Competitions

Mies van der Rohe Awards 2011

The European Union's Mies van der Rohe Awards for Contemporary Architecture took place on June 20 in the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona. This year's competition was won by the Neues Museum in Berlin, designed by British architect Sir David Chipperfield. The "Special Mention for the Architect of the Future" went to Ramon Bosch and Bet Capdeferro for the Collage House in Girona, Spain.

"Congratulations to our winners, who have created two exceptional buildings. Neues Museum brings past and present together in a stunning blend of contemporary architecture, restoration and art. The collage house in Girona is another remarkable renovation that fuses old and new materials into a harmonious whole," said Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth.

"The reconstruction of the Neues Museum is a testament to the process of working together in a demanding climate of public opinion. The result is not only a testament to the hard work of the professional team, but also to the commitment of the client and city authorities to engage in this rigorous and articulate process," said David Chipperfield, principal architect at David Chipperfield Architects.

The original Neues Museum building, designed by Friedrich August Stüler, was built in the mid-19th century. The building was badly damaged in the Second World War and reconstruction began in 2003 with the aim of bringing back its former glory. David Chipperfield, who worked on the project with his confrere, British architect Julian Harrap, took a dynamic approach to the restoration. Instead of trying to hide the difference between old and new elements, past and present combine beautifully to create an unforgettable, multi-layered building.

The winners were chosen from 343 entries from 33 European countries. Six entries were shortlisted for the main prize. The other finalists were: Bronks Youth Theater (Brussels, Belgium, designed by Martine De Maeseneer, Dirk Van den Brande); MAXXI: Museum of 21st Century Arts (Rome, Italy, by Zaha Hadid, Patrick Schumacher, Gianluca Racana); Danish Radio Concert Hall (Copenhagen, Denmark, by Jean Nouvel); Acropolis Museum (Athens, Greece, by Bernard Tschumi); and Groot Klimmendaal Rehabilitation Center (Arnhem, The Netherlands, by Koen van Velsen).

The jury members who selected the 2011 finalists are: Moshen Mostafavi, jury chair/dean, Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, USA; Ole Bouman, director, Nederlands Architectuurinstituut, Rotterdam; Yvonne Farrell, Grafton Architects, Dublin; Annette Gigon, Gigon/Guyer, Zürich; Anne Lacaton, Lacaton & Vassal Architectes, Paris; Tarald Lundevall, architect, SNØHETTA, Oslo; Pei Zhu, Beijing, China and Lluís Hortet, Secretary of the Jury/Director of the Fundació Mies van der Rohe.

Launched in 1987, the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture / Mies van der Rohe Award is the most prestigious prize in European architecture. The prize is awarded every two years and the winner receives €60 000. The winner of the 'Special Mention for the Architect of the Future' receives €20 000.