• Fundació Mies van der Rohe emphasises open competitions as a key for achieving quality in architecture and urban planning
• The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) will build a unique building, with a budget of € 50M, dedicated to multidisciplinary research in the new knowledge hub of the Antic Mercat del Peix
Fundació Mies van der Rohe, organiser of the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award, and the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) have established a collaboration agreement to give maximum international exposure to the architecture competition for selecting the team to design and direct the construction of the new BIST building in the Antic Mercat del Peix, as part of the Ciutadella del Coneixement initiative.
Within the framework of this agreement, Fundació Mies van der Rohe will promote the dissemination of the competition, especially among the winning teams of architects and finalists in the latest editions of the prestigious European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award, awarded every two years since 1988. Recent winners of the Award include renowned teams, such as the French Christophe Hutin, Lacaton & Vassal and Frédéric Druot, the Dutch studios NL Architects and XVW Architectuur, the team formed by the Spanish architect Alberto Veiga and the Italian Fabrizio Barozzi, and the team involving Henning Larsen Architects (Denmark), Studio Olafur Eliasson (Germany) and Batteríid Architects (Iceland).
“Architecture competitions are a key tool in achieving excellence in architecture and urban planning in our cities throughout Europe. With this initiative to convene an international architecture competition the BIST demonstrates its commitment to Baukultur, to the quality culture in architecture, and to the city of Barcelona”, stated Anna Ramos, Fundació Mies van der Rohe director.
The new BIST building in the Antic Mercat del Peix complex will have a constructed area of about 25,000 square meters spread over several stories and dedicated to multidisciplinary research. One of the project’s requirements is the new building incorporates the latest technologies to guarantee its sustainability, minimizing environmental and noise pollution, and guaranteeing efficient and sustainable management of water, energy, waste and the mobility of its occupants.
The uniqueness of the project has led to the convening of this international architecture competition, featuring a jury chaired by Dr. Jordi Camí, director of the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), and comprising Oriol Clos Costa (architect), Beth Galí ( architect appointed by the Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya), Xavier Matilla (chief architect of the Barcelona City Council), Sito Alarcón Puerto (biologist), Ramon Sagarra Rius (industrial engineer) and Margarida Corominas (Doctor in Economics and IRB Barcelona general manager).
The international call closes on August 7 and the selected team is scheduled to start working on the project in January 2021.
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