EU MIES AWARD TALKS: 5 lectures, 4 cities, 3 days

The three words “Wow! What? Wow!” encapsulate NL Architects’ design philosophy, a reference to architectural theorist Robert Somol. He divides architecture into two categories: one can be described as “Wow! What?”, while the other as “What? Wow!” The first operates through visual impact, while the second relies on its content. They reject architecture that fails to seize its opportunity.

After gaining international recognition with their first project, “WOS8”, in 1998, NL Architects received the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAi) Award (Rotterdam) in 2004 for “BasketBar” at Utrecht University. The jury was impressed by the casual architecture and the “inventiveness with which the architects approached a seemingly banal brief.” In 2005, NL Architects won the Emerging Architect Award of the Mies van der Rohe Award for their unconventional hybrid of a coffee house and a sports ground.

In 2007, NL Architects won first prize in the competition to design the Groninger Forum, securing victory by popular vote. In 2008, the firm once again made waves and solidified its reputation with “Sound Shower” at the Venice Architecture Biennale.

Their work defies easy categorization—whether wild, humorous, experimental, or radical. The crucial factor is always what emerges beyond the required design parameters and the unexpected potential it unveils. They describe their architecture as a “remix of reality.”

Their project DeFlat Kleiburg was a finalist for the 2017 Mies van der Rohe Award.

Rudy Ricciotti  was born in Kouba ( Argelia), of Italian origin on August 22, 1952 and he moved to France at the age of three. Rudy Ricciotti spent part of his youth in Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône. He studied engineering in Switzerland in 1975 and he graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Marseille in 1980.

Rudy Ricciotti represents a generation of architects that combine creative energy and true building culture. Author of large buildings in France, including the National Choreographic Centre of Aix-en-Provence, also gained international renown as the Gate of Peace in Seoul or Nikolaisaal of Potsdam in Germany, the Festival Palace in Venice, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Liège Philharmonic or Gstaad for a Festival created by Yehudi Menuhin.

In 2005, he won the competition for the construction of the library of Rouen. On November 7, 2007, He won the competition organized by the City of Paris for the construction of the new stage of John Bouin2. He was also appointed in 2002 to a flagship project of the second city of France: le Musée des civilisations de l'Europe et de la Méditerranée (MUCEM) in Marseille, as part of the European Capital of Culture 2013 of the city of Marseille.

He is President Al Dante editions since 2007. Al Dante publishes books (poetry, experimental prose and poetry, theoretical essays, catalogs and artist publications, anthologies, magazines), and CD (sound poetry, music), DVDs, newspapers, participates and organizes events (lectures, presentations , symposia, exhibitions ...). He is a member of the editorial board of the magazine L'Architecture d'aujourd'hui.

Rudy Ricciotti is a recipient of: Grand Prix National d’Architecture, Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, Commandeur de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres and Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite.