The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning has announced the recipient of the 2021 Marcus Prize. Established in 2005 as a biennial, international architecture award, the Marcus Prize recognizes and honors architects for their work within the field in addition to recognizing "the promise of their future contributions to the field of architecture." This year's Marcus Prize is awarded to architects Antón García-Abril and Débora Mesa of Ensamble Studio.
From a pool of nominees across five continents and 19 countries, the jury selected Ensamble for their work balancing "imagination and reality, art and science," a body of work innovating "typologies, technologies, and methodologies to address issues as diverse as the construction of the landscape or the prefabrication of the house."
The list of past Marcus Prize recipients includes Tatiana Bilbao (2019), Jeanne Gang (2017), Joshua Ramus (2015), Sou Fujimoto (2013), and Diébédo Francis Kéré (2011), to name a few.
Jury member Lesly Lokko described Ensamble Studio as a practice whose "name, processes, and practice is reflective of the extraordinary times we’re living in." Lokko added: "The combination of an outstanding firm and an outstanding prize bodes well for the future of all our built environment professions, not just architecture.”
...our vision of architectural practice is one where enthusiasm meets perseverance, imagination meets rigor, and leadership meets teamwork. — Antón García-Abril and Débora Mesa
The duo founded their studio in 2000 and has put research and experimentation at the forefront of every project. With offices based in Madrid and Boston, they have worked on exciting projects around the globe. Some of their most notable works include Structures of Landscape for Tippet Rise Art Center (site installations), Ca'n Terra, and the Hemeroscopium House, to name a few. Most recently, they have completed the construction of The Tent in 2020.
García-Abril and Mesa shared: “Our vision of architectural practice is one where enthusiasm meets perseverance, imagination meets rigor, and leadership meets teamwork. This is what we offer to our collaborators, clients, and students through our own example.”
Ensamble's work brings offsite technology, fabrication methods, architecture, and typology research to life with mesmerizing site-specific projects that tackle landscape and construction. In addition to the prestigious award, a cash prize of $100,000 is given thanks to the Marcus Corporation Foundation. $50,000 is awarded to the winners, and the remaining $50,000 is used to lead a design studio for students at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at UW-Milwaukee in collaboration with its faculty. To learn more about the prize, click here.
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