Kenneth Frampton, who had already been announced as the winner of the architectural theory prize, clarified in his vote of thanks the political implications of architectural criticism. The 2012 decision in the category of the architecture prize paid tribute to this remark: Al Borde from Quito, Ecuador – a four member team that was represented by David Barragàn and Pascual Gangotena – were recognized for the deftness with which they have been able to enthuse and actively involve people in the process of building, despite all difficulties. Awarding the prize to Ecuador is coupled with the hope that the spark by which participation is generated as result from enthusiasm and not from protest might be transferred to other cultural and economic circles.
Martin Fröhlich from AFF Architekten, Berlin, and Tom Emerson from 6A Architects, London, described in their precise presentation how architecture can also mature in terms of an enrichment in concepts and in their realizations given individual and thematically defined premises in Europe, where architecture normally comes about under completely different economic, political and sociological conditions.
Al Borde (Malu Borja, David Barragán, Esteban Benavides, Pascual Gangotena) was founded in 2007. The team from Ecuador impresses with its poetic interpretation of the constructive foundations of building. They analyze needs, design financing concepts and implement products. High-quality architecture in Ecuador can only be created by architects with a great sense of commitment.
Al Borde is a collaborative and experimental architectural study that focuses on solving real needs on the basis of available material, being this social or physical. As the 'bricoleur' in the mind of French anthropologist Levi Strauss, the group works with what it has at its disposal, re-combining the pre-existing in a basic, logical, simple way, without prejudice. The work is done from the specific complexity of the problem but with a holistic perspective, an exploration that has led interdisciplinary collaborations with musicians, artists, performers, designers, publicists, etc. The strength of their buildings lies in their pojectual ability to combine objective architectural responses to subjective user perceptions resulting in hybrid constructive systems that combines the traditional with the contemporary, also integrating the management of social and community energy to carry out their work.
David Barragán and Pascual Gangotena, who founded the studio in 2007 in Quito, now joined Marialuisa Borja and Esteban Benavides. Al Borde has given lectures and workshops nationally and internationally and has received numerous awards and recognitions among which are: Nominee Schelling Architecture Prize 2012, Germany / Nominee Iakov Chernikhov International Prize for Young Architects 2012, Russia / “Taller Particular”, Honorable Mention, 6th International Architecture Festival in Barcelona EME3 - Spain, 2011 / Al Borde, architectural merit "Francisco Eduardo Tresguerras ", the highest honor awarded by the College of Architects of Celaya, Mexico, 2010 / “Nueva Esperanza” School, Official Selection Works, the highest honor awarded by the VII BIAU 2010, Medellin - Colombia, 2010 / House Between Walls , 20 +10 + X Architecture Award, World Architecture Community, Third Cycle 2009 / Pentimento House (Jose Maria Sáez and David Barragán), Award for Best Young Architect, VI BIAU 2008, Lisbon, Portugal, 2008 and the National Architectural Design Award, XV BAQ 2006, Quito - Ecuador, 2006 / “Compartiendo cielo y tierra”, People Cityscape, David Barragan, Gold Medal - Final Year Project, XV BAQ 2006, Quito - Ecuador, 2006.
AFF Architekten (Martin and Sven Fröhlich) was founded in 1999. They have realized buildings of various standards, all of which have one common narrative nature. AFF closely links form finding to the authenticity of the material. In line with the tradition of the workshop principle, the idea is to create architecture with character, founded on teamwork.
6a architects (Stephanie Macdonald, Tom Emerson, founded in 2001) illustrate in their projects a sophisticated experience of space, light and material, also using locations throughout their history. Their work is surprising through its sovereign sense of lightness and originality, without disowning any of its sobriety.
Stephanie Macdonald, studied Fine Arts at the Portsmouth School of Art. Following a scholarship in Japan, he studied architecture at the Mackintosh School of Architecture, the Royal College of Art and the University of North London. His experience before moving to private professional practice includes working with Tom Dixon and collaborations with Glasgow artists. He has lectured to the new creative industries in Berlin representing the ICA and the British Council.
Tom Emerson studied architecture at the University of Bath, the Royal College of Art and the University of Cambridge. He combines his professional practice with teaching at the Architectural Association in London. He has published articles on architecture, literature and art, and has taught at several architecture and art schools, including the Chelsea School of Art at the University of Cambridge, the ICA and the Royal College of Art.
Kenneth Frampton (1930) studied architecture at Guildford School of Art and the Architectural Association School of Architecture, London. Subsequently he worked in Israel, with Middlesex County Council and Douglas Stephen and Partners (1961–66), during which time he was also a visiting tutor at the Royal College of Art (1961–64), tutor at the Architectural Association (1961–63) and Technical Editor of the journal Architectural Design (AD) (1962–65).
Frampton has also taught at Princeton University (1966–71) and the Bartlett School of Architecture, London, (1980). He has been a member of the faculty at Graduate School of Architecture and Planning of Columbia University since 1972, and that same year he became a fellow of the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies in New York -- (whose members also included Peter Eisenman, Manfredo Tafuri and Rem Koolhaas) -- and a co-founding editor of its magazine Oppositions.
Frampton is a permanent resident of the USA.
Frampton is well known for his writing on twentieth-century architecture. His books include Modern Architecture: A Critical History (1980; revised 1985, 1992 and 2007) and Studies in Tectonic Culture (1995). Frampton achieved great prominence (and influence) in architectural education with his essay "Towards a Critical Regionalism" (1983) — though the term had already been coined by Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre. Also, Frampton's essay was included in a book The Anti-Aesthetic. Essays on Postmodern Culture, edited by Hal Foster, though Frampton is critical of postmodernism. Frampton's own position attempts to defend a version of modernism that looks to either critical regionalism or a 'momentary' understanding of the autonomy of architectural practice in terms of its own concerns with form and tectonics which cannot be reduced to economics (whilst conversely retaining a Leftist viewpoint regarding the social responsibility of architecture).
In 2002 a collection of Frampton's writings over a period of 35 years was collated and published under the title Labour, Work and Architecture.
