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“The objective of the award is to put design at the center of sustainability.” This is how Mariano Bó, CEO of the LATAM SOUTH Cluster of Saint-Gobain, defined it, when consulted about the latest edition of the regional competition organized by the company called ADUS LATAM – meaning Sustainable Urban Design and Architecture -, which emphasized the contribution of architecture to face the challenges of the 21st century. “Design, the passive, unlike other times, when man thought he could defeat nature, is the basis of sustainability,” stressed the director of the company of Spanish origin. focused on light and sustainable construction and with subsidiaries in 76 countrieswhose local chapter designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets.
The contest distributed US$140,000 in prizes, punctually among five winners, with the participation of an international jury that, per se, reinforced the importance of architectural links between Latin America and Europe, highlighting the value of sharing experiences and knowledge.
The jury made up of architects Gerardo Montaruli (FPAA, Pan American Federation of Architectural Associations), Javier Gimeno (Saint-Gobain), Josep Ferrando (Spain), Nicolás Campodónico (Argentina), Lilian Dal Pian (Brazil), Felipe Assadi (Chile ), Camilo Restrepo Ochoa (Colombia), Gabriela Carrillo (Mexico), Patricia Llosa Bueno (Peru) and Marcelo Danza (Uruguay) chose the winners among more than 2000 projects from seven different countries.
The winning venture was the Pivadenco Rural School which is being built in Chile led by architects Cristián Larraín and Rodrigo Duque Motta, who won the main prize: the ADUS LATAM Gold.
The trans-Andean duo obtained, in addition to the statuette designed by the plastic artist Fabiana Barreda, a sum of US$60,000 as a reward. “We are very happy to be able to respond to the problems that exist in Chile such as with rural schools,” they declared when receiving the award.
The second most important prize, el Plata and US$45,000, recognized the Mexican team led by Rozana Montiel for its CIVAC project Linear Park, Civic Center and Skatepark; while the Bronze, worth US$25,000, went to the Peruvian architect Martín Dulanto for his work Casa Manire, a work in tune with its environment.
The Argentine project “New Industrial Landscapes”, the work of Laura Paz from Jujuy, obtained recognition for academic practice, endowed with US$10,000. “We are happy to be able to represent our National University of Córdoba,” said the young professional whose proposal was developed under the tutelage of Professor Martín Benavidez. In 2021, the young woman obtained the Sustainable Architecture Student Category Award, awarded by the same organization.
“Criticism and debate in our discipline about contemporary architecture is very important; The award is a possibility of aligning new horizons,” said Paz, author of the work that “represents a fresh and transformative look at the urban landscapes of the region.”
Finally, the Lifetime Achievement Awardendowed with US$20,000, was delivered Décio Tozzifor his contribution to the architecture of the region. “Receiving it was a very welcome surprise, especially in Buenos Aires, a city that I love so much. I hope that this award will be a stimulus for young architects at the beginning of their careers,” declared the Brazilian architect, also visibly moved.
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