Three winners of the inaugural AkzoNobel Architecture Prize were announced at a ceremony held in Brazil recently. Developed in partnership with the Tomie Ohtake Institute, the award was specifically set up to help develop the careers of young architects.

A total of 95 entries were received, with 12 finalists having their projects exhibited at the Institute in São Paulo, where the awards ceremony was held.

The winners are:

First – Fernando Forte, from FGMF Architects, for Casa Grelha (Grelha House), São José dos Campos city, São Paulo.
Second – Juan Pablo Rosenberg, from AR Architects, for Casa dos Pátios (Courtyard House), São Paulo city, São Paulo (pictured).
Third – Alexandro Prisco, from AP Architecture and Urbanism, for Commons Studio Bar, Salvador city, Bahia state.

Under the rules of the contest, their entries had to include the use of renewable materials, reflecting AkzoNobel’s strong focus on supplying sustainable products and solutions to the construction industry – which represents around 50 percent of the company’s revenues in Brazil.

As part of their prize, the winners will embark on architectural research trips to China, Russia and Mexico, as well as visiting AkzoNobel’s head office in Amsterdam.

The jury was made up of several influential Brazilian architects selected by Ricardo Ohtake, president of the Tomie Ohtake Institute.

Established in 2001, the Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to the research and distribution of visual arts, design and architecture.