Dudler Gains German Natural Stone Award
NUREMBERG, Germany – The 2011 German Natural Stone Award will go to architect Max Dudler for his work on the Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm Centre at Humboldt-Universität in Berlin.
The German Natural Stone Award focuses on natural stone as an exemplary building material in terms of its consideration of environmental, sustainability and energy efficiency aspects. Dudler will receive the honor in late June during the 10th Baumeister Architekturquartett at Stone+tec in Nuremberg.
Click photo to enlargeThe award is presented every two years by the Deutsche Naturwerkstein-Verband e.V. (DNV – German Natural Stone Association) in cooperation with the Bund Deutscher Architekten (BDA – German Architects Association). The prize includes a €30,000 award to the winner.
For the first time in its history , the award is organized on a European-wide basis under the subtitle “European Architecture+Stone.” Of the close-to-90 projects entered in the 2011 competition, 20 came from other European countries.
The jury, chaired by BDA President Michael Frielinghaus, looked at building concepts in Europe that represent examples of high architectural quality, technically innovative applications and cost-effective construction using natural stone.
The award is for the exemplary design and technically modern construction of projects in Europe, in which mainly natural stone from Europe is used and the work is performed by natural-stone contractors.
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“The new Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm Library in Berlin planned by Max Dudler impresses,” according to the jury, “initially through its physical presence in the urban area.” The jury also noted that the massive but delicately structured building is refined not least by its differentiated facade of natural stone.
The facade supports of the building are made of yellowish bands of Jura limestone, whose colour matches the buildings in the central area of Berlin. The high-pressure waterjet method used on the stone surfaces highlights the natural structure of the stone.
Dudler also gained an Highly Commended notice from the jury for his IBM headquarters in Zurich.
Dudler operates from three offices in Berlin, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, and Zurich. He is a professor of architecture at Kunstacademie Düsseldorf and is a laureate of the 2003 BDA Prize in Rhineland-Palatinate for Hotel Quartier 65 in Mainz-Weisenau.