The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has tonight (6 December 2016) announced the winner of the 2016 RIBA President’s Medal for Research for the best research project, selected from the RIBA President’s Awards for Research, also revealed this evening.
The 2016 RIBA President’s Medal for Research was presented to Dr Edward Denison, Medhanie Teklemariam and Dawit Abraha for their project 'Asmara – Africa’s Modernist City: UNESCO World Heritage Nomination'. The research, supported by the Asmara Heritage Project Team, forms part of the State of Eritrea’s first ever application to list Asmara as a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site.
The medal winner was selected from winners of the 2016 RIBA President's Awards for Research, in four categories: Cities and Community, Design and Technical, History and Theory, and the annual theme Learning from Projects.
The winners of the 2016 RIBA President’s Awards for Research are:
Cities and Community
The Common Camp: Temporary Settlements as a Spatio-political Instrument in Israel-Palestine
- Dr Irit Katz, University of Cambridge, UK
Design and Technical
Supertall Timber: Design Research for the Next Generation of Natural Structure
- Dr Michael Ramage and Dr Rob Foster, University of Cambridge, UK
- Simon Smith, Smith and Wallwork, UK
- Kevin Flanagan and Ron Bakker, PLP Architecture, UK
History and Theory
Asmara – Africa’s Modernist City: UNESCO World Heritage Nomination
- Dr Edward Denison, Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, UK
- Medhanie Teklemariam and Dawit Abraha, Asmara Heritage Project, Eritrea
Learning from Projects
Make Public: Performing Public Housing in Ernö Goldfinger’s Balfron Tower
- David Roberts, Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, UK
Commendations
Palestine Regeneration Team (PART)
- Dr Yara Sharif, Golzari, NG Architects
- Dr Nasser Golzari, Golzari-NG Architects, University of Westminster
- Prof Murray Fraser, Bartlett School of Architecture
UK’s First Amphibious House: Can-float Amphibious Building
- Richard Coutts, Baca Architects, UK
- Robert Barker, Forrest Mews (Formerly Baca Architects), UK
Dr Kat Martindale, RIBA Head of Research and Innovation, said:
“Many congratulations go to this year’s winners of the President’s Awards for Research. The research from this year’s cohort spans cutting edge technologies, reflective historical work and addresses one of the most prominent contemporary issues both in the UK and around the world, that of ‘home’.
“Particular congratulations go to the winners of the President’s Medal for Research, a collaboration between the Bartlett School of Architecture and Asmara Heritage Project, whose work has the potential to transform how Eritrea and African architecture are viewed.
“We were thrilled to receive so many submissions from all over the world, making this year the most competitive to date and highlighting the strength of the winning work.”
The 2016 President’s Awards for Research received 75 applications from 14 countries on five continents. Further information about the 2016 Awards, including the illustrated Book of Abstracts, is available here.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- For further press information contact: Callum Reilly callum.reilly@riba.org 020 7307 3757
- For general enquiries about the awards contact research@riba.org
- The RIBA President's Awards for Research were established in order to reward and encourage outstanding research in architecture carried out by students, academics and practitioners.
- The Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) is a global professional membership body that serves its members and society in order to deliver better buildings and places, stronger communities and a sustainable environment. www.architecture.com
