Marmomacc Names Architectural Award Winners
Click photos to enlarge
Ad Memoriam: Aris Konstantinidis (1913-1993)
Athens
Stone houses, Greece
Principal stone: Local stone
Stone is used by Konstantinidis as it has been used for millennia by builders, farmers and shepherds. Its functionality and size are exploited, as well as its inexpensiveness and potential for reuse.
The jury: The use of local stone in his Mediterranean houses – like those of Anávyssos, Spétses and Egina – does not recall the form of rural construction. Rather, it uses the construction wisdom that produced them, entrusting composition of spaces and rhythms to a philosophy close to that of Mies van der Rohe.
Vernacular Architecture Prize
Svaneti Tower Houses, Georgia (12th century)
Principal stone: Local stone
Svaneti, a region known in antiquity as Colchis and famous for the legend of the Golden Fleece, is located on the slopes of the high mountain range of the Great Caucasus. The main characteristic of these houses is their tower, with a square footprint (15×15 ft) and a truncated pyramid shape (about 25 yards tall).
The jury: The antiquity of the buildings and their superb landscape quality were the reasons for their inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This award intends to further explore and examine the originality of this residential and construction system in relationship to its site.
Get the latest on what’s going in the stone industry with THE FULL BULLNOSE, the twice-a-month e-newsletter from Stone Business! It’s free for the asking — sign up here.