Pritzker Prize - 2006
CBS Forum
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2006 PRITZKER PRIZE LAUREATE The Dolmabahçe Palace, one of Istanbul's most fascinating landmarks, will be the location for the ceremony awarding the 2006 Pritzker Architecture Prize to Paulo Mendes da Rocha on Tuesday, May 30. The palace was built by Sultan Abdul Mecit as a replacement for Topkapi Palace, which had been the imperial residence of the Ottoman Empire for some four hundred years. The architects of Dolmabahçe were a father and son team from Armenia name Karabet and Nikogos Balyan. who gained fame for many opulent creations along the Bosphorus. Paulo Mendes da Rocha of Sao Paulo, Brazil, inspired by the principles and language of modernism, as well as through his bold use of simple materials, has over the past six decades produced buildings with a deep understanding of the poetics of space. He modifies the landscape and space with his architecture, striving to meet both social and aesthetic human needs. Whether individual homes or apartments, to a church, sports stadium, art museum, kindergarten, furniture showroom or public plaza, Mendes da Rocha has devoted his career to the creation of architecture guided by a sense of responsibility to the inhabitants of his projects as well as to a broader society. Adhering to a social vision commensurate with the new world, he reminds us that architecture is foremost a human endeavor inspired by nature's omnipresence. The vast territory of his country has given this architect a rich lineage to harness and reconcile nature and architecture as congruent forces. His signature concrete materials and intelligent, yet remarkably straightforward construction methods create powerful and expressive, internationally-recognized buildings. There is no doubt that the raw materials he uses in achieving monumental results have had influences the world over. He has also proven his mastery of restoration and renovation, reaffirming his understanding and respect for his country's legacy and his own belief in the relevancy of the architecture of our time. Mendes da Rocha looks at history as it relates to the future. He has dedicated himself to a search for a synthesis of design and form that is as beautiful as it is technically perfect. In his own words, his definition of architecture is "…the transformation of nature, a total fusion of science, art and technology in a sublime statement of human dignity and intelligence through the settlements we build for ourselves…" All of these qualities and accomplishments have qualified him as the recipient of the 2006 Pritzker Architecture Prize. Paulo Mendes da Rocha brings the joyful lilt of Brazil to his work, and in so doing lifts the spirits of all those whose lives are touched by it, and many more , the world over who have been influenced by the monumentality of his buildings and the raw materials that are his trademark. Never afraid of innovation or of taking risks, his work has achieved a consistently high quality over the years. Paulo Mendes da Rocha is indeed a worthy choice for this year's Pritzker Prize. information posted by |