Stirling Prize 2003

by **Paul Clerkin** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 4:35 pm

so any informed guesses on the shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize

by **Hugh** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 9:35 pm

Laban dance dentre in Deptford by Herzog and de Meuron. You heard it here first.

by **alan d** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 9:08 am

Think it's time for an overseas winner myself. The research centre in Biberach by Saurebruch Hutton seems to push all the right buttons as a taken for granted building type reconsidered by a firm of new architects, though Cullinan could get it for Cambridge, by popular vote after missing out last year. Does nothing for me, though.

by **trace** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 11:49 am

Chipperfield's house, anyone?

by **alan d** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:26 pm

Yeah, that's a good bet too. Seem to remember the RIBA Journal was punting that as a serious contender last month

by **alan d** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 8:50 am

Laban Dance Centre it is then..............or is it Foster's time?

by **Hugh** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 9:21 am

Unofficial poll run by the BBC's Today programme puts the Tiree shelter by Sutherland Hussey and the Laban Centre by Herzog and de Meuron pretty much neck and neck as of this morning.

Would be nice to see the prize go to a small younger practice for a tiny project: the Tiree thing apparently cost about Â£60,000.

Foster surely can't get it - great roof in the Great Court but everyone is now aware of its truly appalling acoustics.

by **alan d** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 9:41 am

An Turas in Tiree pushes all the right buttons to win in Scotland. Commercial projects like ours and Reich and Hall's Westport always struggle against arts focused and funded projects although I think Westport is an excellent building and much better than Eric Parry's, which I have seen before you ask .

For the Stirling though, I agree with your initial assessment and that it won't have the clout to beat the Laban Centre, but I could be wrong and any way I hope it does well for Scotland.

Strange thing about Foster's though it was completed a while ago, why the delay to submit?

by **alan d** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 9:45 am

Sorry Hugh, for some reason, my response to your comments were added to the other Stirling Prize forum, don't know why propably pressed the wrong key

by **Paul Clerkin** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 1:53 pm

According to Archnewsnow.com, this is the shortlist

Herzog & De Meuron; Bill Dunster Architects; Foster & Partners; Eric Parry Architects; Jake Harvey/Donald Urquhart/Glen Onwin; Ian Ritchie Architects.

by **alan d** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 12:39 pm

Strange.............my partner has just returned from an RIBA meeting at Cullinan's mathematics building in Cambridge. He was enthusing about the quality of the building and in particular the impressive craftsmanship and detailing. Yet it has not been included on the shortlist, a London friend has just told me that the external coloured skin to the Labban Centre is not wearing well.

What is the brief for the Stirling Prize? Does anyone know? Who were the judges?

by **notjim** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 4:48 pm

i've worked in the news maths building in cambridge and, while it has good qualities, and the central atrium is pretty grand, it isn't super as a maths department, not enough understanding of mathematicians like to work expressed in the organization of the space. this is a pretty common view among people who work there.

by MG » Mon Sep 15, 2003 4:56 pm

Pictures of An Turas in Tiree?

I really like the Laban Centre -- it looks excellent in this shot.
http://www.hughpearman.com/articles4/laban.html

How well will the plastic cladding wear?

by **alan d** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 8:44 am

http://www.tireearts.org/ContentDes.htm

An Turas website

by MG » Wed Sep 17, 2003 2:01 pm

God, that website sucks donkey balls. Its very hard to evaluate it. I suppose you have to see it.

by **blacklion** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 2:23 pm

Yet again, suduced by the image. The Laban could sit on any site in Europe. It in no way engages with it context. In fact it hides behind two masses of earth banks which "protects" it from the reality of deptford. This building is scared of that which lies outside of it boundary fence.

by **Hugh** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 3:46 pm

Any site in Europe? Is it so very European? Could New Zealand or Chile or Canada or Korea not accommodate it?

In fact the "context" in this part of Deptford is mostly post-industrial wasteland, plus the odd decaying council estate.

Only two things for the building to engage with: the creek behind it, and the focal point of the Archer church some way in front of it. It responds to both of these adequately (its curve being set out from the spire of the church).

As for the rest, I don't blame it for making a bit of its own context in its front yard.

by **alan d** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 4:01 pm

" suck donkey balls" wonderful have you been brought up by Jesuits, MG? like me?.........have to remember that and use it when I can.

What H + de M building does engage with the site, I wonder, any site. Tate Modern seems to deliberately set out to challenge it.

by **Hugh** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 8:14 pm

Er...isn't Tate Modern the old Bankside Power Station? Shall we blame Sir Giles Gilbert Scott? He knew all about engaging with the site.

Context: St. Paul's Cathedral. Response: stick a great big power station very close to it that looks a bit cathedral-like from certain angles.

Where are the architects of that subtlety and skill today?

by **blacklion** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 10:27 pm

Scribing arcs from spires to define built form. forgetting about axi of the church beneath the spire!

Come on.

And the only way to engage with the Laban from around the creek is if your up it without a paddle. The creek is completely closed in with garages and warehouses.

Site is not only about built form, what about the social context. The Laban at deptford? Only by address. The Laban web site even suggests that you make your way to building via Greenwich when in fact the shortest route is via Deptford high st station.

I just hope at least that the Laban could be some form of catalyst for some change in an area that is in dire need of it.

by **alan d** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 8:49 am

Don't have any real problem with a lack of any site context myself, Stirling Prize winners seem to me to be set pieces anyway and the Labban Centre is one of the most photogenic on the list. The contrast between the site and the subtlety of the exterior form and colour is very engaging.

An Turas is another great example, in this case of a spectacular rural wild setting complimenting a starkly simple building

I admit though Hugh, that it's over a year since I visited the Tate Modern and things may have changed but at that time you could not get access to or from the building at the rivers edge or the blade of light; a huge banner stopped you seeing the interior volume as you entered down the ramp; the roof top gallery had etched glass which stopped you seeing the river and the circulation through the building was the oppossite of what you might expect and was confusing, to me anyway.

Consequently, neither engaging with the site nor the original building

by **blacklion** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 9:12 am

Does no one have a problem with architecture being flattened to a photograph. I think some ask this earlier in the thread, but how or who determines the short list?

by **alan d** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 9:45 am

Yes I have a problem with it, but not a problem with working against an existing city context to see what sparks.

The Stirling Prize has increased dramatically the profile of the RIBA worldwide, that to me is it's main objective, so what looks good as a two dimensional image is important. I fully expect, therfore Future Systems Selfridges to be there or thereabouts next year .

Hertzog and Demeuron buildings like the sports centre in Pfaffenholz or the signal tower in Basel look good enough to eat when finished, a photographers and editors dream, whether they stand the test of time as seminal works is anyone's guess

by **blacklion** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 9:56 am

Against? As in the contrast between the buildings "new industrial" skin and that of the surrounding sheds?

I have been yet, but from the "photographs" Future Sytems Selfridges looks as if it could look quite dated in 10 years. I'd love to known what those discs on the fascade are about.

by **alan d** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:09 am

......and if even one were to fall off the whole architecture would be f**cked

Stirling Prize 2003

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