From left to right: Tatiana Bilbao (image © Pedro Flores), Jeanne Gang (image courtesy of University of Notre Dame), Kazuyo Sejima (image courtesy of The Rolex Arts Initiative), Charlotte Skene Catling (image © David von Becker).
The Architectural Review (AR) has officially announced today the shortlists for the Woman Architect of the Year and the Moira Gemmill Prize for Emerging Architecture. The shortlists feature women who are at the forefront of design – and bring together architects from China, England, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Sweden and the USA.
The Woman Architect of the Year category names four female architects – Tatiana Bilbao, Jeanne Gang, Kazuyo Sejima and Charlotte Skene Catling – who have demonstrated through their recent projects an outstanding impact on the sector. The different aspects and perspectives in their design methodologies were evaluated for WIA Prizes 2016, those well known architects have played an important role to promote significant assests of architecture in their diverse projects.
The Woman Architect of the Year 2016 shortlist:
Tatiana Bilbao, Tatiana Bilbao ESTUDIO (Mexico): Bilbao’s low-income and climate appropriate housing in Mexico offers a design-led solution to the country’s housing crisis.
Jeanne Gang, founder of Studio Gang (USA): Gang is recognised internationally for her bold and functional designs that incorporate ecologically friendly technologies, most notable in Studio Gang’s tri-axial Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership.
Kazuyo Sejima, SANAA (Japan): Sejima has been shortlisted for her Pritzker award winning studio’s design across projects, and particularly in the 2015 sinuous cultural centre The River, nestled in the rolling Grace Farms landscape.
Charlotte Skene Catling, Skene Catling de la Pena architects (England): Catling’s wedge-shaped Flint House was in 2015 named the best new house in the UK by RIBA for its celebration of location, material and architectural design at its best.
From left to right: Elisa Burnazzi (image courtesy of Burnazzi Feltrin Architects), Gabriela Etchegaray (image courtesy of @_gabrielaet), Anna Heringer (image courtesy of Anna Heringer), Petra Gipp (image courtesy of Petra Gipp Arkitektur), Catherine Johnson and Rebecca Rudolph (image courtesy of Design, Bitches), Saija Hollmén, Jenni Reuter, Helena Sandman (image courtesy of Ukumbi), Marie Zawistowski (image courtesy of Virginia Tech News), Di Zhang (image courtesy of Divisare).
The Moira Gemmill Prize for Emerging Architecture shortlist features women who are using innovative architecture to effect positive social change.
The Moira Gemmill Prize for Emerging Architecture shortlist:
Elisa Burnazzi, partner and co-founder of
Burnazzi Feltrin Architects (Italy): Burnazzi is driven by a passion for architecture as a creative act, including a striking community centre, dedicated to three young victims of the L’Aquila earthquake.
Gabriela Etchegaray, co-founder of
Ambrosi Etchegaray (Mexico): Etchegaray has worked extensively in architecture and local heritage, with her impressive 2015 Guanajuato Building preserving the façade of traditional colonial houses whilst integrating contemporary private courtyards.
Petra Gipp, founder of
Petra Gipp Arkitektur (Sweden): Gipp’s iconic works blend architectural and sculptural expression and include the award-winning Kivik Art Centre and the inventor’s studio The Cathedral.
Anna Heringer (Germany): Across projects and in her work with NGOs, Heringer’s sustainable architecture makes use of traditional materials of the area and introduces new approaches for efficiency and structural integrity.
Catherine Johnson and Rebecca Rudolph, co-founders of
Design, Bitches (USA): Working at the intersection of architecture, culture and pop and with an emphasis on collaboration, Design, Bitches’ work strikingly reshapes America’s staple food joints.
Saija Hollmén, Jenni Reuter, Helena Sandman, founding partners of
Hollmén Sandman Reuter (Finland): Hollmén’s architectural focus on environmental and aesthetic sustainability led to the group’s 2007 founded NGO Ukumbi, which offers architectural services for communities in need.
Marie Zawistowski, co-founder of
OnSite (USA): Zawistowski works at the intersection of practice, education and service to expand the role of architects in society through community development projects.
Di Zhang, founder of
waa (we architect anonymous, China): Zhang founded waa in Beijing at the age of 28 with a focus on art-culture related projects. In 2015 waa completed the contemporary museum MOCA Yinchuan.
''These women architects are creating some of the most impressive, innovative design work in the world today. The global spread is better than it ever has been before, and yet, we did not receive enough entries from Africa, or India — places where maverick women architects appear to be rarer, or less likely to put themselves forward. I hope these awards will help us discover more talented and inspirational role models around the world'' said Christine Murray, founder of the Women in Architecture Awards and editor of the Architectural Review.
The Women in Architecture award winners will be announced at a gala luncheon on Friday 4 March 2016 at Claridge’s, London.
