The XVII Metra “Sistema d’Autore” International Competition was concluded on February 5th with the award ceremony held during Milan’s MADE Expo tradeshow.
Aiming to highlight construction and design excellence, the competition is a key event in the world of international building and architecture. Prizes were awarded to architects, door and window frame manufacturers, and clients for their optimal use of Metra Systems and extruded aluminium sections. The 29 winners selected from the various competition categories (Renovation/Restoration - New Build - Innovative Technologies) came from Italy, Belgium, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Canada and the United States.
In the Renovation/Restoration section, the Vodafone ICO Call Centre designed by Dante Benini & Partners Architects, Studio Giacopelli and Diaspro S.r.l. was the winner for “…its careful, conservative renovation of the aluminium elevation and excellent match with the new internal façade…” as well as “…for successfully combining diverse systems to meet the building’s performance requirements”.
In the same section, a Special Mention went to Daniel Libeskind and B+H Architects for their Royal Ontario Museum project in Toronto and “the audacious use of extruded aluminium sections in an innovative project within an existing context. The bold geometries employed aptly demonstrate the great versatility of aluminium…”
In the New Build section, prize-winning buildings included the System Research headquarters in Schaumburg, USA, for its concave façades divided into a grid of large rectangular cells; Villa Meg at Lignano Sabbiadoro designed by Marco Marchesi and Fedro Architetti Associati for “the pleasing dialogue between glazed and masonry sections that characterises the various elevations…”; and the two NH Hoteles towers in Rho Pero (Milan) by Dominique Perrault Architecture for showing the important role of aluminium in new-build design projects. A further project realised in Italy was among the winners of the Innovative Technologies section: the multi-storey car park in Piazza Alberti, Florence designed by Studio Arx for its successful integration of many functional systems and use of glazed walling as a filter connecting inside and out. Finally, an award in the same section went to the practice BRT for their Hamburg Dockland project: “a construction of great emotional impact thanks to the successful blend of technology, form, composition and environmental setting”.
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