On Thursday November 26th, the jury of the 19th edition of the Tile of Spain Awards met online. The members–made up of Javier Villar Ruiz (of KKAA), Daria de Seta (Garcés-de Seta-Bonet Arquitectes), Jordi Ayala-Bril (Arquitectura-G), Izaskun Chinchilla, and Lázaro Rosa-Violán– decided to award the first prize in the architecture category to "Casa Ter", a detached home in the La Bisbal area by Mesura architects' studio. The first prize in the interior design category went to Arantxa Manrique Arquitectes for "Atlantis Gastrobar", an eatery where ceramic tiles play a predominant role. In both categories, the jury decided to award two special mentions.
In the end-of-degree project category, aimed at architecture students, a first prize and two special mentions were awarded. The project singled out for the first prize was a "Proposal for a centre for unaccompanied under-age immigrants" by Andrea Puebla Yubero, from CEU San Pablo University in Madrid.
The Tile of Spain Awards have a monetary prize of €17,000 in the architecture and interior design categories and €5,000 in the end-of-degree project category. The awards are sponsored by ICEX, Endesa and the Valencia Port Authority.
Architecture
Award winner: "Casa Ter" by Mesura.
The jury praised the versatile use given to one single material, in positions and functions of all kinds, lending the project a discrete yet rich appeal. They also highlighted the reinterpretation of a traditional material in a context in which the home revitalizes the landscape and its surroundings.
Special mention: "Runnymede College Campus" by Rojo/Fernández-Shaw.
The jury celebrated the fact that ceramic materials were not used as a classic covering, separating them from the line of the façade. They also appreciated how well the ceramic materials fitted in with other industrial ones.
Special mention: "The Young Old House", by Enrique Espinosa & Lys Villalba.
The jury highlighted the bold new solution to country living that the project represents, taking a contemporary approach as opposed to a nostalgic one. An audacious use of ceramic materials was made, applying the same rigorous refurbishment criteria used in large-scale projects to a local, rural building.
Interior Design
Award winner: "Atlantis Gastrobar" by Arantxa Manrique Arquitectes.
The jury admired how ceramic materials were used as a star feature of the whole project. By taking advantage of ceramic tiles for this small space, a setting with a refreshing, timeless appeal was achieved.
Special mention: "La Roca Camper Store" by Tomás Alonso.
The jury highlighted the dual use given to ceramic tiles–physically to create volumes and as graphic symbols. This interplay creates a fascinating volumetric effect.
Special mention: "6 homes in Cabrera de Mar" by TWOBO Arquitectura.
The jury took special note of how the ceramic tiles manage to bring the outside world into the home in a kind of migrational process. Through the tiles in the courtyard, an interior space is transformed into an urban one.
End-of-Degree Project Category.
In the category for architecture students, with a monetary prize of €5,000, the jury awarded a first prize and two special mentions.
First prize: A "proposal for a centre for unaccompanied under-age immigrants" by Andrea Puebla Yubero, from CEU San Pablo University in Madrid.
The jury was impressed by the invention of a new form of "impluvium", going one step beyond traditional Mediterranean impluvium courtyard homes. Not only have ceramic materials been used in a sensitive, well considered, imaginative way. They are also an intrinsic part of the project and a fundamental factor in its expressive capacity.
Special mention: "Salam Bir" by Eduardo Casado López, from Madrid School of Architecture.
The jury praised his capacity to create a new world, in a utopic vision of reality that conjures up buildings from the past while also taking us forward into the future. Ceramic materials play a prime role on all scales.
Special mention: "Courtyards of water and olives" by Alba Jiménez Navas, from Granada School of Architecture.
The jury praised the shift from an interior space to an exterior design concept with a strong scenic impact, using ceramic materials to lend it perspective.
About the awards
The purpose of the Tile of Spain Awards is to disseminate the use of Spanish tile materials in architecture and interior design (both in Spain and abroad). With their solid, well-established history, the awards are a prestigious event for professionals from the world of architecture.
For full information about this edition and previous ones, see: www.tileofspainawards.com