Urban Remediation and Civic Infrastructure Hub, São Paulo, Brazil

The Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction in Zurich, Switzerland has announced the winners of its 2012 Global Holcim Awards and the Holcim Innovation Prizes. Regional prize winners (15 for Global Awards and 53 for Innovation Prizes) were examined, and from them 3 Global Awards and 3 Innovation Prizes were handed out to projects that address environmental performance, social responsibility, and economic efficiency.

Each of the winning projects are innovative, future-oriented, and usually have a social or cultural component as a key part of their program.  This year’s jury for the Global Awards was headed by TEN Arquitectos’ Enrique Norton and included critic Aaron Betsky and architect Mario Botta. The Innovation Prize Jury was led by architect Harry Gugger and included economists and engineers.

Global Holcim Awards 2012

Gold

Secondary School with Passive Ventilation System, Gando, Burkina Faso

Secondary school with passive ventilation system, Diébédo Francis Kéré, Kéré Architecture
Gando, Burkina Faso

Silver

Urban Remediation and Civic Infrastructure Hub, São Paulo, Brazil

Urban remediation and civic infrastructure hub, Alfredo Brillembourg and Hubert Klumpner, Urban Think Tank
São Paulo, Brazil

Bronze

Urban Renewal and Swimming-Pool Precinct, Berlin, Germany

Urban renewal and swimming-pool precinct, Tim Edler, realities united, Jan Edler, realities united, Denise Dih, DODK

Holcim Innovation Awards 2012

1st Prize

High-Efficiency Concrete Formwork Technology, Zurich, Switzerland

High-efficiency concrete formwork technology, Matthias Kohler, Gramazio & Kohler, Architektur und Digitale Fabrikation – ETH Zurich, Fabio Gramazio, Silvan Oesterle and Axel Vansteenkiste, Gramazio & Kohler, Architektur und Digitale Fabrikation – ETH Zurich
Zurich, Switzerland

2nd Prize

Low-Cost Apartments Incorporating Smart Materials, Hamburg, Germany

Low-cost apartments incorporating smart materials, Frank Barkow, Barkow Leibinger Architects, Prof. Regine Leibinger, Barkow Leibinger Architects and Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Architektur, Fachgebiet Baukonstruktion und Entwerfen, Prof. Dr. sc. techn. Mike Schlaich, Technische Universität Berlin,Institut für Bauingenieurwesen, Fachgebiet Entwerfen und Konstruieren – Massivbau, Germany; Matthias, Schuler, TRANSSOLAR Energietechnik
Hamburg, Germany

3rd Prize

Efficient Fabrication System for Geometrically Complex Building Elements, London, UK

Efficient fabrication system for geometrically complex building elements, Povilas Cepaitis, AA School of Architecture, Luis Enrique, Diego Ordoñez and Carlos Piles, AA School of Architecture
London, UK

Click on a thumbnail to launch the slideshow. All images courtesy Holcim Foundation. A complete list of finalists can be seen here.