Dec 12 2005
The winners of the President’s Medals Student Awards 2005 in association with Atkins were announced in a ceremony at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) on Wednesday 7 December. These prestigious Awards promote excellence in the study of architecture, rewarding talent and encouraging architectural debate world-wide. The Awards are supported by iGuzzini, the SOM Foundation and Paul Davis & Partners Architects.
Yew Choong Chan from the University of Westminster won the Silver Medal for his project "V.En. (Vertical Energy), Lea Valley, London” and Luke Pearson from the Bartlett School of Architecture won the Bronze Medal for the project "Collingwood’s Vessel: a Retirement Home for Elderly Fishermen". Jessica Hrivnak from the University of Cambridge, won the Dissertation Medal for her work "Is relative Sustainability Relevant? A Discussion of ‘In the Park’ as a ‘Sustainable’ Restaurant".
The design projects for the RIBA President's Medals submissions were initially shortlisted by a panel of advisors comprising John Cherrington (Atkins), Farshid Moussavi (Foreign Office Architects) and Simon Allford (Allford Hall Monaghan Morris and RIBA Vice-President for Education) as Chair, and then judged by architects involved in both teaching and practice. The judges of the design projects, chaired by Simon Allford, comprised Liza Fior (MUF Architects and Artists), Martha Schwartz (from Martha Schwartz Partners), and Ken Shuttleworth (make architects).
The jury for the Dissertation Medal was chaired by Sarah Chaplin, Head of School of Architecture and Landscape at Kingston University, and comprised Arie Graafland (Professor of Architectural Theory at the Faculty of Architecture, and Course Director at the Delft School of Design in the Netherlands), Andrew Ballantyne (Professor of Architecture at the University of Newcastle), Vicky Richardson (editor of Blueprint magazine), and Adam Sharr (Lecturer at the Welsh School of Architecture).
Former judges in the design projects category have included Cedric Price, Sir Denys Lasdun, Daniel Libeskind, Will Alsop, Farshid Moussavi, Julia B Bolles Wilson, Eric Parry and David Chipperfield. Professors Edward W Soja, Christine Boyer, Kim Dovey and Kari Jormakka have all previously served as judges for the dissertations.
101 schools of architecture world-wide with RIBA validated courses were asked to nominate two of their best student design projects at Part 1 (first degree), two at Part 2 (second degree) and one dissertation. In addition to these schools, 26 more schools from the United States of America and the European Union were invited to submit work for the first time. The Bronze Medal is awarded to a Part 1 student and the Silver Medal to a Part 2 student; the Dissertation Medal is awarded for the best exploration of different subjects, methodologies and presentations.
Jack Pringle, President of the RIBA, said: “The RIBA strongly believes in investing in the future of the profession through supporting and championing architectural education. With a growing group of now over 7,000 student members of the RIBA who are involved in validated professional architectural education, the Institute is continually supporting members to develop the capacity to join and lead the chartered architects of the future. By highlighting the excellent work done by students in professional architectural education, the Presidents Medals Awards present an exciting and provocative picture of the future of architecture.”
Keith Clarke, CEO Atkins, said: “We are delighted and proud to sponsor the President’s Medals, which are a fitting celebration of some of the outstanding talent and projects that come out of architectural schools. Atkins has an established track record of innovative design, and we know how important it is that the industry continues to nurture student development. By embracing and rewarding creativity and innovation we will ensure the quality of architecture continues to grow.”
Benjamin Koren of the Architecture Association, who won a commendation in the Bronze Medal category for RIBA Part 1 for his project “Harmonic Porportion in Amorphic Form: a Music Pavilion in Hyde Park, London”, also won the Skidmore Owings Merrill Foundation Travelling Fellowship at Part 1, as well as the iGuzzini Travel Award for Part 1. Similarly, Johan Berglund, with the project “The Royal Victoria Colourworks” won a commendation, the SOM Foundation Travelling fellowship and the iGuzzini Travelling Award at Part 2.
Two more commendations were awarded for Part 2 students. They were awarded to Nigel Peake from the University of Edinburgh for his project “Grand Galata, Bazaar Bridge” and Pavel Cosmin, from the Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism, Romania, who also received a commendation at Part 2 for his project “Archaeological Museum”. The judging panel also awarded the Serjeant Award for Excellence in Drawing at Part 2 to Pavel Cosmin’s project.
The Serjeant Award for Excellence in Drawing at Part 1 went to Russell Pearce, from the University of Nottingham for the project “The Scrap Lung”
Two more commendations were awarded in the Part 1 category and they went to Adam Furman, from the Architectural Association, for the project “The B’s”, and to Nicholas Lobo Brennan, from the London Metropolitan University, for the project “Luftkastellet”.
Three commendations were awarded in the Dissertation category: Fiona Sheppard, from the Bartlett School of Architecture, for “The Stolen Kiss”, Matthew Wickens, from the University of Bath, for “The Modern House in Bath: Peter Womersley’s Valley Spring”, and Anna Ross, from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, for the dissertation “Reading Between the Lines: an Analysis of the Role of Text in the Work of Daniel Libeskind”.
The student medallists receive £1,250 each and the commendation winners receive £500 each. The judges for the RIBA medals also select the Serjeant Awards for Excellence in Drawing at Part 1 and Part 2, in the form of prize books valued at £250 for each category. The Skidmore Owings and Merrill Foundation awards two travelling fellowships of £1,250 each. This year, the SOM Foundation judging panel comprised Roger Kallman and Ross Wimer from SOM, and Jane Wernick, Amanda Levete and Guy Battle. The iGuzzini Travelling Award is chosen by a judging panel organised by iGuzzini, and is for projects that show outstanding and innovative use of lighting in architecture. This year, the iGuzzini judging panel comprised architect Doriana Fuksas, lighting designers Jonathan Spiers and Mark Major. These travelling award consists of a visit to the iGuzzini headquarters in Recanati, Italy, for the students and tutors involved in projects selected by iGuzzini for Part 1 and Part 2.
There was a launch of a public exhibition of winning work at the headquarters of the RIBA in London on 7 December. This exhibition remains until end of February 2006.