Presentation of award to winning project of the International Architecture Competition for New Headquarters

(Caracas, October 6, 2008). Today, the Andean Development Corporation (CAF) is to present the First Prize to the winning project in the International Architecture Competition for its new headquarters. The Mexico-based firm, PRODUCTORA, in collaboration with Lucio Muniaín et al., also of Mexico, was the creator of the winning design. Abel Perles of PRODUCTORA and Lucio Muniaín are in Caracas to take part in the activities organized by CAF for the presentation of the award.

Among the premises adopted for selecting the winning proposal was that it be a concept with a high standard of quality, responding to the needs of a multilateral agency such as CAF. “But above all,” explained Luis Enrique Berrizbeitia, CAF’s vice-president and deputy CEO and the Corporation’s representative on the jury that evaluated the proposals submitted, “it was fundamental that they meet the criteria of sustainability, urban and environmental quality, architectural quality and functional efficiency and that they integrate public areas in favor of the community.”

So, based on those criteria, on September 24, the jury, comprised of internationally renowned architects, selected the winning project. Omar Seijas, vice-president of Venezuela’s Architects Association and a member of the jury, explained that “since this is about a singular object in one of the city’s most characteristic contexts, the tower dialogs with the obelisk of Caracas’s Plaza Altamira, once again pledging a commitment to the construction of a city and image that was achieved when the square was originally built.”

Forty-four proposals from 12 shareholder countries took part

In the first stage of this competition, CAF invited architectural firms in the Corporation’s 17 partner countries to present their credentials. Subsequently, 52 firms were short-listed and invited to compete. Finally, 44 architectural proposals were received from 12 of CAF’s shareholder countries: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

The firm, PRODUCTORA, which today receives the first prize from CAF’s President and CEO Enrique García, is an architects’ office located in Mexico City, with architects of different nationalities: Abel Perles (Argentina), Carlos Bedoya (Mexico), Víctor Jaime (Mexico), and Wonne Ickx (Belgium). Its proposal was developed in collaboration with Lucio Muniaín et al. of Mexico. Abel Perles described his firm as “an office with a different approach to each specific task, as it develops its ideas through intuitive exploration rather that by employing an established methodology.” He concluded saying that PRODUCTORA is currently carrying out projects in Mexico, Asia, and South America.

Second place was obtained by the firm Andrade Morettin Arquitectos Asociados Ltda. of Brazil and the third by the Spanish firm QVE-arquitectos. The firms that received an honorable mention were: Vigliecca & Asociados (Brazil), TEN Arquitectos (Mexico), Juan Gustavo Scheps Grandal & Gualano + Gualano (Uruguay), and Alessandro Famiglietti y Asociados (Venezuela).

Anyone who is interested can see the seven classifying proposals at an exhibition, which is to be inaugurated today at the CAF Gallery and will be open to the public for one month from October 7 at the following times:

Monday to Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. Venue: Torre CAF, Avenida Luis Roche, Altamira, Caracas. Entrance: free of charge.