The Transformation of 530 Dwellings in Bordeaux wins the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture - Mies van der Rohe Award 2019

French studios win the podium of both the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture - Mies van der Rohe Award 2019 and the Emerging Architecture Prize

With this project carried out by studios Lacaton & Vassal architectes; Frédéric Druot Architecture and Christophe Hutin Architecture, along with the Tolouse Studio BAST, winner of the Emerging Architecture Prize, the Jury of the Prize highlights the quality and relevance of the collective housing program and the architecture of rural areas.School Refectory in Montbrun-Bocage, Haute-Garonne by BAST. Photo by Jordi García

At a press conference held yesterday in Brussels, the European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe have announced the Winners of the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture - Mies van der Rohe Award 2019.

The Transformation of 530 Dwellings - Grand Parc Bordeaux by Lacaton & Vassal architectes; Frédéric Druot Architecture and Christophe Hutin Architecture is the 2019 Winner of the Prize.

The client is AQUITANIS, home public office of Bordeaux Métropole. The work is an innovative renovation of three huge apartment buildings in Bordeaux, that gives to all dwellings new qualities of space and living, by inventorying very precisely the existing qualities that should be preserved, and what is missing that must be supplemented. The transformation of each unit cost 50.000€ (excluding VAT) and it has not increased the rent of the former tenants who did not need to move out of their apartments during the construction works.

The 2019 Emerging Architecture prize has been awarded to the Toulouse studio BAST for the School Refectory in Montbrun-Bocage, Haute-Garonne, near the French Pyrenees.

The client is the commune of Montbrun-Bocage. The canteen is the extension of the existing school for 61 pupils that physically but not visually fences the courtyardThe two awarded projects have been chosen from a list of 383 works from 38 European countries. Five finalists were selected and visited by the Jury: Terrassenhaus Berlin / Lobe Block; Plasencia Auditorium and Congress Centre; PC CARITAS in Melle; Skanderbeg Square in Tirana and the blocks in Bordeaux, accompanied by the authors of the works, the clients or developers and the users. The jury visited six works of architecture that represent a new agenda for architecture today. We come from a long period of uncertainty which is now transforming into optimism and generosity, and that awakens an attitude that embraces risk both from the side of the clients and of the architects. The finalists delivered extraordinary and engaging buildings and spaces in complex conditions, making the jury's choice very difficult. After five hours of a strongly constructive debate, the decision was taken democratically and also with the conviction that, after visiting all the works, they would all have been worthy winners.

The two awarded projects have been chosen from a list of 383 works from 38 European countries. Five finalists were selected and visited by the Jury: Terrassenhaus Berlin / Lobe Block; Plasencia Auditorium and Congress Centre; PC CARITAS in Melle; Skanderbeg Square in Tirana and the blocks in Bordeaux, accompanied by the authors of the works, the clients or developers and the users. The jury visited six works of architecture that represent a new agenda for architecture today. We come from a long period of uncertainty which is now transforming into optimism and generosity, and that awakens an attitude that embraces risk both from the side of the clients and of the architects. The finalists delivered extraordinary and engaging buildings and spaces in complex conditions, making the jury's choice very difficult. After five hours of a strongly constructive debate, the decision was taken democratically and also with the conviction that, after visiting all the works, they would all have been worthy winners.

The Jury chaired by Dorte Mandrup has awarded the two works for the following reasons:

Transformation of 530 Dwellings - Grand Parc Bordeaux

The Jury valued that the project challenges the existing European housing stock from the post war period, using minimum means to achieve a maximum effect. Instead of demolishing, which involves the use of an important amount of energy, in this case the client understood and supported the advantages of transforming the existing three buildings. This has changed people's lives for the better without underestimating their previous lives, filling the new volume with poetry because it works with the basis that people understand space and in consequence, they use it in very different ways.

At a moment in which the commissions for new social housing blocks ask for a reduction of the surface of flats, here the volume is increased, offering dignity and giving more value to the individual and to the collective. The ensemble becomes an optimistic opportunity for social housing and modernity, being generous and also changing architecture and the possibilities of architecture. The architects show a very high acknowledgement of who - a mix of inhabitants - and what - the results from previous research on transformation - they are working with. This results in a refined way of working with people, space and materials although the improvement in the collective could have been stronger if the opportunities in the relationship with the street would have been different.©Photo: Philippe Ruault ©Photo: Philippe Ruault ©Photo: Philippe Ruault ©Photo: Philippe Ruault

Name of work: Transformation of 530 Dwellings - Grand Parc Bordeaux (FR)
Offices: Lacaton & Vassal architectes; Frédéric Druot Architecture and Christophe Hutin Architecture, Paris / Bordeaux
Authors: Anne Lacaton (FR); Jean Philippe Vassal (FR); Frederic Druot (FR); Christophe Hutin (FR)
Full information: https://eumiesaward.com/work/3889

School Refectory in Montbrun-Bocage

The jury was drawn by the extremely precise implementation and design decisions which make the refectory a remarkable project built on a relatively small budget. The work was done with extreme humbleness, taking into account the context of the village and the immediate landscape, thereby creating a very respectful work of architecture

As Benjamin Aubry, architect and expert of the EU Mies Award expressed, the simplicity of its devices and construction offers generous space, excellent capacity of use and immense poetry.©Photo: BAST ©Photo: BAST ©Photo: BAST ©Photo: BAST

Name of work: School Refectory in Montbrun-Bocage (FR)
Office: BAST (FR)
Full information: https://eumiesaward.com/work/3843

The winners will be celebrated at the EU Mies Award Day on May 7 in Barcelona. The event will include:

• the opening of the “EU Mies Award 2019 exhibition” that will show models, texts, videos, sketches and drawings of the 40 shortlisted works and a summary of all 383 nominees.
• the presentation of the EU Mies Award 2019 catalogue and the app;
• the “EU Mies Talks” on ‘Architecture for the Community’ and ‘Contemporary architecture and heritage’. These talks will allow Winners, Finalists, shortlisted, clients, architecture media and people interested to debate on the emerging topics highlighted by the Jury;
• the Awards Ceremony at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion at 18:30h and a celebration that will also initiate the Barcelona Architecture Week and the EU Mies Award Architecture Days in which the 4 Finalist works, the Winner and the Emerging Architect as well as some of the shortlisted buildings will organize activities to bring the architecture closer to the public

The “EU Mies Award 2019 exhibition” will embark on its tour around Europe with an opening at BOZAR, Brussels on September 13 and will continue to other cities in 2019 and 2020.

Source: Fundació Mies van der Rohe
Top photo: Philippe Ruault
Read more news related Mies van der Rohe published at Infurma
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