mies van der rohe foundation

'Geometry of Light' installation begins new season that includes 16th EU architecture prize and commemoration of German Bauhaus school

The Dutch architecture studios NL architects and XVW architectuur, received the EU Mies Award 2017 (Contemporary Architecture prize of the European Union – Mies van der Rohe) on Friday in Barcelona for the rehabilitation of a big apartment building in Amsterdam. According to the jury, this year’s edition communicates two important messages: First, modern architecture has to fulfill citizens’ needs, and second, citizens participation in urban projects is essential for solving urban challenges. In an interview with the CNA, representatives from both of the prizewinning studios, Kamiel Klaassen (NL) and Xander Vermeulen Windsant (XVW), commented about the “incredible richness and variety” of Barcelona’s architecture and praised the potential of the city’s structure for future urban development.

The Mies van der Rohe Award is the Catalan capital-based European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture, which is among the world's most prestigious awards in this field. It is named after the architect who designed the German Pavilion for the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition. At each of its biennial editions, two works are awarded: one with the EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture and the other with the Emerging Architect Special Mention. For this year, the Philharmonic Hall of Szczecin (Poland) designed by Barcelona-based architects Alberto Veiga (Spain, 1973) and Fabrizio Barozzi (Italy, 1976) has been announced as the prize winner. The work was realised in collaboration with Studio A4. The Catalan ARQUITECTURA-G has obtained the Emerging Architect Award with the work 'Luz House'. The winners were chosen from a list of 420 works from 36 European countries.

The Catalan capital hosts the Mies van der Rohe Foundation, which delivers this award with the European Commission every two years. Reykjavik’s new Concert Hall and Conference Centre ‘The Harp’, designed by Henning Larsen Architects, Studio Olafur Eliasson and Batterrío, won the 2013 Mies van der Rohe Award, which comes with €60,000 and a small sculpture reproducing the pavilion created by the German architect in Barcelona. In addition, the Spanish architects María Langarita and Víctor Navarro won the Special Mention Award for Young Talent for their music academy in Madrid’s former slaughterhouse (Matadero). The award ceremony took place in Barcelona’s Mies van der Rohe pavilion, in Montjuic.