2013 Edition
During the last ten years since the first edition, the International Prize for Sustainable Architecture has grown constantly in international popularity and the number of participating works and countries. But the most significant growth has been in the quality of the projects presented and competing for the Prize. During its first decade, the initiative has been crowned with the hoped-for success, helped by a fundamental criterion which characterises the "model" of this competition: the composition of the Jury, entrusted by the honorary Prize sponsor, Fassa Bortolo (an important Italian company in the building sector) to Ferrara University Department of Architecture. It represents a mix of continuity and renewal functional in every way to a system able to learn and open to change. The two faculty professors and the Chairman who have served as permanent members over the years are flanked by the invaluable contribution of a further two internationally known architects from different cultures who change each year. This demonstrates:
- that this is a theme of global importance as it concerns management of the planet's resources and the effects on the climate and society at international level
- that the key aspect is not a given architectural orientation, let alone a certain style, but rather a competent responsible response to the specific characteristics and options of each individual site. This produces completely different results as a contribution to the culture of the place.
In assessing the quality of the projects and coming to a decision, the Jury attributed fundamental importance to environmental and climatic aspects. The prizes have therefore been awarded to architectural projects with high standards of formal quality achieved also through in-depth analysis of environmental variables, defining buildings fully integrated into the surrounding context. In the "completed projects" category, the Jury has drawn up a final shortlist of 13 projects, including three gold and silver medal winners and seven considered worthy of an honorable mention. In the "degree theses" category, seven projects have been selected and put on a shortlist, including three gold and silver medal winners and two considered worthy of an honorable mention.
Thomas Herzog, Presidente di Giuria
Glenn Murcutt
Erik Bystrup
Nicola Marzot
Antonello Stella
Gianluca Minguzzi, Segretario
