RIBA International Prize 2024 goes to 'radical housing' in Barcelona

The RIBA International Prize 2024 has been announced, with Modulus Matrix: 85 Social Housing in Cornellà, designed by Peris + Toral Arquitectes in Barcelona, crowned as the overall winner. A longlist of 22 buildings, all RIBA International Award for Excellence 2024 winners, went on to compete for the top gong. A shortlist of three from those – the other two are Jacoby Studios by David Chipperfield Architects Berlin and Lianzhou Museum of Photography by O-office Architects – meant the jury had a tough time ahead, deliberating to pick the cream of the crop; a difficult job, considering the inspiring cross-disciplinary collection of candidates.

RIBA International Prize 2024 winner

Modulus Matrix: 85 Social Housing in Cornellà designed by Peris + Toral Arquitectes, Spain

The RIBA's bi-annual award casts its net far and wide, in search of the world's (and its cycle's) best building. RIBA President Muyiwa Oki described the Peris + Toral Arquitectes work as 'inspiring', adding that it's 'a strong example of the ways in which architects can create new and implementable solutions to the common challenge of creating housing for all'.

Working with a mass timber structure and sustainable architecture principles, the building achieves low CO₂ emissions. Conceived to be adaptive and inclusive the scheme was praised by the jury for its matrix of homes organised around a central courtyard. The six-storey building of 85 homes near Barcelona was loosely inspired by the architects' research into films of Japanese director Yasujirō Ozu who explored daily family life.

Marta Peris and Jose Toral, co-founders of Peris + Toral Arquitectes, said: 'Winning the RIBA International Prize is a recognition of many years focused on housing that provides new ways of living. We are very proud of the positive feedback from residents of Modulus Matrix. Some were unsure about features like entering through a terrace, having an open kitchen at the centre of the home, and equal-sized rooms without corridors, but their perspectives changed after living in the space. Now they feel this way of living better adapts to their needs. Their first-hand experiences provide valuable insights into how housing around the world can evolve.'

The award was founded to reward a structure that demonstrates 'visionary thinking, originality, excellence of execution, and makes a distinct contribution to its users, surrounding environment and communities', the RIBA explains.

RIBA International Prize 2024 shortlist

Jacoby Studios, Paderborn, Germany, by David Chipperfield Architects Berlin

In the medieval town of Paderborn, Germany, David Chipperfield Architects Berlin has reinvented and extended existing buildings – a chapel and 17th-century cloister – to create a new HQ for a family business. New concrete and timber elements repair existing stone and brick walls, and are left exposed in a delicate and harmonious patchwork of old and new.

Lianzhou Museum of Photography, Lianzhou, China, by O-office Architects

Set on the site of an old sugar mill in the relatively remote, southern Chinese city of Lianzhou, this museum is a large complex comprising a refurbished warehouse and a new element. It was praised in the 2021 RIBA International Awards cycle, but couldn't be visited at the time due to the pandemic, so was re-entered for this cycle.

architecture.com