brazilian architect paulo mendes da rocha will be awarded the golden lion for lifetime achievement at the venice architecture biennale 2016. the decision was made by the board of directors of la biennale chaired by paolo baratta, upon recommendation of curator alejandro aravena.

 

‘the extraordinary quality of its architecture that resides in durability. many decades after their construction all his projects stand the test of time, both stylistically and physically. this consistency, which may result from its ideological integrity and its ability in the structural field, paulo mendes da rocha makes a nonconformist and provocative at the same time a realist buff. his fields of interest go beyond architecture in the areas of policy, social, geographical, historical and technical . the role that he has played for many generations of architects in brazil, in latin america and everywhere else is that of a person who can join shared and collective enterprises, and also attract others to fight for the cause of improving the built environment.’

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‘cais das artes’ by metro arquitetos in collaboration with paulo mendes da rocha
image © leonardo finotti | main image © designboom

 

 

the acknowledgment will be awarded to paulo mendes da rocha on saturday, may 28th 2016 at ca’ giustinian — the headquarters of the biennale — during the awards ceremony and inauguration of the 15th exhibition, which will open to the public at 10am the same day.