The Met in Bangkok, Thailand by WOHA has scooped the Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) prestigious RIBA Lubetkin Prize for the most outstanding work of international architecture by a member of the RIBA.
A residential skyscraper incorporating outdoor spaces, balconies and gardens, The Met is a 66 storey perforate tower which uses the power of nature to cool the apartments. Wind speeds at that height are considerable, so by punching holes through the building and drawing air up vertical voids in the structure, the architects have been able to introduce natural ventilation to flats at all levels. Some of these floors are kept open to provide communal spaces, which include a garden, a gym, a 50 metre swimming pool and other leisure facilities, such as barbecue and seating areas. More information on the award after the break.
The winner of the RIBA Lubetkin Prize was announced at the RIBA Stirling Prize 2011 Dinner in association with The Architects’ Journal and Benchmark on Saturday 1 October 2011 at Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham, and will be featured in a special edition of BBC Two’s The Culture Show on Sunday 2 October.
The Lubetkin Prize was established in 2006 and is given to the best international building outside the EU. It is named after the world-renowned architect Berthold Lubetkin (1901 – 1990). The winner will be presented with a unique cast concrete plaque, based loosely on Lubetkin’s design for the Penguin Pool at London Zoo, commissioned by the RIBA and designed and made by the artist Petr Weigl.
