International Prize Winner, H Arquitectes

Clos Pachem 1507, H Arquitectes, Spain

International Jury Motivation. A simple answer to a complex situation. A private building that becomes a new polarity for a village of only 200 inhabitants. Smart architecture, with low tech solutions: architects have been able to choose and combine construction technologies and materials on the basis of their intrinsic characteristics. The result: it is a natural technological system. Furthermore, the articulation of the volumes and the composition of the materials create a sequence of fluid environments, physically and visually interconnected, in great stylistic simplicity. The mixed use intervention, with a productive function, is well integrated into the consolidated environment: successful integration with the church and with the public space, within the historic village. The contemporary building relates to its surroundings, opening up with welcoming spaces for visitors. The project tells of the combination of design and sustainability, between the biodynamic winemaking process and the optimization of the building's behavior based on passive principles.