The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) is pleased to announce the Baha?i Temple of South America in Santiago, Chile as the winner of the 2019 RAIC International Prize. The architects are Hariri Pontarini Architects of Toronto, Canada.
The winner was revealed on October 25, 2019, during an awards ceremony and gala at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto, attended by over 260 members of the Canadian and international architecture community.
Photo credit: doublespace photography
Photo credit: doublespace photography
The Baha?i Temple of South America is designed to be a place of welcome and meaning for everyone. Its design aspires to commonality within diversity, and it has attracted over 1.4 million visitors since opening in 2016. The jury said: ?The result is timeless and inspiring, a building that uses a language of space and light, form and materials, to express an interpretation of Baha?i philosophy and teaching that becomes universally accessible as a shared spiritual and emotional experience.?
The prize consists of a monetary award of CAD $100,000 and a sculpture designed by Canadian designer Wei Yew. It celebrates a single work of architecture that is judged to be transformative within its societal context and expressive of the humanistic values of justice, respect, equality, and inclusiveness.
The Baha?i Temple of South America was selected by the six-member jury following site visits to each of the three shortlisted projects. In addition to the Baha?i T...