The winners of the European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention

We showcased some of the shortlisted works and now here are the winners of the European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention AADIPA organised every two years.  From Barcelona to Tirana, from Porto to Equatorial Guinea: contemporary solutions that successfully maintain the original spirit of heritage and reassert their value.


The winners of the 4th European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention AADIPA were announced by the jury at the COAC (Association of Architects of Catalonia) headquarters in Barcelona on 13 June 2019. The announcement of the 12 finalists and the winners in the four award categories, including a special mention was made during the 4th International Architectural Heritage Intervention Biennial AADIPA. 
Given the wide range of projects - 239 submissions representing 23 countries - the international jury of the award was keen to highlight not only the professionalism and architectural quality of the projects submitted, but also their capacity to demonstrate that a contemporary renovation project can keep alive the original spirit of these elements in order to disseminate and boost architectural heritage.
In category A, Intervention in built heritage, the winning project was Centro Civico Lleialtat Santseca by H Arquitectes. An intervention that maintains the original spirit of the building, a social place with memory, shown through the relationship between the spaces that house new intended uses, and framed within the history of the existing walls. Sensitive architecture, built using low-budget solutions and adopting sustainable systems. The special mention in this category went to the conversion of housing in the disadvantaged neighbourhood of Ilha da Bela Vista in Oporto, designed by Cerejeira Fontes Architects and LAHB (Laboratory of Basic and Social Housing); a sustainable project capable of transforming an urban area that needed an effective, inclusive makeover.
In category B, Exterior Spaces, the jury gave the top prize to Skanderbeg Square in Tirana by 51N4E, Anri Sala, iRI and Plant en Houtgoed, focusing in particular on the freedom with which the design team addressed the challenge of working on an extremely delicate site, a symbol of its key historical and political context. In category C, Urban Planning, the jury went with the special protection and rehabilitation plan of the Historical centre of Liérganes and its surroundings, by Carlos Riaño Lozano, Carlos Ferrán Alfaro, Fernando Navazo Rivero, Carlos Ferrán Aranaz e Luis Herrero Fernández. An intervention that revives everyday life, counteracting the progressive abandonment of historic centres. The winning work in category D, Dissemination is Guinea Heritage 2020 by Montserrat Villaverde and Laida Memba Ikuga. This project incorporates and structures research, knowledge and dissemination strategies, considering the built heritage as the cultural capital for the population of Equatorial Guinea and for tourism. 
This year, the Award organisers added a Special Restoration Award selected from all the entries submitted. They wanted to recognise the project that stood out the most for its quality, precision and respect in technical and methodological terms. This award went to the Belgian firm, Ma2 Project for Maison Saint Cyr in Brussels. This project stands out for the excellent job the studio did in making the most of one of the city’s landmark buildings, showcasing not only its modernist features but also its massively rich spaces, thanks to the artisan and restoration work performed on its eclectic interiors.
The European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention AADIPA shows again its fourth edition the true value of preserving and leveraging the architectural heritage as a vehicle of social integration and a key economic resource for the community: it deserves to be appreciated and encouraged.

Christiane Bürklein

European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention AADIPA
4th edition 2019
Images see caprions
1_Category B Award_ 51N4E, Anri Sala, iRI i Plant en Houtgoed. Skanderbeg Square (Tirana, Albania). © Filip Dujardin
2_Category C Award_ Carlos de Riaño LozanoCarlos de Riaño Lozano, Carlos Ferrán Alfaro, Fernando Navazo Rivero, Carlos Ferrán Aranaz and Luis Herrero Fernández. Historic centre of Liérganes and its surroundings (Cantabria, Spain)..
3_ Category A Award_HArquitectes. Civic Centre Lleialtat Santsenca (Barcelona, Espanya). © Adrià Goula
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