Practice praised for ‘powerful combination of placemaking, functionality, refinement and beauty’
Ensamble Studio has been named as the recipient of the 2019 RIBA Charles Jencks Award, in recognition of its major international contribution to both the theory and practice of architectecure.
With studios in Madrid and Boston, the practice’s principals are Spanish architects Débora Mesa and Antón García-Abril.
Chair of the Jencks Award judging panel David Gloster – who is also RIBA’s director of education – said Ensamble was a highly collaborative practice that was built on the personal, professional and academic strengths of its staff.
“Débora Mesa and Antón García-Abril are bold in their work, which explores the powerful combination of placemaking, functionality, refinement and beauty, in both urban and rural areas,” he said.
Gloster added that Ensamble was a “great example of using creative thinking to navigate architectural challenges”.
Mesa and García-Abril are due to give a lecture as part of the award ceremony at RIBA’s London headquarters. It will take place on November 4.
Previous winners of the award include Zaha Hadid, Herzog & de Meuron, Rem Koolhaas, Steven Holl, Alejandro Zaera-Polo and Farshid Moussavi. Alejandro Aravena was the 2018 recipient.
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