The International Architecture Awards are dedicated to the recognition of excellence in architecture and urbanism from a global point-of-view. The program pays tribute to new developments in design and underscores the directions and understanding of current cutting-edge processes consistent with today’s design thinking.
Since 2004, The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design, together with The European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and Metropolitan Arts Press, Ltd. have organized The International Architecture Awards as a way in which to honor the best, significant new buildings, landscape architecture, and planning projects designed and/or built around the world’s leading architects, landscape architects, and urban planners practicing nationally and internationally. The International Architecture Awards give an important global overview of the current aesthetic direction of today’s commercial, corporate, institutional, and residential work to the real estate, banking, business, and corporate community, as well as to the press and general public worldwide.
Built in the 19th century, Antwerp's Royal Museum of Fine Arts was conceived as a 'daylight museum' by architects Winders and Van Dyck. During the 20th century, the building underwent many fundamental changes in the layout, modifying the original circulation route and connection with the city.
The latest intervention aims to reverse previous spatial changes by combining a thorough renovation of the historical museum with a contemporary extension concealed within the existing structure to highlight the heritage value and the resilience of the impressive 19th-century building.
A complete overhaul of the 19th-century building restores the space's intrinsic qualities by reinstating original colours, materials, and routing within the historic halls. Guests can walk through an enfilade of exhibition rooms tinted in dark pink, green and red; oak doors, tall columns, and ceiling ornaments in plasterwork convey a feeling of ancient grandeur.
The colour palette chosen during the renovation process directly relates to the original museum's colours. On the first floor, large windows visually connect the bright yet modest interiors with the surroundings, while the main halls on the second floor are lit by wide glass canopies and equipped with elegant sofas for those enjoying the art masters.
The impressive Rubens and the Van Dyck halls will host some of the collection's highlights and are therefore positioned at the very core of the building. Meanwhile, hidden in the heart of the old building, a new vertical museum arises as a completely autonomous entity built within the four original patios. With bright white exhibition halls, hidden rooms, long staircases, and far-reaching sightlines, the new museum chart a route full of surprising vertical experiences. Daylight comes through triangular north-facing roof elements on the top hall and floods through four large lightwells. The high-gloss floors of the new museum add to the overall dazzling effect of these spaces.
A sequence of strong vertical spatial experiences is created by dematerializing the visitor's experience and juxtaposing it with the building's historical identity. Wherever the new extension 'cuts' the museum's solid mass, subtle marble inlays have been added, echoing the elegant 19th-century museum's materiality. An impressive long linear staircase connects the new exhibition halls on the first floor to the ones located on the top floor, giving access to an intermediate floor dedicated to displaying delicate artworks such as etchings and drawings. These dark cabinets are also visible through the four lightwells and are characterized by an intense dark blue colour.
The new architectural concept of KMSKA is an adventurous journey where visitors explore the two contrasting and dialoguing museums sharing the ability to unveil themselves little by little.
Architects: KAAN Architecten
Original Architects: Jacob Winders and Frans van Dyck (1890)
Client: Departement Cultuur, Jeugden Media (Vlaamse Overheid)
Mandated Client: Het Facilitair Bedrijf (Vlaamse Overheid
The requirements for a new casino building in Middelkerke encompassed a wide array of objectives. The design had to accommodate a reinforcement of the sea embankment, a plan to enhance the quality of the public space by removing car traffic and also unify the boulevard and the Epernay square. This describes the starting point for the design the architectural studio ZJA made, in collaboration with OZ, DELVA landscape architects and Bureau Bouwtechniek, as members of the Nautilus Consortium.
The soul of the design resides in its intimate integration with the landscape, the transformation of the town centre into one that is pedestrian friendly and the introduction of a landmark building that combines public space, casino, hotel, restaurant, multifunctional event space and underground parking garage. All this while reinforcing the sea dike providing Middelkerke with its needed security, urban renewal and an economic impetus.
A large public space is created by moving the dike further onto the beach, creating an extension of the existing Epernay square while integrating it in the landscape. An underground parking garage ensures a car free zone on street level. Connecting the town, the square and the beach is a huge artificial dune in which the casino, the public hall for concerts and exhibitions and restaurant are located. They are built underneath the extension of the public space, but all have transparent facades and spectacular views.
The event space serves as a social and cultural meeting point for Middelkerke; a new living room for the town. Sea lyme grass, water elements and sand gullies flowing towards the beach simulate a dune experience. The new public space, with the climb to the green square on top of the dune is a tourist attraction in its own right.
Attached to it is the beach hotel with its enigmatic sculptural silhouette, an understated icon with an open grid of curved beams in accoya wood. The design optimizes energy, waste-management and production processes, and applies recyclable materials where possible.
Architects: ZJA
Associate Architects: Bureau Bouwtechniek and OZ
Landscape Architects: DELVA Architecture Urbanism
Client: Municipality of Middelkerke
