British architecture gives its top award to Richard Rogers in the year of his bruising public row with Prince Charles.
British architecture gives its top award to Richard Rogers in the year of his bruising public row with Prince Charles.
The cancer support centre in west London was commissioned by Charles Jencks, whose wife Maggie died of the disease. There are already five Maggie’s Centres in Scotland, including designs by Frank Gehry (Dundee) and Zaha Hadid (Fife).
In his acceptance speech Rogers said: ‘The one person missing here is Maggie. She will certainly be the person I am thinking of.’
This prize tops a turbulent year which saw Rogers fall out with Prince Charles, who he saw as responsible for his removal from the £1bn Chelsea Barracks scheme. Rogers has previously won the Stirling Prize in 2006 for his Madrid Barajas airport terminal.
RIBA President Ruth Reed, who presented Rogers with the award, said: ‘The shortlist for this year’s RIBA Stirling Prize was of an exceptionally high standard, and I would like to congratulate each of the shortlisted entries. In the Maggie’s Centre we have a much deserved winner, and I am delighted to award Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners with architecture’s highest accolade.’
AJ NEWS / AJ interview with Rogers / video about maggie centre
4 Comments
Hmm, awarding an already established firm with a second stirling prize seems kind of redundant. Why not look to establish the next generation of starchitects?
-Lucas Gray
'up and coming'
the stirling prize has never really been awarded to an up and coming firm, though a few have been shortlisted.
it was a weak year. the fretton, BDP and Parry projects were all rather banal.
AHMM's kentish town hall was probably more interesting than RSH+P's maggie centre. i wonder if the prize was awarded more as a slap to the prince for pushing the barracks sacking.
i agree ahmm's project was more interesting. it should have gone to them.
it was a weak year in deed - this year's stirling will be directly linked to chelsea barrack's fiasco...whether it was truly related or not...
regardless, none of the entries took my breath away...
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