Richard Rogers of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners has been awarded the J.C. Nichols Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development given by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to those who demonstrate a “longtime commitment to the creation of communities that reflect the high standards of design and development.” The ULI commended Rogers for a “more humanistic approach” and credited the British architect for consideration of human elements in urban planning and for designing appealing, inclusive public spaces.
Terminal 3 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
Perhaps most famous for his groundbreaking “inside-out” design for Le Centre Pompidou in Paris — conceived in collaboration with Renzo Piano — Rogers is being recognized following years of developing solutions to urban issues on every scale imaginable. Recent commissions include the innovative, prefabricated Y:Cube multiunit housing project in the United Kingdom and a huge expansion of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the Far East.
“Richard’s work demonstrates that architecture is not just bricks and steel,” said former Nichols Prize laureate and jury member Sir Stuart Lipton. “It’s about the relationship between man and materials, between space and humanity, and how you react to and treat people.”
Model for Y:Cube Multiunit Housing
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners recently completed the Leadenhall Building in London, which possesses a ground floor that is open and accessible to the public — in contrast to many of the corporate buildings surrounding it. “Achieving an urban renaissance is about creating the quality of life and vitality that make urban living desirable,” says Rogers.
“The compact city is the only environmentally sustainable way to live in an urbanizing world. We must bring about a change in urban attitudes so that towns and cities become and remain attractive places in which to live, work, and socialize.”
Leadenhall Building
To explore more of Richard Rogers’ recent work, check out Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners’ firm profile on Architizer.
Top image: Centre Pompidou, Paris, France; via PicPicx