This week on Dezeen, we celebrated refurbishment experts Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal being named the winners of the 2021 Pritzker Architecture Prize.
Founders of French studio Lacaton & Vassal, the French architecture duo is known for their social housing projects and a dedication to refurbishing existing buildings.
"Transformation is the opportunity of doing more and better with what is already existing," said Lacaton.
"The demolishing is a decision of easiness and short term. It is a waste of many things ? a waste of energy, a waste of material, and a waste of history," he continued. Moreover, it has a very negative social impact. For us, it is an act of violence."
Ten key projects by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winners Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal To mark the pair's win, we rounded up 10 of the French duo's most significant projects including social housing projects in Paris and Grand Parc Bordeaux (above).
In an opinion piece written after the announcement, Phineas Harper said "awarding the Pritzker to a team synonymous with refurbs marks an important shift in architectural values".
Frank Gehry's twisted Luma Arles tower set to open in June
In other architecture news, two major projects moved closer to completion. In southern France, Frank Gehry's Luma Arles arts tower designed to evoke Van Gogh's Starry Night painting announced that it will be opening in June.
In Hong Kong construction of the M+ museum o...