Winners of the 5th edition of the european award for architectural heritage intervention

On June 17th, 2021, the winners of the 5th European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention were announced by the jury in the courtyard of the Frederic Marès Museum, a historical site in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. The announcement of the 15 finalists, four winning works and two Special Mentions for Restoration was made during the 5th International Architectural Heritage Intervention Biennial.

In category A) Intervention in built heritage, the jury, in a first round of evaluations and with the goal of giving visibility to a larger number of works, announced the shortlist of 16 works on 20 May 2021, from which —following its final deliberation— it has selected five finalists, which are:

From among the five finalists, the jury has decided to give the Award to the project of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA) in the city of Antwerp, Belgium, by the KAAN Architecten firm. This decision is based on the jury’s evaluation of two aspects in particular: on the one hand, the fact that the complexity and large scale of the project have not impeded it from resolving the modernisation of the building in a unitary, respectful manner; and, on the other hand, that the need to incorporate new volumes has not altered the exterior and interior perception of the museum, while adapting to and fitting in with the new needs. Furthermore, although the project redefines the museum as a whole, the perception and authenticity of the building have not been altered, despite the contrast between areas. In fact, in some of the areas, the utmost respect is shown towards the existing elements, while in other areas the new additions coexist harmoniously with the existing elements.

In category B) Exterior Spaces, from among the ten works shortlisted by the jury, the following four finalists have been selected:
 

In category B, the jury has decided that the winning entry is the Plaza de la Sinagoga (Synagogue Square) project in Onda, Castellón (Spain), by El fabricante de espheras, Grupo Aranea and Cel-Ras Arquitectura, an intervention in an 11th and 12th-century archaeological heritage site listed as an asset of cultural interest since 1967. This project, carried out at a very run-down site, successfully showcases the remains that have been found —ancient Arab palaces or the ruins of a Christian church—, showing their historical urban importance while managing to adapt the site as a meeting space. Another outstanding aspect of the project is its solution for integrating the different levels, restoring old walls and creating shady areas by playing with the light generated by the large metal structure in the centre that connects the upper level. Meanwhile, the strategic planting of trees softens the materiality of the constructed elements, generating welcoming areas for relaxation, while the austere lines and materials are naturally integrated in the urban setting. The result is an archaeological site that has become a living, modern space.

In Category C) Urban Planning, the four finalists are:

In category C, the jury has decided that the award goes to the Study of the urban landscape of the La Nova Esquerra de l’Eixample neighbourhood in Barcelona, by the architects Sara Bartumeus, Anna Renau and Rosa Escala. This project stands out for the singularity and sensitivity shown in the approach to a historical space, attaching importance not so much to physical buildings but rather to their negative, to collective memory and to the relations generated around the gaps and the landscapes created there. Another important aspect is the fact that the project setting involves the added difficulty of being a space that for many people forms part of the modern city and lacks clear heritage values.

In Category D) Dissemination, the five finalists are:

The winning entry is Two Houses, by Verena von Beckerath. The jury has rewarded the idea of showcasing a piece of history, of how a group of Japanese architects who studied at the Bauhaus in the 1920s later transmitted in their own country the architectural knowledge they had acquired, and how their students, in the 21st century, receive and make their own a heritage that goes beyond architecture itself. That is why this methodology should be acknowledged with an award as an example of how heritage should be transmitted and of how the circle should be closed.

Meanwhile, the Special Mention for Restoration is an award which, from all the submitted entries, goes to the intervention which, from a technical and methodological perspective, has stood out most for its quality, precision and respect. Having carefully analysed all the entries in all the categories, in this edition it has been decided to give this award to two projects whose programmes share the characteristic of offering an accessible, restored space that respects the identity of the work. The first entry, the Casa Batlló project, by Xavier Villanueva, Ignasi Villanueva, Mireia Bosch and Ana Atance, offers a technically high-quality and respectful restoration that enables the resurgence of an initial project that had partially disappeared, successfully reclaiming an altered work. The second project is the Tower of the Church of Santa Mar a Magdalena in Matapozuelos, Valladolid (Spain), by Pedro Rodríguez Cantalapiedra. This intervention, which is also of an extremely high technical standard, enables an interior part of the building to be revealed by means of an ascent to the tower that offers a new use: the enjoyment of the unparalleled panoramic view of the setting. In short, this work exemplifies how the techniques, rigour and methodology involved in a restoration project can be more easily appreciated if the programme enables the general public to imbue the place with life.

The winners of the 5th award, as in the case of the previous awards, receive a framed copy of an original photograph by Francesc Catalá Roca, while the finalists and shortlisted candidates —categories A and B— receive a diploma. All the submitted works will be included in a commemorative catalogue published in each edition, with the goal of documenting the award, and will form part of the international heritage archive housed on the website of Architectural Heritage Intervention, the project which makes the award possible. This is a space that brings together and makes available to everyone —professionals, researchers, university community and the general public— works that offer an overview of the memory of our environment.

The awards were presented by Elsa Ibar, Director General for Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture of the Government of Catalonia, Marc- Aureli Santos, Director of Urban Architecture and Heritage of the Office of the Chief Architect of Barcelona City Council; Albert Civit, Director of the Catalan Land Institute; Albert Gassull, Director of Services of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona; Antoni Vilanova, President of the AADIPA; and Assumpció Puig, Dean of the Association of Architects of Catalonia.