2018 MCHAP AWARD CYCLE BEGINS
The Illinois Institute of Technology College of Architecture is thrilled to announce the commencement of the third cycle of The Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP) with a series of noteworthy public events happening this spring at S.R. Crown Hall, home of IIT College of Architecture.
The Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP) recognizes outstanding built works of architecture that acknowledge the altered circumstances of the human condition in our contemporary age. Honoring projects that consider how we might elevate the quality of our built environments by extending our interests beyond the proverbial four walls, the MCHAP process examines the many excellent works realized in the Americas as recommended by an international and interdisciplinary group of nominators.
The Americas Prize is awarded to the best architectural work in the Americas realized in the preceding two years of each cycle. The authors of the winning project will be recognized with the MCHAP Award, the MCHAP Chair at Illinois Institute of Technology College of Architecture for the following academic year and funding of towards research and a publication. MCHAP also recognizes, with the Prize for Emerging Architecture, an outstanding built work in the Americas by an emerging practice, within the same time period. The authors of the winning project will be recognized with the MCHAP.emerge Award, the MCHAP Research Professorship in the College of Architecture at Illinois Institute of Technology for the following academic year where they will lead a studio and funding towards research and a publication.
Significantly, the awarding of the MCHAP prize is preceded and followed by extensive processes of public discourse that aim to generate a dialogue regarding the larger state of architectural work in the Americas in recent years. It is this dialogue among designers, scholars, and urban thinkers that is the objective of the commendation – building a bridge between students, curricula, and professional practice.
The commencement of this third cycle (2018 MCHAP) is marked by an exhibit in SR Crown Hall of the nominated works, the convening of this cycle’s esteemed jury, and a public lecture delivered by the jury chair, Ricky Burdett.
The 2018 MCHAP Jury:
Ricky Burdett CBE, Professor of Urban Studies and Director of LSE Cities and the Urban Age Programme, 2018 MCHAP Jury Chair
Jose Castillo, Principal, Arquitectura 911sc, Mexico City
Ron Henderson, Professor at Illinois Institute of Technology and Director of the Master of Landscape Architecture and Urbanism
Rodrigo Pérez de Arce, Professor, Facultad de Arquitectura, Diseño y Estudios Urbanos, Pontificia Universidad Católica, Chile
Claire Weisz, Founding Principal of WXY, New York
Dirk Denison, Professor at Illinois Institute of Technology, Founder of Dirk Denison Architects, Chicago, and Director of Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize
2018 MCHAP Events:
Wednesday, 28 February
6pm, S. R. Crown Hall
Ricky Burdett Lecture: Shaping Cities
“2.5 billion more people will living in cities by 2050. The decisions we take in the next decades will affect life in cities – especially in Africa and Asia – for generations to come. Nearly 80% of the urban infrastructure that will exist in 2050 in India has yet to be built. The lecture will explore how different types of urban systems can act as straightjackets or provide more open and resilient frameworks to respond to known and unknown social and environmental challenges.”
Friday, 2 March
5:30pm, S. R. Crown Hall
Exhibition Opening of the 2018 MCHAP Nominated Projects
Summary dossiers of all nominated projects will be displayed for public viewing in SR Crown Hall, 3360 S. State St. The exhibit formally opens with a reception for IIT College of Architecture alumni and guests. The nominated works will be on display through Saturday, 17 March, at SR Crown Hall, thematically curated by IIT students.
Thursday, 12 April
1:00pm, S. R. Crown Hall
2018 MCHAP for Emerging Practice Symposium
The MCHAP.emerge Symposium will feature presentations by MCHAP.emerge Finalists practices and a roundtable discussion with the 2018 MCHAP jury, engaging the IIT Architecture faculty and student body, as well as the larger MCHAP Network and Chicago architecture community.
Thursday, 12 April
5:30pm, S. R. Crown Hall
2018 MCHAP for Emerging Practice Awards Dinner and Reception
The MCHAP.emerge 2016/17 finalists will be presented at an evening award dinner that concludes with the winner announcement. The authors of the winning project will be recognized with the MCHAP.emerge Award, the MCHAP Research Professorship in the College of Architecture at Illinois Institute of Technology and funding of a publication related to agreed upon research. The evening’s program will feature a conversation with Pezo von Ellrichshausen, the inaugural winners of the MCHAP for Emerging Practice Award.
Maurico Pezo and Sofia von Ellrichshausen, inaugural winners of the MCHAP for Emerging Practice Award for their Polli House, Chile, will discuss their practice, teaching residency at IIT COA, and their MCHAP Publication "“Naive Intention”. The conversation will be moderated by Dean Michelangelo Sabatino.
The MCHAP Benefit and Emerging Practice Award is a ticketed event. Details forthcoming.
MCHAP and IIT College of Architecture graciously acknowledge the continued support of the Kohler Foundation, The Alphawood Foundation, and The Mies Society at IIT for making this endeavor possible.