The 20 nominees for the US$ 1 million prize – which are selected by an independent Master Jury – range from a modern high rise apartment block to the revival of traditional building techniques.
“The Master Jury, which includes some of the most prominent architects of our time, made interesting choices this year,” remarked Farrokh Derakhshani, the Director of the Award. “For example, they chose schools in Afghanistan and Syria, but they also chose a hospital in Sudan, a high rise in Bangkok and the reconstruction of a refugee camp in Lebanon. In many ways, the choices reflect a central preoccupation of the Award: the impact of buildings and public spaces on the quality of life.”
Shortlisted projects are located in Afghanistan, Austria, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Palestine, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. They are now being technically reviewed by a select group of architects, urban planners and engineers. The reviews will be submitted in June to the Master Jury for closer evaluation. Five to six finalists will then be selected and announced at a ceremony to be held in Lisbon in September 2013.
