Today, the official call for the first edition of the “APE Grupo Architecture Awards” opens. By launching these awards, the ceramics company is aiming to recognise and highlight the work performed by architecture and interior design professionals in using APE Grupo ceramics in their works and projects.
The jury for this first edition is comprised of leading international professionals. It will be chaired by the famed Italian architect Benedetta Tagliabue, who founded EMBT Architects with Enric Miralles. She will be accompanied on the jury by interior designer Tomás Alía, winner of the Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts 2022, and architect Susana Babiloni, president of the College of Architects for Castellón.
The “APE Grupo Architecture Awards” are open to both Spanish and international professionals and projects. With a monetary prize of €5,000, architecture and interior design projects of new construction or the renovation of existing spaces can be submitted. Furthermore, specific spaces in a home, building or project that form a part of a constructed or renovated whole may also be entered.
The deadline for submitting documentation is 17 November and the only condition is that the projects submitted use ceramic materials by APE Grupo.
To access all the details about the awards and the competition’s legal bases, APE Grupo has created a website where this information can be consulted: www.apegrupo.com/architectureawards.
By launching these awards, the Castellón firm is going a step further in its firm commitment to strengthening its ties to architecture and interior design professionals. This competition forms a part of a set of initiatives that aim to improve the connections between the professional world and APE Grupo’s modern ceramics.
In this regard, in 2023 APE Grupo opened a cycle of architecture conferences named “Ágora Inspiring Talks”, in which several renowned architects have been involved. Like Emilio Tuñón, National Prize for Architecture 2022, and Iñaki Ábalos, from the studio Ábalos+Sentkiewicz.
In addition, some of its other activities include the annual creation of a study on the trends in indoor spaces, known as “The New Habitat”, a project that’s now recognised by all professionals in the sector and has become a mandatory consultation manual.
Benedetta Tagliabue is an internationally renowned architect and the founder, along with Enric Miralles, of the studio EMBT Architects. Her notable works include the Scottish Parliament, Santa Caterina Market and the head office of Gas Natural Fenosa and Diagonal Mar Park in Barcelona. The Spanish Pavilion at the Expo 2010 Shanghai, the Kálida Sant Pau Centre, and San Giacomo Apóstolo Church and Parish Complex in Ferrara.
She balances her professional career with teaching. She’s a visiting professor at Harvard University, Columbia University and the ETSAB in Barcelona. In 2004 she received an Honorary Doctor of Arts degree from the School of Arts and Social Sciences at Napier University in Edinburgh (Scotland).
Moreover, her works have won more than 100 awards and international mentions, including the National Award for Catalonia 2002, the RIBA Stirling Prize 2005. Likewise, the National Award for Spain 2006, the City of Barcelona Award 2005 and 2009, the FAD Awards in 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2020.
Also, the WAF Awards in 2010 and 2011, the RIBA Jencks Award 2013, the Creu de Sant Jordi (St. George’s Cross) 2019, the Piranesi Prix de Rome Prize 2020. In addition, nomination for the EU Mies Award in 2022, the Leadership Award 2021 at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, the Dedalo Minosse Prize 2022, and the Chicago Athenaeum Award in 2012 and 2022.
In June 2022, Benedetta was named a new member of the Pontificia Accademia di Belle Arti e Lettere dei Virtuosi al Pantheon (Rome) by Pope Francis and was awarded the Prix Le Soufaché 2022 medal for architecture by l’Académie d’Architecture (Paris).
Tomás Alía is an acclaimed interior designer in Spain and internationally, as well as founder of Estudio Caramba (Madrid), which covers architecture, industrial design and graphic imaging. His work has seen him win the Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts 2022, an award granted by the Spanish government’s Ministry of Culture.
In fact, Alía has been developing several activities to promote craftsmanship. He’s a founding member of the Contemporary Association of Arts and Trades (Asociación Contemporánea de Artes y Oficios), a collaborating entity of the Ministry of Culture. He’s also an ambassador of the Michelangelo Foundation in Spain, whose headquarters are in Geneva.
Estudio Caramba develops its activity throughout the world with renowned works and projects in the hotel industry, retail, hospitality and private homes. Its more notable projects include the design of numerous hotels, including some in the prestigious Room Mate chain, among others.
He’s a master’s degree professor at the School of Architecture at the Technical University of Madrid and professor at the European Institute of Design. His work has won numerous awards, such as the National Architecture Award for Madrid, the Environmental Award in the D & AD Yellow Pencil Global Awards 2007. Likewise, the Interior Architecture Award 2008 from the Grupo Vía, the AD (Architectural Digest) Award for Best Interior Designer 2009. Including the Extraordinary Casa Decor 2019 Award for Professional Career, among others.
Susana Babiloni is an architect and president of the Regional College of Architects for Castellón. She graduated in 2011 from the Technical University of Valencia and gained a master’s degree in Marketing and Market Research (2014). Also, from Jaume I University and Graphic Advertising (2016) from the EASD Castelló.
Lastly, Babiloni works as an architect in her own studio. She is also a member of the drafting team behind the Urban Regeneration and Renovation Area document used to prepare Castellón’s land-use planning (PGOU). Besides, she advises different local governments on town planning matters and assessments.
Thus, she twins her profession with teaching. She teaches technical courses at universities and professional colleges on property valuations and georeferencing applied to town planning and construction.
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