The Canada Council for the Arts has awarded 5468796 Architecture the $50,000 Professional Prix de Rome prize for their project Table for 12: A Conversation in Architecture, which will allow hosts from eight cities to set the table for informal conversations about architecture.
The aim of the project is to promote Canadian architecture, identify synergies between cities and provide opportunities for global exchange. These “tables of 12” will include architects and their clients, journalists, politicians, artists and engineers among others. They will discuss the state of design in their respective city as well as their policies and what it takes to create a strong design culture. The host cities span four continents. Table for 12 will launch at the Winnipeg Design Festival in September 2013, followed by discussions hosted in Mexico City, New York, Lisbon, Eindhoven, Copenhagen, Tokyo and Sydney. In June 2014, the journey will conclude in Winnipeg, where the project’s findings will be shared during the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Festival of Architecture.
“With Table for 12, 5468796 Architecture is positioning Canada as a global leader,” said Robert Sirman, Director and CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts. “The project’s ambitions are perfectly aligned with the intent of the Professional Prix de Rome and the growing appetite for greater public engagement in cultural development.”
Administered by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Professional Prix de Rome in Architecture recognizes excellent achievement in Canadian architectural practice. It is awarded to a young architectural firm that has completed its first buildings and demonstrated exceptional artistic potential. The prize allows the winners to travel the world to hone their skills, develop their creative practice and strengthen their presence on the international scene. The project can involve multiple trips to a number of destinations, spread over a two-year period.
5468796 Architecture is a Winnipeg-based design studio, established in 2007. The office unites the diverse knowledge and experience of 12 young professionals, symbolized by the single table that they share. The firm believes that there are opportunities for architectural exploration within any budget, and that every client, user and civic environment deserves an outcome that advances architecture. They also regard dialogue and engagement with colleagues, the general public and municipal decision-makers as critical to establishing a strong design culture.
In just six years, 5468796’s projects have received every significant Canadian design award and a number of important international prizes, including the 2013 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Emerging Architectural Practice Award and a 2012 Governor General’s Medal in Architecture for Bloc_10. Last year, they were Canada’s official representation at the 2012 Venice Biennale in Architecture with Migrating Landscapes. Their success speaks to the resilience, resourcefulness and rigorous pursuit of innovation that drives their practice forward.
In addition to its principal role of promoting and fostering the arts, the Canada Council for the Arts administers and awards many prizes and fellowships in the arts, humanities, social sciences, natural and health sciences, engineering, and arts management. These prizes and fellowships recognize the achievements of outstanding Canadian artists, scholars, and administrators. The Canada Council is committed to raising public awareness and celebrating these exceptional people and organizations on both a national and an international level.
For more information, please visit http://canadacouncil.ca/en/council/news-room/news/2013/prix-de-rome.