ARCHITECTURE IS A PUBLIC CONCERN

What this episode covers

Every two years, architects turn their attention to Barcelona. This is because it is here inside the German Pavilion – designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition – that the "European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Prize" is awarded. The prize is considered Europe's most important award for groundbreaking architecture. It is therefore both a seismograph of future developments and a snapshot of the diversity of the current construction tasks. Established offices compete alongside young, up-and-coming architects, with entries selected in a multi-stage, interdisciplinary selection process. The focus of the competition is on the cultural role of architecture in the construction of our towns and cities, and prize-winners receive confirmation from the professional world while being provided with a springboard with which to reach a broader public. Since 2016, architect Anna Ramos has been the director of the Fundació Mies van der Rohe. In our podcast today, we talk to Anna Ramos about the balancing act of fulfilling the public mission for the goals set by the Fundació and at the same time developing new formats and themes for the architectural discourse.

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