Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) College of Architecture Dean Wiel Arets, Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP) Director Dirk Denison and MCHAP 2014/15 Jury President Stan Allen announced the MCHAP 2014/15 Finalists at an event held in Museo Tamayo, Mexico City the evening of June 23rd.
The MCHAP Jury announced the finalists for the MCHAP 2014/15, recognizing the best built works of architecture in the Americas realized from January 2014 through December 2015, during the jury tour of the finalist sites. The tour includes visits with members of the MCHAP Network of architects, academics, and schools and is part of a strategy to build a vibrant network that unites architects working in the Americas and opens the discourse with others around the world.
Finalists Projects and Cities
Sao Paulo, Brazil Weekend House by Angelo Bucci
Lima, Peru UTEC Campus by Grafton Architects
Lima, Peru Pachacamac Museum by Llosa Cortegana
Mexico City, Mexico Tower 41 by Alberto Kalach
Los Angeles, California, US Star Apartments by Michael Maltzan
New Canaan, Connecticut, US Grace Farms by SANAA
Toronto, Ontario, Canada Fort York National Historic Site Visitor Centre by Patkau Architects / Kearns Mancini Architects
The MCHAP 2014/15 Jury, after visiting the Fort York Visitor Centre and conferring with the architects and clients, has delayed the nomination of this work to the next cycle, MCHAP 2016/17, to allow for the commencement of its programming and for the maturation of its landscape and integration into the surrounding neighborhood.
MCHAP is a biennial prize that acknowledges the best built works of architecture in the Americas. MCHAP.emerge is the corresponding biennial prize for the best built work from an emerging architecture practice. MCHAP was created by Dean Wiel Arets who, in his 2013 inaugural address, offered “Rethinking Metropolis” as a strategic device for the college, for research, for the development of knowledge and skills, for taking part in design exercises, for debate, and for making. Dean Arets outlined his plan for a revitalized curriculum in NOWNESS, a publication in which he announced MCHAP among other initiatives. MCHAP was officially launched in February 2014 at an event hosted by Phyllis Lambert at the Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal and which featured Kenneth Frampton, President of the inaugural MCHAP Jury.
MCHAP 2014/15 Jury and MCHAP 2014/15 Nominees
The MCHAP 2014/15 Jury includes Jury President Stan Allen, architect and former Dean of Princeton University’s School of Architecture (New York); Florencia Rodriguez, editorial director of Piedra, Papel y Tijera publishers (Buenos Aires); Ila Berman, Professor of Architecture, University of Waterloo (Toronto) / Dean, UVA School of Architecture (Charlottesville); Jean Pierre Crousse of Barclay & Crousse (Lima), and Dean Wiel Arets (Chicago).
The Jury reviewed the MCHAP 2014/15 NOMINATED WORKS and MCHAP.emerge 2014/15 NOMINATED WORKS of architecture in the Americas, realized between January 2014 and December 2015, which have been put forward by 95 nominators from throughout the Americas. Nominations were received in January and February and were included in the MCHAP 2014/15 Exhibition held at S. R. Crown Hall on March 4thand 5th at which time the jury held its first jury session.
MCHAP.emerge Symposium and Winner Announcement on April 1, 2016
The MCHAP.emerge 2014/15 Symposium and winner announcement was held on April 1,2016 at S. R. Crown Hall. In afternoon sessions the practices of the MCHAP.emerge 2014/15 Finalists projects presented their work and engaged in substantive discussions with the jury, the IIT Architecture faculty and student body, as well as the larger MCHAP Network and Chicago architecture community. The MCHAP.emerge 2014/15 recipient, Pavilion on the Zocalo; Mexico City, Mexico; Productora, was announced at the evening award dinner. The authors of the winning project have been recognized with the MCHAP.emerge Award, the MCHAP Research Professorship in the College of Architecture at Illinois Institute of Technology for the following academic year, and funding of up to $25,000 USD in support of research and a publication related to the theme of ‘Rethinking Metropolis.’
MCHAP Symposium and Winner Announcement on October 19, 2016
IIT ‘s College of Architecture will host a day-long symposium including sessions for students, faculty and the architects and clients of the finalists in dialogue about the nominated works and how they contribute to the college’s continuing conversation -- Rethinking Metropolis. Later in the afternoon, the general public will be invited to a moderated discussion between the architects and jury about the context of contemporary practice. At the end of the day of activities the winner of the Americas Prize 2014/15 will be announced at the MCHAP Award Dinner. The author of the MCHAP winner will be recognized with the MCHAP Award, the MCHAP Chair at IIT College of Architecture for the following academic year, and funding of up to $50,000 USD, in support of research and a publication related to the theme of ‘Rethinking Metropolis.’
Announcing New MCHAP.student Award
A newly established student award, MCHAP.student, has been created to energize the American discourse among young architects. MCHAP is inviting a network of schools from throughout the Americas to submit the most outstanding project by a 2015/2016 graduating student that addresses the metropolis through an architectural proposal. All submitted student projects will be reviewed by the MCHAP jury, and the winner will be invited to S. R. Crown Hall, expenses paid, to be presented with the award by the MCHAP jury alongside the MCHAP winners at the awards ceremony on October 19, 2016. The student project winner will be acknowledged with a Research Fellowship at the IIT College of Architecture and ten thousand dollar ($10,000) commitment towards a production of the outcomes of a Research Fellowship.
For more information about MCHAP and MCHAP.emerge, MCHAP.student, their purpose, process and timeline, visit http://www.mchap.org.
To access photos of the MCHAP Finalists and other resources please visit our MCHAP 2014-15 Finalists Electronic Press Kit.