European Prize Mies Van Der Rohe Award 2019 – The Winners

The winners of the “EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture Mies Van Der Rohe Award” 2019 were announced on May 10, 2019.
The prestigious award went to Lacaton & Vassal Architects, Frédéric Druot Architecture, and Christophe Hutin Architecture for their Grand Parc Bordeaux transformation project of 530 apartments.
Toulouse-based BAST – Bureau Architectures Sans Titre won the ‘Emerging Architecture Prize‘ for their School Refectory in Montbrun-Bocage, a small village in Haute-Garonne, France.

The winners were selected among 383 entries from 38 European countries.
In February 2019, five finalist projects were announced: PC CARITAS in Melle by Architecten de Vylder Vinck Taillieu; Plasencia Auditorium and Congress Center by Selgascano; Skanderbeg Square in Tirana by 51N4E, Anri Sala, Plant en Houtgoed and iRI; Terrassenhaus Berlin/Lobe Block by Brandlhuber+ Emde, Burlon and Muck Petzet Architekten; and Transformation of 530 dwellings at Grand Parc Bordeaux by Lacaton & Vassal architects, Frédéric Druot Architecture, and Christophe Hutin Architecture.

Transformation of 530 Dwellings – Grand Parc Bordeaux, France
Lacaton & Vassal architectes, Frédéric Druot Architecture, and Christophe Hutin Architecture.

The winning design features an innovative and sustainable approach to the renovation of a complex of three residential buildings in Bordeaux.
By adding new external volumes to the building facades, the architects expanded the living rooms of the apartments and, at the same time, provided them with more daylight and view.
The small windows of the old dwellings were replaced by large sliding windows opening onto winter gardens; the technical systems of each unit, the communal areas, the lobbies, and the gardens in front of the buildings were updated and redesigned.
The cost to transform each unit was only € 50.000 and the use of prefabricated structures allowed to not move the tenants out of their apartments during the renovation.
The jury particularly appreciated the project’s strategy, which was aimed at improving the existing instead of demolishing the old buildings, a very energy-consuming solution; the client understood and supported the advantages of transforming the existing three buildings.
Moreover – while the commissions for new social housing blocks asked for a reduction of the surface of dwellings – in this case, the volume was increased instead, thus giving more dignity and value to the single units and the entire complex.

Lacaton & Vassal Architectes, Frédéric Druot Architecture, and Christophe Hutin Architecture, Transformation of 530 Dwellings – Grand Parc Bordeaux, view during construction

Lacaton & Vassal Architectes, Frédéric Druot Architecture, and Christophe Hutin Architecture, Transformation of 530 Dwellings – Grand Parc Bordeaux, typical floor plan and section before and after renovation.

Lacaton & Vassal architectes, Frédéric Druot Architecture, and Christophe Hutin Architecture, Transformation of 530 Dwellings – Grand Parc Bordeaux ; site plan

Lacaton & Vassal Architectes, Frédéric Druot Architecture, and Christophe Hutin Architecture, Transformation of 530 Dwellings – Grand Parc Bordeaux; views of the apartments before and after renovation

Lacaton & Vassal architectes, Frédéric Druot Architecture, and Christophe Hutin Architecture, Transformation of 530 Dwellings – Grand Parc Bordeaux; interior view of the facade expansion

School Refectory in Montbrun-Bocage, Haute-Garonne, France
studio BAST – Bureau Architectures Sans Titre

The Prize for Emerging Architecture went to the project of a new refectory for a small school in Montbrun-Bocage.
The jury was drawn by the simpleness and expressiveness of the extension, which was designed considering the context of the village and its immediate landscape.
The new refectory building – which physically fences the school courtyard, thus allowing the pupils to play in a safe outdoor space, while at the same time does not block the view of the surrounding landscape because of its transparency – was built on a relatively small budget.
The structure of the new building is entirely made of CLT – Cross Laminated Timber.

Studio BAST, School Refectory in Montbrun-Bocage, exterior and interior views

All images courtesy of Fundació Mies van der Rohe