Schelling Architecture Awards, this year looking for indigenous ingenuity in architecture

Three architecture firms have been shortlisted for the Schelling Architecture Awards, and the winner will be announced in November. This year’s Schelling Architecture Theory Prize was won by Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa for his contribution to architectural culture.



The theme of the Schelling Architecture Awards 2014 is “Indigenous Ingenuity”, un a continuation of the “Critical Regionalism” concept by 2012 winner, Kenneth Frampton. It is also a clear reference to the winner of the Theory award, Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa, who views architecture as a defender of the authenticity of human experience.





The winner of the Architecture Prize will only be announced during the actual awards ceremony on 12 November 2014 and will be one of the three architecture firms shortlisted before summer: Anna Heringer, Carla Juaçaba and Diébédo Francis Kéré. 



These three renowned architecture firms will compete directly before the jury and the general public by outlining their work in brief presentations that will hopefully trigger discussion on how inventive and directly comprehensible architecture can satisfy human needs in an appealing way; how such architecture comes into being – does it source local materials and craftspeople? Does it relate to specific climatic conditions and building traditions?





It will be a really important night for sustainable architecture, since the three nominated architects are famous for their eco-friendly approach. Anna Heringer has already received the “Emerging Architect Award” twice and has also won an Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2007 for the METI School. Brazilian architect, Carla Juaçaba (Pavilion humanidade) won the 2013 ArcVision Prize – Women and Architecture, Italcementi Group and Diébédo Francis Kéré, one of the leading experts in building with clay, won the 2012 Global Holcim Award – Gold.



The Schelling Architecture Foundation was founded in 1992 in Karlsruhe, Germany by Trude Schelling-Karrer and Heinrich Klotz as an independent cultural foundation that awards its prizes every two years.

More information:
Schelling Architecture Awards 2014 - http://schelling-architekturpreis.org/index.php?s=en
The committee for 2014: Peter Cachola-Schmal, Christiane Fath, Louisa Hutton, Dietmar Steiner, Wilfried Wang, Ludwig Wappner, guest: Helga Kusolitsch. 
Images: Courtesy of Schelling Architectre Foundation
1) Anna Heringer - Hostels for Bamboo Biennale in Baoxi, Longquan (China), 2013-14 © Heringer, Schelling Architekturstiftung
2) Carla Juaçaba - House „Rio Bonito“ in Rio de Janeiro (Brasil), 2005 © Carla Juaçaba, Schelling Architekturstiftung
3) Diébédo Francis Kérè - Primary School, Gando (Burkina Faso), 2001 © Erik Jan Ouwerkerk, Schelling Architekturstiftung
4) Anna Heringer - School in Rudrapur (Bangladesh), 2006 with NGO Meti © Heringer, Schelling Architekturstiftung
5) Carla Juaçaba - House „Varanda“ in Rio de Janeiro (Brasil), 2007 © Carla Juaçaba, Schelling Architekturstiftung
6) Diébédo Francis Kérè - Health Clinic of the Opera Village, Laongo (Burkina Faso), 2013 © Erik Jan Ouwerkerk, Schelling Architekturstiftung
7) Anna Heringer - School in Rudrapur (Bangladesh), 2006 with NGO Meti © Heringer, Schelling Architekturstiftung