaching contribution that architecture makes to our daily lives.”
The 20 winning projects form the longlist for the RIBA International Prize 2018. The shortlist of four buildings will be announced in September 2018 and the winner will be revealed by the Grand Jury – led by Elizabeth Diller – in November 2018.
Open to any qualified architect in the world, the Prize is awarded to “the most significant and inspirational building of the year.”
The inaugural accolade was awarded in 2016 to Grafton Architects, curators of the 16th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale, for their Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología building in Lima, Peru.
Meanwhile, RIBA has also announced the RIBA International Emerging Architect 2018. Gustavo Utrabo and Pedro Duschenes, founders of Brazilian architecture firm Aleph Zero, are the recipients, for their Children Village in Formoso do Araguaia, Brazil, which provides boarding accommodation for 540 senior school children.
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