European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture 2009
(2009 03 07 12:28)
The European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe announced the finalists for the 2009 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture - Mies van der Rohe Award, one of the most important and prestigious prizes on the international architecture scene.
The finalists were selected by the Jury from 340 projects proposed by the experts, member associations of the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) and the other national architects’ associations and the Advisory Committee. The Jury, chaired by Francis Rambert is composed of Ole Bouman, Fulvio Irace, Carme Pinós, Luis M. Mansilla, Vasa J. Perović and Irene Fialová.
The European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, Mr Ján Figel' said: "Each of the projects nominated today is a celebration of European architectural talent, of European creativity and innovation. These themes are particularly relevant in this, the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009.The finalists' projects are an example of what can be achieved with creativity and entrepreneurial initiative."
The finalist projects are the following:
• Multimodal Centre – Nice Tramway, Nice (France) by Marc Barani / Atelier Marc Barani
• Zenith Music Hall, Strasbourg (France) by Massimiliano Fuksas, Doriana Fuksas / Massimiliano Fuksas Architecture
• University Luigi Bocconi, Milan (Italy) by Shelley McNamara, Yvonne Farrell / Grafton Architects
• The Norwegian Opera & Ballet, Oslo (Norway) by Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Tarald Lundevall, Craig Dykers / Snøhetta
• Library, Senior Citizens’ Centre and City Block Core Zone, Sant Antoni’s District, Barcelona (Spain) by Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem, Ramon Vilalta / RCR Aranda Pigem Vilalta Arquitectes
A series of lectures about the finalists' projects will be given by the architects themselves, on April 22 in Barcelona, to reach out to broader audiences. The winner of the Mies van der Rohe prize will be announced in May, also in Barcelona.
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