European Architectural Medals for the Best Diploma Projects

As part of its policy to establish firmer contacts with the schools of architecture and the student body in general, ACE has actively engaged with the EAAE (European Association for Architectural Education) in a program of collaboration and investigation into the future of the profession. A research project funded by the EU Erasmus + programme has been one tangible result, as well as the establishment of a Joint Work Group between the two organisations.

One further important result for 2015 has been the European Architectural Design Medal for the best Diploma Project, open to any student graduating in architecture and enrolled in a Master level program at an European architecture school.

The competition has been organised by ACE, EAAE and the UAUIM (Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism in Bucharest), which hosted the competition and was responsible for all the technical and organisational support.

The competition envisaged one medal for the outright winner and three other Thematic Prizes, to recognise the highest level of design knowledge and skill employed in addressing three influential themes of architectural design:

• Social and climate impact (responsibility and resilience) - ACE Prize for Societal Impact
• Problematic approach (intensity in problem solving) - EAAE Prize for Intensity and Courage in Problem Solving
• Innovative response (originality and excellence) - Ion Mincu Prize for Artistic Quality

The aims of the competition included the promotion of quality standards among European and international architecture schools, raising awareness of the challenges facing future architects and the need to respond skilfully and developing debate on architectural education. In particular, the jury also sought a project that, within the freedom inherent in a student’s work, could also represent professionalism, innovation and originality, and best practice examples.

The jury, which met on the 7th and 8th of December, was composed of:

• ACE representative - Arch. Luciano LAZZARI, ACE President and chairman of the jury
• EAAE representative - Prof. Ph. D. Arch. Karl Otto ELLEFSEN, EAAE President
• IMUAU representative - Prof. Ph. D. Arch Zeno BOGDANESCU, IMUAU President

and two representatives of the architectural profession:

• Arch. Wolf PRIX from Coop Himmelb
• Arch. Leo van BROECK (Bogdan & Van Broeck)

By unanimous decision final results were as follows:

European Architectural Medal BEST DIPLOMA PRIZE

ALP ARK

Laurentiu Tiberiu Stancu from Institute of Architecture and Planning, University of Liechtenstein, Liechtenstein
tutors: Dipl.-Arch. Eth Conradin Clavuot, Dipl. Ing. Robert Mair

ACE PRIZE FOR SOCIETAL IMPACT

LOST & FOUND - Housing at "Veterinærhøgskolen"
Enya Aamo Aspen, Rikke Christine Nyrud
from Oslo School of Architecture and Design, Norway
tutors: Johanne Borthne, Vilhelm Christensen, Bente Kleven

EAAE PRIZE FOR INNOVATION (PROBLEM SOLVING)

ENTANGLED CITY / RECONCILING CULTURAL DISSONANCE
Eoghan Horgan, Kieran Cremin
from Cork Centre for Architectural Education (UCC/CIT), Ireland
tutors: Jason O'Shaughnessy, Eve Olney

UAUIM PRIZE FOR ARTISTIC QUALITY

PROJECTS AS LANDSCAPE RENOVATION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE PAST

Giuseppe Tupputi, Pietro Capozzi, Giuseppe Galliani, Nina Ivanovic, Maysha Mussonghora, Rosa Piepoli
from Politecnico di Bari, Italy
tutors: Prof. Arch. Carlo Moccia, Prof. Arch. Paolo Perfido, Prof. Arch. Giacomo Martines

Three honourable mentions were also given.

The jury felt that the winning project embodies all the qualities that the competition brief set as objectives: beginning with a detailed historical and typological analysis, it arrives at a building design that draws from tradition, without shallow mimicry, but rather reinterprets traditional, primary elements in new and innovative ways. The project masterfully develops the construction and technology of timber building in a very convincing way. It does this at all scales and in different ways. It tackles the urban concept and site positioning and creates a protective barrier from the train lines. It examines the environmental and energy saving possibilities and it is innovative in its functional versatility by freeing the ground space for neighbourhood, outdoor use.

The LOST & FOUND project, that won the ACE Price for Societal Impact, very skilfully and topically developed the theme of sensitive re-use, which is at the core of Europe’s problems of urban development of the future. This project poses the problem of achieving high density while also achieving high quality and regenerating urban areas without losing cultural heritage. The project begins by analysing an urban neighbourhood and developing a solution that tackles all aspects of design. Beginning with a careful analysis of the area, it develops from master plan all the way to detailed construction details, presenting us with a finished and sensitive complete product. The jury felt that this project could definitely be held as an example of good practice and responsible intervention.

To see the winners and submitted projects check the Prize Website