EU Mies Award 2017: Five Finalists Announced, OMA's Fondazione Prada Eliminated

The European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe have unveiled the shortlist for the 2017 EU Mies Award, the European Union's most prestigious architecture prize. Five projects remain in contention: deFlat Kleiburg in Amsterdam by NL Architects and XVW architectuur; Ely Court in London by Alison Brooks Architects; Kannikegården in Ribe, Denmark, by Lundgaard&Tranberg Architects; the Katyn Museum in Warsaw by BBGK Architekci; and the Rivesaltes Memorial Museum by Rudy Ricciotti's French studio. Notably, the Fondazione Prada in Milan by OMA, the only Italian project in the second phase, did not advance. The finalists include two residential complexes, a cultural center, and two museums. Jury president Stephen Bates cited Peter Smithson's phrase "ordinary and heroic" as guiding the selection, seeking a "veiled lyricism full of potential." Fundació director Anna Ramos emphasized the award's role in promoting research, debate, and dissemination of contemporary architecture in Europe, addressing issues like collective housing, urban complexity, and symbolic spaces. The winner will be announced on May 16 in Brussels, followed by the award ceremony on May 26 at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona. From May 20 to 28, all finalist works and the emerging architect winner will be open to the public for the first time, offering non-specialists access to the competition and its projects.