The UIA is happy to announce the results of the International Architectural Design Competition for the Knowledge and Innovation Center in Tripoli, Lebanon. The competition was organised by the Lebanese Federation of Engineers and Architects on behalf of the Tripoli Special Economic Zone and the Government of the Republic of Lebanon. It was endorsed by the UIA and also supported by the Union of Mediterranean Architects (UMAR).
Located within the Rachid Karami International Fair, designed by renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer in the 1960s, the proposed construction site will be a business and technology park that accommodates and fosters the growth of entrepreneurs, start-ups and SMEs in the city of Tripoli and the surrounding region.cThe international jury, chaired by Amale Andraos, aimed to select a project that would honour the site’s historical importance as part of world architectural heritage while advancing open spaces, urban connectivity, public access and cutting edge technological innovation.
The Jury met on 27 and 28 June in Tripoli, Lebanon to evaluate over 100 submissions. They awarded First Prize to MDDM – Architects Imad Aoun and Nadim Younes (Lebanon) for its “clear strategy and its rigorous approach,” the “underground linear structures” of which “recalled some of Niemeyer’s early designs, resonating with the rhythm of the grand canopy and in keeping with the language of the site.”
The Second Prize was awarded to Lebanese firm Dagher Hanna and Partners, which also proposed a series of underground spaces, echoing “Niemeyer’s manipulation of the ground across the Fair.”
Spanish firm Arquivio Architects (Daniel Ortiz and Juan Rodriguez) were awarded Third Prize for the “architectural quality and sensibility” of their submission. The jury praised its “creative dialogue with Niemeyer’s architecture.”
The Jury also gave three Honourable Mentions:
Khoury Levit Fong (United States)
UNIT 44 (Lebanon)
Marwan Basmaji Architect (Lebanon)
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