Architectural Review : New into Old awards

Speaking of our ‘right to inherit’, Ricardo Flores and Eva Prats see the existing buildings they work with as both physical and social ‘inheritance’ – their Barcelona theatre and drama centre Sala Beckett was the winner of the previous AR New into Old awards.

As the need for sustainable alternatives to building anew becomes increasingly urgent, the AR New into Old awards celebrate the creative ways buildings are adapted and remodelled to welcome new contemporary uses. Launched in 2017, the awards recognise the imaginative appropriation of existing structures that offer buildings a new lease of life, from innovative insertions to ambitious adaptations.

Regardless of programme, budget, site or scale, the AR is looking for projects completed in the last 5 years which have had their life extended by the insertion of new uses rather than demolition and replacement. All entries will be reviewed by an expert international judging panel which will choose a shortlist of up to six commended buildings. The judges’ six chosen schemes will all be visited by an independent critic before the judges choose a winner.

The New into Old awards are diverse and wide-ranging. Previous winners and finalists include Flores & Prats, Witherford Watson Mann, Teget, O-office and Zaha Hadid Architects and diederendirrix.