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RIBA: The Latest Architecture and News

2013 RIBA President's Medals Winners Announced

2013 RIBA President's Medals Winners Announced - Featured Image
RIBA Silver Medal: Ben Hayes. Image Courtesy of RIBA

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the President’s Medals Student Awards at a special event in London. The awards, known to be the world's most prestigious awards in architectural education, were inaugurated in 1836 and are therefore the institutes oldest award (even older than the RIBA Gold Medal). Three medals - the Bronze for a Part I student, the Silver for a Part II student, and the Dissertation Medal - are awarded to "promote excellence in the study of architecture [and] to reward talent and to encourage architectural debate worldwide."

Around 300 schools of architecture from over 60 countries were invited to nominate design projects and dissertations by their students, of which students of the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London won all of this year's primary awards.

Winners of the First Old Doha Competition Announced

Alicja Borkowska and Iris Papadatou from you&me architects have been announced as the UK winners of the inaugural Old Doha Prize, a competition to redesign part of the old city of Doha in Qatar.

Four teams of architects have "worked intensively to develop contextual design responses to address the challenge of regenerating and maintaining the heritage of the city" as part of a British-Qatari collaborative project to "reimagine the urban landscape of old Doha." As a city defined by its strong heritage, coupled with ambitious plans for the future, the competition aimed to discover ways of regenerating parts of the city centre in a sustainable, yet vibrant, way.

Rogers Stirk Harbour Announced as Winner of LSE Competition

Shortly after the jury demanded further work to be done on the shortlisted proposals, The London School of Economics (LSE) has selected Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) to design the new Global Centre for the Social Sciences. Besting proposals from OMA, Hopkins, Heneghan Peng and Grafton, RSHP’s winning design was also voted the public’s favorite by an overwhelming margin.

AD Interviews: Stephen Hodder, RIBA President

ArchDaily recently got the chance to speak to Stephen Hodder, current President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) at his practice in Manchester. Best known as the recipient of the inaugural RIBA Stirling Prize in 1996 (for the Centenary Building), Hodder was educated at the University of Manchester's School of Architecture, he's perhaps best known as the recipient of the inaugural RIBA Stirling Prize in 1996 for the Centenary Building and was awarded an MBE for services to architecture in 1998.

Having been officially in the role for only two months, Hodder spent some time with us discussing his hopes for the next two years. Find out why he described himself as a fan of Scandinavians and prog-rock after the break...

Does the Title of "Architect" Deserve To Be Protected?

In August, the AIA posted a topic on its LinkedIn discussion board entitled "Misrepresenting Oneself as an Architect on LinkedIn". Ever since (and once again), the issue of protecting the title of "Architect" has been a hot topic, as explained in this article on Fast Company. This follows the revelation in BD last year that the Architects' Registration Board ordered the British architectural media to cease referring to Renzo Piano and Daniel Libeskind as Architects. With the topic appearing so frequently, and in different countries each time, Fast Company conjures images of a "raging global debate". But what, really, is going on in the world of architecture to fuel such a debate? Read on to find out more.

London Calling: The Man Behind the Stirling Prize

A few weeks ago the RIBA doled out the 18th Stirling Prize to London-based architects Witherford Watson Mann. The decision was a good one. It was good for WWM and good for the profession – a youngish practice being recognized for a small but beautiful piece of work.

The scheme’s application of brickwork and joinery removes the work from the expediencies of modern construction technology and building products, which almost exclusively characterize the contemporary built environment. It genuinely feels like a project made at a different point in history, the result of the quite particular interests of three minds, Stephen Witherford, Chris Watson and William Mann. It is direct and personal. It reminds me of Stirling’s work.. 

And not just for its powerful draftsmanship, plan and restricted palette of materials, but for its intimacy. An intimacy that is apparent in much of Stirling’s oeuvre. I do not refer to the production of intimate spaces per se but the formulation of an architecture that is authored not by a factory but a few minds. 

The latest Stirling prompted me to look back, and reconsider the work of Stirling himself.

RIBA Examines How Over 60s Might Impact Future Cities

RIBA Examines How Over 60s Might Impact Future Cities - Featured Image
Family Homes. Image Courtesy of RIBA Building Futures

According to the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the number of people aged over 60 is expected to increase by 40% over the next twenty years, suggesting that "our post-retirement years will be longer and healthier." There is no doubt, therefore, that people in this age group will have a greater economic, social and political power - but how will this affect our cities?

RIBA Future Trends Survey Indicates Stability for UK Profession

The latest Future Trends Survey, published by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), indicates both stability and optimism. The Future Trends Workload Index increased to +26, a rise of four balance points from August 2013, "building upon the steadily increasing positive trend" seen since the start of this year. The survey also shows evidence that "the growing optimism about an upturn in overall workloads is now widespread" throughout the UK.

RIBA Announces President's Awards for Research 2013

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the winners of the President’s Awards for Research 2013. The awards recognize high-quality research and encourage its distribution and incorporation into the wider profession to foster innovation and strategic thinking. From an urban healing agenda for reform in Bahrain to a book that explores the incredible potential of concrete, the 2013 winners of the President’s Awards for Research are:

"Cooled Conservatories, Gardens by the Bay" Wins the 2013 RIBA Lubetkin Prize

The RIBA Lubetkin Prize, awarded annually to the architects of the best new building outside the European Union, was won this year by Wilkinson Eyre and Grant Associates for Cooled Conservatories, Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. The prize, which was also awarded to Wilkinson Eyre in 2012 for the Guangzhou International Finance Centre, is now in its 13th year.

Upon announcing the news, RIBA President Stephen Hodder stated: 

Critical Round-Up: Stirling Prize 2013

Critical Round-Up: Stirling Prize 2013 - Image 7 of 4
Astley Castle / Witherford Watson Mann. Image © Helene Binet, courtesy RIBA

Following the news that the 2013 RIBA Stirling Prize was been won by Witherford Watson Mann for Astley Castle at a ceremony in London last week, the critical response to the project has been extremely positive. Joseph Rykwert (who recently won the RIBA Gold Medal) said that "Witherford Watson Mann have been gentle surgeons, saving the essential, eliminating the incidental". Check out the critical responses from The Financial Times' Edwin Heathcote, The Guardian's Oliver Wainwright, Building Design's Ellis Woodman, and the Architects' Journal's Rory Olcayto after the break...

Slip House Wins the 2013 RIBA Manser Medal

The 2013 RIBA Manser Medal has been awarded to Carl Turner Architects for Slip House in Brixton, London. The Manser Medal is awarded for the best newly designed private house, and this year was announced in a ceremony at Central Saint Martins in London, along with the winners of the 2013 RIBA Stirling Prize. The jury's citation for Slip House noted that "inside and out this house is immaculate in its detail, coordination and execution."

Slip House Wins the 2013 RIBA Manser Medal - Residential ArchitectureSlip House Wins the 2013 RIBA Manser Medal - Residential ArchitectureSlip House Wins the 2013 RIBA Manser Medal - Residential ArchitectureSlip House Wins the 2013 RIBA Manser Medal - Residential ArchitectureSlip House Wins the 2013 RIBA Manser Medal - More Images+ 7

RIBA Stirling Prize Winners: How Prize-Worthy Are They?

With Astley Castle winning this year's Stirling Prize last week, Olly Wainwright investigates the fortunes of other Stirling Prize winners - finding that in many cases critical acclaim and awards do not necessarily translate to long term success. His study brings into question what qualities should be awarded, and seems to imply that there should be a greater focus on post-occupancy awards, such as the 10-year award started by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat’s (CTBUH) this year, and another being considered by the RIBA. You can read Wainwright's full investigation here.

Astley Castle Wins the 2013 RIBA Stirling Prize

The 2013 RIBA Stirling Prize has been won by Witherford Watson Mann for Astley Castle (Nuneaton, Warwickshire). The winner was just announced at a ceremony at London's Central Saint Martins, a building designed by last year's winner Stanton Williams. Astley Castle was also voted as BBC readers' favourite earlier this week. Jury-member Stephen Hodder stated that "engaging with the building was such a surprise for [the jury]," and described it as an "unassuming" building with great "rigour."

RIBA and Arb Team Up to Reform UK Architecture Education

The RIBA and Arb have teamed together to examine UK architectural education, with the aim of bringing the UK into line with other EU countries.

The move is part of a new EU directive, due to be ratified next month, which seeks to establish more uniformity across Europe by aligning the time it takes to qualify and by making mutual recognition of title easier between countries - a move which would make architects more free to move between countries.

Read more about the aims of the RIBA and Arb after the break...

RIBA Announces 2014 International Fellowships

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the 2014 International Fellowships of the RIBA. RIBA International Fellowships reward the particular contributions non-UK architects have made to architecture.

Joseph Rykwert Awarded 2014 Royal Gold Medal

Architectural critic, historian and writer Joseph Rykwert, 86, has been named as the recipient of the 2014 RIBA Royal Gold Medal, one of the world’s most prestigious architecture awards. Given in recognition of a lifetime’s work, the Royal Gold Medal is approved personally by the Queen and is presented to a person or group of people who have had a significant influence on the advancement of architecture.

Describing Rykwert’s recognition as “long overdue,” RIBA President Stephen Hodder stated: “Joseph's writing and teaching are rare in that he can deliver the most profound thinking on architecture in an accessible way. All our lives are the richer for it.”

In response to selection, Joseph Rykwert stated:

RIBA Announces 2013 Shortlist for Stephen Lawrence Prize

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the shortlist for the 2013 Stephen Lawrence Prize - an award that recognizes “fresh talent” working with construction budgets less than £1 million.

The 2013 Stephen Lawrence Prize shortlist includes: