WINNER

Fam architectura y urbanismo (Madrid, ES) + Schlaich Bergermann & Partner (Stuttgart, D) with the Project M-11 Memorial Madrid, Spain

Brief description:
The monument in the centre of Madrid was constructed in remembrance of the victims of the terrorist attack of 11 March 2004. The actual place of remembrance is located underground, with daylight entering via a massive, elliptical glass structure that is perceived as a monument above ground. At night the glass cylinder is lit up and dominates the surroundings. New details were developed to enable the curved surface of the monument to have different radii. Inside it contains an amorphously-shaped film, held in place by compressed air and printed with words of sympathy in various languages.

Jury statement:
The jury praises the innovativeness and systematic implementation of the design, which have resulted in the reinterpretation of the monument theme and the development of new constructional details. Radial mortaring of the glass building blocks and the use of layered films inside, shaped by overpressure, lead to an unusual interpretation of transparency and translucency. A special light situation emphasizes the oppressive heaviness and strength of the glass. The handling of contrasts and tensions is impressive. The soft shapes of the film inside the monument stand in contrast to the hard sheathing of the heavy glass walls. The contrast between its illuminated appearance at night and the subdued colours during the day, as well as the discrepancy between the clear above-ground lightweight structure and the dark heaviness of the underground place of remembrance lead to a poetic, meditative space.

OTH, Ontwerpgroep Trude Hooykaas bv (Amsterdam, NL) with the Kraanspoor Project, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Brief description:
The three-storey Kraanspoor office block has been constructed on a former concrete crane slideway in the north of Amsterdam. This industrial monument from the 1950s brings to life the history of the shipping industry and gives the site its own individual character. The new building creates maximum construction volume without drastically altering the existing concrete structure, and uses the maximum load frame. The glass and steel construction fits in with the aesthetics of the surrounding environment but still manages to stand out.

Jury statement:
The project is inspiring on account of its groundbreaking use of a former industrial site and the way in which it builds on old shipyard fragments. Particularly interesting is the creation of new a development site without including an actual piece of land. The potential of the building to be an urban crystallization point in a former industrial landscape is just as impressive as the creative implementation of the office-loft concept. The filigree structure that seems to float 3m above the boat slideway is fascinating on account of its systematic use of steel and glass and the significant reduction in the use of formal means. The lightness and transparency of the lightweight structure of the block is generated by the use of moveable glass plates that, in addition to controlling the entry of light into the building, also influence the appearance of the facade.

Takao Shiotsuka Atelier (Oita, JP) with the Silent House Project, Oita, Japan

Brief description:
This small weekend house lies in a secluded location in a mountain village close to the Japanese city of Oita. With unplastered walls made of bricked concrete stone and ultra-reduced details, it reflects the simplicity and calm of its surroundings. The internal units are positioned in a perforated external envelope in the traditional manner, allowing the building to react to local climatic conditions.

Jury statement:
Impressive in this case is the systematic use of materials in coherence with the original idea. The precise arrangement of linear spatial layers creates convincing spaces both internally and externally. The absolute reduction in detail creates a unique and aesthetic appearance that at no point aims to be spectacular. Foregoing the superfluous is simultaneously an interpretation of traditional Japanese buildings. The archaic building allows itself to forgo almost everything that makes up an archetypal house. Any further reduction would simply be impossible.

Bruno Fioretti Marquez Architekten (Berlin, D) with the Schweinfurt Municipal Library Project, Germany

Brief description:
The listed Ebracher Hof complex in Schweinfurt has been converted into a municipal library in an unusual manner. To allow the former barn to retain its characteristic appearance in the urban landscape, the required extension has been built beneath the square in front of it. The new area is illuminated via a glass lantern.

Jury statement
Taking the required degree of illumination as their starting point, the architects have opted for an unusual solution. The surprising, non-conformist handling of the materials, in particular glass, results in a relief-like facade and a unique architectural language. The facade seems almost dematerialized, its theme being the precise and deliberate contrast with the raw materiality of the barn.

Ingenhoven Architekten (Düsseldorf, D) with the European Investment Bank, Luxembourg

Brief description:
The administrative building of the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg has 10 floors of offices for 800 employees. Its outstanding design characteristic is its 13,000 m2 tube-like glass roof whose curvature continues that of the surrounding terrain and gives the building its identity. At the same time the roof offers maximum daylight and transparency, and consequently plays a decisive role in the building's energy strategy.

Jury statement
The project is an impressive example of a totally glass building. The building is flooded by light and opens up inside by means of atria that act as spatial interfaces and places of communication, and reflect the transparency of the internal organization. A minimized surface and a maximized floor plan together create a closed climatic system. The reduced steel-glass construction functions like a "climate bell" and creates an energy concept that fulfils the highest standards.

WINNER

Brief description:
The "Ring House" is a stacked, vertical weekend house in a wooded area near Nagano, Japan. The house blends into the wooded landscape and offers its occupants an unimpeded 360° panoramic view. It consists of a wooden frame structure with horizontal window strips that completely encircle the building, creating flowing transfers between the inside and outside. Thanks to the structure, which has no visible supporting elements, the alternating layers appear reduced and seem to float.

Jury statement
The main design idea behind this residential tower is transparency. The jury in particular praises the effective use of glass, which transforms the building and site into a magical location. The structuring of the facade into horizontal, seemingly floating rings breaks the scale of the building, thereby covering up its layeredness. At first glance no vertical elements are visible. Maximum dissolution inside and flowing spatial transitions result in the building taking on the appearance of an empty shell. All necessary functions are cleverly hidden behind variable height wooden walls that have no supporting function and do not impair the spatial flow. The lightness of the building is enhanced by the colours and illumination, with the building resembling a lantern in the forest.

WINNER

KieranTimberlake Associates LLP (Philadelphia, USA) with the Loblolly House Project, Maryland, USA

Brief description:
Loblolly House is a totally prefabricated residential building. All its wooden components were prefabricated and can be assembled on an aluminium frame structure in less than six weeks. Constructed on the coast of Maryland, the single-family house symbolizes the surrounding structures by its use of materials.

Jury statement:
The project is impressive on account of its design qualities and maximum prefabrication of the individual components. The easy-to-assemble supporting structure consists of an industrial aluminium building, whilst all the wall-forming elements are made of wood. To impair as little as possible on the development site, the foundations of the lightweight wood/aluminium structure are also made of wood. In its choice of materials and the minimization of interventions into the surrounding natural environment, the building is reacting sensitively to its context, leaving hardly any traces, as required by the concept of sustainability.

Rossetti + Wyss Architekten, (Zürich, CH) with the Trublerhütte Project in Schlieren, Switzerland

Brief description:
The Trublerhütte lies on an angled clearing at the edge of the woods near Schlieren in Switzerland. The wooden hut was constructed on the undamaged base of its burnt-down predecessor. The architectural concept is strongly linked to the construction site, with ceiling-height windows allowing inward and outwards views of the surrounding environment. The building is box-like in terms of shape and when closed seems monolithic.

Jury statement:
The design is striking on account of its systematic use of wood, which is in line with the idea of reduced shapes and which impresses with its absolute stringency. The purity of the lines and sole use of wood results in the creation of a monolithic appearance that can be varied by the opening of ceiling-height windows. The clear cube is defined by four boxes, all of which house auxiliary functions. The resulting interior space can be used at will, while the large openings create a connection with the surrounding environment.

WINNER

Brief description:
BMW World is a combined exhibition, delivery, experience, museum and event location right next to the BMW four-cylinder building in Munich. The architectural concept reflects both its function and extrovert design. The main design elements of the sophisticated steel construction are a large, permeable hall with a sculpture-like roof, a shape-forming double cone and a complex facade structure. The enormous roof area is supported by just eleven hinged columns and, despite its massiveness, seems to float.

Jury statement
BMW World is an impressively complex steel building whose expressive shape enables innovative spatial sequences and scenarios. Planning and construction of the building required massive computer support. The multilayered three-dimensional framework with very few support points could undoubtedly only have been constructed using steel. The off-centre rotation of the cylinder similarly required the use of steel. The facade, which has both a supporting and reinforcing function, is surprisingly filigree in its design. The symbolic building is a significant addition to its environment and acts as a landmark between the BMW Museum and the Olympic Park.

Feichtinger Architects (Paris, France) with the Passarelle Simone de Beauvoir Project

Brief description:
This 304 m-long pedestrian bridge in Paris crosses the Seine free of supports and in one span. Two curves create the geometry of the steel bridge, acting as its structure and guiding elements at the same time. They form a wide-span arch and a tieback. Pedestrians can be cross the bridge in a number of different ways, each one offering different spatial sequences and perspectives.

Jury statement
The structure is more than just a bridge. The static concept and spatial urban environment are closely linked to each other. Overlapping shapes and structures result in lively spaces with lingering quality. In terms of its design, the bridge is an example of the counter-stabilizing suspension principle systematically applied to a steel structure. Thanks to its innovative structure, the Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir impressively continues the tradition of Paris bridges' of reflecting the technologies of their time.

Sean Godsell Architects (Melbourne, AU) with the Glenburn House Project in Glenburn, Australia

Brief description:
Glenburn House is a residential building in rural Australia not far from the city of Melbourne. The building is partly built into the hilly terrain and is therefore optimally integrated into the landscape. This natural wall protects it from the ravages of nature and in particular heat. Solar collectors are integrated into the robust external envelope, so that it fulfils the residential building passive house standard.

Jury statement
The building is impressive on account of its integration into the landscape. It is embedded in the ground and is part of the context in which internal and external transitions, from the building to the landscape, are flowing. This is the result in particular of the slat-like facade, which continues the landscape inside the building after merely "sieving" it. The design generates liveable spaces, and its use of the environment and materiality makes it seem both sensual and poetic, with Glenburn House becoming part of the landscape.

WINNER

Brief description:
The concert hall in the Austrian town of Raiding with just 900 inhabitants is an example of an urban building transported and reinterpreted in a rural context. It achieves maximal spatial effect using minimal architectural means. The architecture itself generates the hall's acoustics, in which use is made of the classic acoustic proportion system of the box. Auditory technical aids are dispensed with. The hall is shaped by a grid of auditory wood adhesive binders that are infilled with double-bent wood panels. Cassette walls create a uniform structure and surface that distribute sound evenly within the hall.

Jury statement
The project reacts sensitively and reservedly to its rural context and creates quality spaces without the building being out of proportion to its environment. The application of reduced means seems an appropriate reaction. The recourse to the proven shape of the acoustic box and the creation of solid fundamentals for sound solely by architectural means is systematically implemented. The concert hall impresses with its uniform use of wood and its linear application.

Oliver Brünjes Architekt (Saarbrücken, Germany) with the Landtag Saarbrücken Project

Brief description:
The project in Saarbrücken involved the conversion and restoration of the listed Landtag building dating from 1864, taking into account the special requirements for the main council chamber, whose interior, lighting, speech intelligibility, security, ergonomics and equipment were all modernized. The development of special ceiling modules enabled the lighting, acoustics and the council chamber's ceiling to be installed in a uniform manner and with a reduced design. One significant requirement was the combination of the 19th-century-architecture, that of the 1950s, and the latest interventions into one whole.

Jury statement
The overall concept and all the individual interventions call for the sensitive handling of the existing listed substance of the building and the reserved use of existing materials. These are reinterpreted in terms of detail, combined with innovative materials and create a homogenous spatial structure and a representative ambience. The jury was particularly impressed by the development of the ceiling modules, which are used both for illumination purposes and to improve the acoustics. They create the character of the chamber as universally deployable, dominating elements. Vertical glass plates generate a uniform light quality and create, by means of reflexes and overlapping light structures, a special atmosphere.

Schneider + Schumacher Architekten with the Brunner Kommunikationszentrum in Rheinau-Freistett, Germany

Brief description:
The Brunner Kommunikationszentrum is an exhibition and office building for a furniture manufacturer. It has been designed as a triangular, two-storey building, built as closely as possible to the existing administrative building. The main supporting structure is a two-dimensional timber frame structure made up of diamonds and parallelograms and based on a triangular floor plan. The acoustics concept seeks to avoid flat and parallel surfaces.

Jury statement
Constructional, design and acoustic elements are successfully combined with each other and realized using the folded wooden structure of the roof. The readability of the acoustic measures and the folded geometry result in an exciting interplay of the ceiling and represents the main internal design characteristic. The additional perforation of the wooden surfaces optimizes the acoustic qualities of the room.

Dirk Jan Postel/ Kraaijvanger-Urbis (Rotterdam, NL) with the Dutch Ambassador’s Residence Project in Beijing, China

Brief description:
The rebuilt residence of the Dutch Embassy in Beijing is a one-storey free-standing building that includes representative, service and private areas. It consists of two wings connected by a winter garden. The facade consists of large glass sliding doors that increase the spatial feeling and contrast with the verticality of the trees. All the rooms and the garden are connected to each other. The house is dominated by an elongated stone wall that stretches out behind the building.

Jury statement
This project combines filigree glass architecture with clean particularization and extremely careful implementation for China. The handling of the walls and garden is reminiscent of the work of Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson, further developed to perfection. At the same time Asian influences have been absorbed and the granite wall developed on site. The Western influence is made clear by the precise installation of sliding windows, which are currently the largest of their kind in China. A premium-standard house in which anyone would be happy to live.

WINNER

Brief description:
The house is situated in a rural suburb of Santiago de Chile. The living areas are located between several layers of the building envelope, which have a range of climatic, static and functional characteristics. The external layer, a hothouse membrane, is what gives the building its tent-like character and is simultaneously an important component of the climatic concept. As many of the construction workers involved in the project had only limited experience, parts of the wall layers were constructed on-site in do-it-yourself fashion.

Jury statement
The project is impressive on account of its innovative interpretation of the idea of a home and represents a successful blending of a massive building and tent architecture. It appears mobile, like a nomad's tent, but is nevertheless firmly anchored and represents a type of its own. With the help of a hierarchy of wall layers made of unusual, recyclable materials, the relationship between inside and outside is redefined. Exciting spatial qualities have been created at low cost that temporarily and variably react to local conditions.

Studio Tamassociati (Venice, IT) with the Prayer and Meditation Pavilion Project (Soba, Sudan)

Brief description:
The prayer and meditation room is part of a centre for heart surgery in the Sudan, set up by a humanitarian organization. In reflection of the spiritual complexity of the country, the room is able to accommodate all religious persuasions. The architecture of the building incorporates local and traditional architectural techniques. It consists of two separate white cubes that are connected by a palm leaf roof. The complex is surrounded by a water basin, creating a division between the macrocosmos of the hospital and the microcosmos of the meditation area.

Jury statement
The architects have succeeded in creating a neutral place for meditation for all religious and ethnic groups present in the Sudan. Using local materials and a straightforward design, they have built an objective room that has a marked simplicity. This is enhanced by the deliberate use of light and shadow and radiates a calming influence reinforced by the surrounding areas of water. Also praiseworthy is the sensitive use of local materials and design characteristics as well as of local builders.

eCO2lodge / Fabian Furkerider, Olaf Kemmether, Technische Universität München

Brief description:
The project involves a compact, floating residential unit that can be constructed at low cost and which meets the comfort requirements of modern society. The main raw material used is renewable bamboo. The system consists of a range of different-sized installation and residential modules, which can be hung in a triangular bamboo construction. A special connecting technology evens out the dimensional tolerances of the bamboo canes and removes the torsional stress from the water movement.

Jury statement
The design shows how a natural building material can be successfully combined with high technical requirements. The development of the steel-bamboo connections shows that the materials and their characteristics have been carefully examined. The choice of material reflects the current topicality of temporary architecture and lightweight construction. Realization of the project is entirely conceivable.

The Range and Limits of Deployable Space Frames Based on Scissor-like Elements to create a Large Structure of Totally Arbitrary Curvature / Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien)

Brief description:
The project involved the development of a three-dimensional, double-bent, foldable rod construction made of scissor-like elements for use in university research work. The structure can, depending on its use, be folded up or folded out. By moving connecting points, a wide range of curved shapes can be created.

Jury statement
The project is an example of concentrated focusing on freeform spatial plate structures. It is a successful example of a flexible and versatile spatial system that can be optimally adapted to circumstances. The work is judged to be an application-free research work that meets the need by universities for conceptual analysis.

WINNER

Brief description:
The prototype for a 100% solar-power-operated house was created during the "Solar Decathlon" high-school competition and emerged as the overall winner. A flowing space surrounds the core that contains the bathroom and the kitchen. Fold and shove systems allow the space and core to be flexibly redesigned and used. The passive energy system, supplemented by photovoltaics, optimizes the efficiency of the house. Lighting is implemented by means of reflection and the use of satinized plexiglass.

Jury statement
The project is impressive on account of the systematic approach adopted in relation to the planning and realization of the sustainable concept for the building. Thanks to layering and the clever deployment of fold and shove systems, a great deal of flexibility is achieved. The intelligent lighting concept and the use of photovoltaics enable the highest-possible energy efficiency. Although the shape aspects take second place to the energy and sustainability concept, the work represents a remarkable achievement by the students.

WINNER

Brief description:
Mediamesh is a stainless steel fabric with integrated LEDs for the medialization of facades during the day and night. In Milan, Europe's largest media facade was created opposite Milan Cathedral to cover scaffolding.

Jury statement
The new media facade represents a quantum leap in terms of technology compared to the previous possibilities for medializing facades. It is especially suited for temporary use, such as the covering of scaffolding. The jury considers the product as answering the growing need for the inclusion of media on urban facades, especially in Asian cities.

Ernst Giselbrecht + Partner Architektur ZT GmbH (Graz, AT) + Kiefer Technic with the Showroom Kiefer Technic Project and the product shutters

Brief description:
Rebuilding of an office building including exhibition areas with a showroom for the products of a metal constructor. The facade is especially important, as it acts as an interface between the public and private areas and is a means of communication. The developed prototype of a dynamic facade system for transparent facades allows an individually-controllable, constantly renewing image of the facade to be created. Apart from the optimization of the climatic conditions inside, the facade system also draws attention to the building's technical features and design details.

Jury statement
The facade system, which functions as a curtain-type system independently of the architecture, is impressive due to the high degree of individual control it allows. Systematic application across the entire facade height and width enables maximum design freedom. The fold principle enables both upwards and downwards folding. As a result, the ceiling-height windows can be completely closed, and the elements, when open, can serve as canopies and provide solar protection. The system is based on historic predecessors, now developed into a useful product.

Moeding Keramikfassaden GmbH + Auer + Weber + Assoziierte with the Alter Hof München Project and the product a roof slat construction for semi-transparent roofs

Brief description:
During restoration work on the listed Alter Hof in Munich, one of the requirements was that all areas of the building be able to meet contemporary utilization requirements due to the high amount of use that is made of the building. At the same time, the historic quality of this heritage building in the centre of Munich was to be retained. Listed status meant that the degree to which the roof could be opened up was restricted. The roof slat construction for semi-transparent roofs developed by the architect and the ceramic facade manufacturer allows light to penetrate deeply into the roof areas without impairing the surrounding homogenous roof landscape.

Jury statement
The product represents a valuable contribution to the protection of listed buildings and allows high-quality use of roof areas in which no other openings such as windows or dormers are possible. The impression from the outside is that of a flat, materially-uniform area, while inside the rooms enjoy even lighting. Despite the contemporary requirements placed upon it, the historical substance of the building has been retained, with the latest careful development work breathing new life into it.