The awards ceremony for the BigMat '15 International Architecture Award was held on 20 November at the historic BOLLE Festsäle dairy in Berlin.
The winning project, out of 750 submitted from 6 European countries, was Zamora Offices by the Spanish architect Alberto Campo Baeza.
The winners received their awards from Claude Coutant, Chairman of BigMat International, assisted by the Committee Chairperson and the jury member from each country involved.
The international jury, chaired by Jesús Aparicio, appreciated "the sound approach to resolving topical issues, which judiciously combined a contemporary feel with respectful understanding of existing surroundings". The building, which is the headquarters of the Consultative Council of the community of Castiglia and Leon, was built opposite the historic Zamora cathedral, thus integrating the essential architecture of Campo Baeza into the historic heart of the city.
Italy's winner of the national prize was the project Pedevilla Pliscia 13 in Marebbe, by Pedevilla Architects of Brunico (in the Italian province of Bolzano). In presenting Italy's three finalist projects, Dal Co commented on the current health of Italian architecture, highlighting the fact that "Italy has been depressed for many years, and as is often the case in the wake of difficult times, there is now a lot of pent-up energy coming out. With the cultural backwardness of our leaders and the indolence of contracting authorities, it is an ill-educated world dominated by people who think that the term archistar is a compliment, when in fact it lacks substance; but we can take heart from the fact that the winner of the Italian award treats architecture as an exercise in modesty."
The BigMat '15 Young Architects Special Mention was then assigned to the project Dialogue Entre Matière et Paysage in Nozay, France, by A+Samuel Delmas Architectes Urbanistes of Paris.
