EMU Architecture Department Faculty Member, Prof. Dr. Kokan Grchev honoured in Barcelona

The Fundació Mies van der Rohe in Barcelona has initiated the organization of the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award 2015. This biennial award recognizes and commends excellence in the field of architecture and draws attention to the important contribution of European professionals in the development of new ideas and technologies. The Architecture Prize objectives aim at promoting and understanding the significance of quality and reflecting the complexity of Architecture’s own significance in terms of technological, constructional, social, economic, cultural and aesthetic achievements.

Candidates for the Prize are put forward by the architect associations that form the Architect’s Council of Europe (ACE), other European national architects’ associations, a broad group of independent experts from all over Europe, and the Advisory Committee.

Prof. Grchev is assigned  to collaborate in this process as an independent expert who nominates 5 pieces of work for the Jury’s consideration. This process, which is essential to reach a high quality edition of the Prize, emphasizes the importance of the nominating works from the city, region or country, or those in which experts are based, in order to ensure that they are properly represented in the selection. Fundació Mies van der Rohe is a platform whose core mission is to inspire through architecture. It encourages and sponsors activities related to good architecture on the basis of the values represented by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, advocating its role as a strategic thrust for the improvement of our cities – the quality of life of our people and their cultural enrichment.

The idea for a prize that would recognize and commend excellence in European architecture was proposed by the European Parliament. The Foundation has organized the prestigious “European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award” with the support of the European Commission since 1988. It allows a unique insight into the evolution of architecture in Europe over the past 25 years. The cultural management of contemporary architecture heritage is promoted through the organization of exhibitions, conferences, seminars, debates and publications. This has allowed the organization of platforms that have created opportunities for those involved in the world of architecture (clients, investors, governments, institutions, users and professionals).

Credit: Architecture Department EMU