The 2017 Pritzker Prize winners are architects Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem and Ramon Vilalta, founders of RCR Arquitectes. The jury of the award changed its traditions and for the first time awarded three architects at once, moreover, not known to the general public. The studio was founded in 1988, but in its entire history the creative team practically did not work outside the region, and for all three decades it has been improving its native Catalonia. Among the buildings of the RCR Arquitectes workshop are: located in the province of Girona, the La Lira theater in Ripole (2011) - a joint project with Joan Picorbe, a shed for the Les Cols restaurant in Olot (2011), the Bell-Lloc winery in Palamos (2007), and the Museum Pierre Soulages in the French city of Rodez (2014) - co-authored with Jan Treguet.
The joint creative process, common principles and the equally divided responsibility of RCR Arquitectes architects have become the reason why this year the jury of the main world architecture award gave the victory to this creative trio.
RCR Arquitectes have earned a reputation for being extremely attentive to the architectural environment, they place projects with extreme care in the existing context and masterfully use materials to create a play of light and shadow, mass and fragility. Architects love to use modern materials in their buildings, including recycled plastic and steel.
“Their work ranges from public and private spaces to cultural centers and educational institutions,” explains Tom Pritzker, chairman of the Hyatt Foundation. "The ability to organically and tightly bind the elements of the environment, in its own way for each place, is a testament to their movement and deep integrity."
