A panel of authorities from the Guggenheim Museum in New York and the offices of famous architects Herzog & de Meuron, Zaha Hadid, and Renzo Piano have decided to award José Alberto González Martín the highest distinction of the IsArch 2016 Awards, one of the great awards that young architectural promises can currently aspire to internationally. With this first place, the Lanzarote native has managed to beat half a thousand participants from 50 countries around the world.
The second and third prizes of this 7th edition went to Orit Theuer and Stephan Ritzer respectively, in both cases, architects from Austria. In addition, 10 honorable mentions and 30 finalists were awarded. José Alberto, an architect from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, convinced the jury with his project for the recovery of the Ebro Delta, recently awarded regionally by the Official College of Architects of Madrid. The proposal consists of an action plan for the salvation of this fragile landscape through low-tech architecture, combining the historical memory of the Mediterranean with local technique and knowledge.
The name of the young man from Arrecife runs through the most influential digital publications in the world of architecture in several languages, appearing these days on the cover of Arquitectura Viva or ArchDaily, with more than 10 million monthly readers, where images and information of the winning projects can be consulted. The IsArch Awards are intended to encourage students and young architects in the architectural debate and support the creativity of new talents. In previous editions, their jury has included personalities associated with the studios of Norman Foster, Rem Koolhaas, or Jean Nouvel, among others. They are sponsored by several construction multinationals such as Sika, Roca sanitary ware, LEGO, or HP IT, allocating cash prizes to the winners and offering them the possibility of doing professional internships in the studios of some of these world-renowned architects.
