Pier Carlo Bontempi to receive Richard H. Driehaus Prize from Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame School of Architecture announced today that architect Pier Carlo Bontempi will receive the 2014 Richard H. Driehaus Prize at a ceremony to be held on Saturday, March 29 at the John B. Murphy Memorial Auditorium in Chicago.

Bontempi’s award-winning international work includes a block recovery plan in Parma’s historic center, as well as the Place de Toscane and the “Quartier du Lac” resort in Val d’Europe near Paris. His studio works on new traditional architecture and architectural projects including restoration, rebuilding and town planning. A native of Fornovo di Taro, Parma, Italy, Bontempi studied architecture at the University of Florence and has taught at Florence University, the École Spéciale d’Architecture of Paris, Syracuse University of New York in Florence, the Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Stuttgart and the Prince of Wales Institute of Architecture in London.

“Bontempi’s work illustrates why the idea of the traditional city and its architecture are referred to as ‘the original green,’” said Michael Lykoudis, Francis and Kathleen Rooney Dean of the Notre Dame School of Architecture. “His buildings, seamlessly woven into their urban environments, demonstrate the principles of the new classicism and urbanism. Their durable construction, adaptive interior space and sensitive urban siting make them exemplars of architecture as an art of conservation and investment as opposed to consumption and waste.”

“Bontempi acquired his vast architectural knowledge and versatility by studying the rich fabric of Italy, the cities and landscapes he grew up in,” said Léon Krier, the inaugural Driehauslaureate. “The serenity, robustness, elegance and economy of his considerable built work provide exemplary models for better cities and buildings in the cities and towns of the future.”

Established in 2003 by the Notre Dame School of Architecture, the $200,000 Richard H. Driehaus Prize is awarded to a living architect whose work embodies the highest ideals of traditional and classical architecture in contemporary society, and creates a positive cultural, environmental and artistic impact. In keeping with the School of Architecture’s classical andurbanist curriculum, the prize provides a forum for celebrating and advancing the principles of the traditional city with an emphasis on sustainability. Previous recipients of the DriehausPrize include Thomas H. Beeby (2013), Michael Graves (2012), Robert A.M. Stern (2011) and Rafael Manzano Martos (2010).

“I am most pleased with the selection of Pier Carlo Bontempi as the 2014 Richard H. Driehaus Prize laureate,” said Richard H. Driehaus, founder, chairman and chief investment officer of Chicago-based Driehaus Capital Management LLC. “His work has consistently responded to the unique qualities of historic environments as well as to the needs of modern society. Each project has achieved a nuanced balance between traditional principles and worldly cosmopolitanism, a quality lacking in today’s urban settings. His work is a reminder to all of us that great architecture possesses not only confidence and wonder, but that it is born of a humanistic impulse.”

This year’s Driehaus Prize jury was composed of Adele Chatfield-Taylor, president of the American Academy in Rome; Robert Davis, developer and founder of Seaside, Fla.; Paul Goldberger, contributing editor at Vanity Fair; Léon Krier, architect and urban planner; Demetri Porphyrios, principal of Porphyrios Associates; and Witold Rybczynski, Meyerson Professor Emeritus of Urbanism at the University of Pennsylvania.

Most colleges and universities feel pressure to offer the latest amenities in order to attract and retain the best and brightest students. While hauling in the bulldozer to create modern facilities is attractive in some regards, deciding to renovate can be just as effective and, in some cases, even preferable to new construction.

Kansas City is among the metros participating in the new City Energy Project, an

| Jan 30, 2014

Mayors of 10 metros unite to cut building-related climate pollution

Organizers say combined initiative could cut as much climate-change pollution as generated by 1 million cars every year, and lower energy bills by nearly $1 billion annually.

| Jan 30, 2014

See how architects at NBBJ are using computational design to calculate the best views on projects [video]

In an ideal world, every office employee would have a beautiful view from his or her desk. While no one can make that happen in real life, computational design can help architects maximize views from every angle.

| Jan 30, 2014

The evolving workplace: One designer's inspiration board

"Open office" has been a major buzzword for decades, and like any buzzword, some of the novelty has worn off. I don't believe we will abandon the open office, but I do think we need to focus on providing a dynamic mix of open and closed spaces.

| Jan 30, 2014

How reverse engineering nature can spur design innovation

It’s not enough to copy nature. Today’s designers need a deeper understanding of environmental nuance, from the biome in.

Currently Reading

Pier Carlo Bontempi to receive Richard H. Driehaus Prize from Notre Dame

Tags

| Feb 4, 2014

| Feb 3, 2014

| Jan 31, 2014

| Jan 31, 2014

| Jan 31, 2014

| Jan 31, 2014

| Jan 30, 2014

| Jan 30, 2014

| Jan 30, 2014

| Jan 30, 2014

Most Popular Content

Magazine Subscription

Get our Newsletters

Follow BD+C: