Pat Hanson, one of the founding principals of Toronto-based firm of gh3, has received an honourable mention in the 4th arcVision Prize for women in architecture. The jury, led by Stefano Casciani, also awarded honourable mentions to Elisa Valero Ramos (Spain) and Cazú Zegers (Chile), while American architect Jennifer Siegal has won first place.
According to the jury, clarity in building, deep refinement of material qualities and a touch of dramatic impact on the urban landscape make Pat Hanson’s work interesting and original. The idea that architecture must move beyond mere functional response to true needs drives her work as one of the most dynamic designers from the new Canadian school, the citation says. With her studio, gh3, Hanson explores the continuous intersection between architecture, landscape, and sustainability, with a belief that the design practice must go beyond its conventional expressive limits. Among the features of her work is the ability to tackle small-sized projects, many of which are defined by their constructive aspects, in the materials and in the relationship with sensory perception. Her floating studio for a photographer at Stoney Lake (2009), for example, is a glassy box suspended over the water that redefines the archetypical modern house in glass and steel, incorporating the Canadian landscape. The aim of the arcVision Prize is to enhance the profile of contemporary female designers, with a special focus on the qualities an archite...