The winners of the 2021 Architecture MasterPrize have been announced. This relatively lesser-known award highlights some superb projects from around the world, including a luxurious home buried into a Greek hillside and a mixed-use German building covered in over 30,000 hedges.
Now in its sixth year, the Architecture MasterPrize (AMP) was created by awards organizer Farmani Group to advance the appreciation and exposure of quality architectural design worldwide.
"We were blown away by the quality of AMP entries this year," says AMP Head of Communications, David Tera. "The level of ingenuity showcased in the projects was both impressive and inspiring. This year's winners have shown exceptional talent and have set a new benchmark for architectural design. The AMP jurors were pleased to see how many of the projects emphasized sustainability, offering solutions to our ever-changing world and environmental challenges, proving that innovative design goes beyond aesthetics."
We've chosen a few examples below and you can also hit the gallery to see a selection of this year's winners chosen by AMP.
The NCaved Residence, by Mold Architects, is a winner in the Residential Architecture – Single Family category. The enviable home has been carved into a rugged hillside in Greece and blends into its surroundings impressively well.
The home measures 360 sq m (roughly 3,800 sq ft) and its interior features an open layout that's filled with natural light thanks to generous glazing. Additionally, it's fronted by a large terrace and swimming pool, and is situated to frame excellent views of the nearby sea.
The Kö-Bogen II, by Ingenhoven Architects, is a winner in the Green Architecture category. The project transformed an area of inner-city Düsseldorf from gray to green with a mixed-use building that's covered in an incredible 8 km (5 miles) of hedges on its exterior, making it Europe's largest green facade.
The more-than 30,000 hedges were first grown in a nursery so that they could be delivered with fully developed roots. All that greenery is watered with a sensor-aided water supply system and it needs trimming three times a year.
Vietnam's Vo Trong Nghia Architects is the winner of the Architecture Firm of the Year award. The practice is a regular presence on our architecture pages and its overriding passion is to infuse its architecture with significant amounts of greenery, in a bid to re-green urban areas of its home country.
Notable projects that are well worth a look include its Ha Long Villa (pictured above), and Breathing House. Its work with bamboo is also extraordinary, such as the Casamia Community House.
Source: AMP
