The project “House on a Brick Plinth,” located in Sant Vicenç dels Horts in Barcelona, Spain, and developed by the studio Ágora Arquitectura, has won the APE Grupo Architecture Awards. Now in its third edition, the international competition celebrates architectural excellence and the contemporary and qualitative use of ceramics.
The jury, chaired by Marta Peris of Peris+Toral Arquitectes, winners of the 2024 RIBA International Prize, also included architect and editor Fernando Márquez Cecilia, co-founder of El Croquis, and Ana del Campo, of the Territorial College of Architects of Castellón.
Fifty-three projects were submitted from various countries, confirming the global scope of the awards.
The jury praised the winning project’s ability to transform two pre-existing structures — a former tool shed and a ruined building — into a home that is restrained, sincere and deeply connected to its context. They highlighted “its economy of means and austere, honest treatment of materials,” which preserve the memory of the site while embracing a contemporary architectural expression.They also praised “the clarity with which the project is structured between the brick plinth and the prefabricated upper volume,” an approach that brings order without resorting to artifice.
“House on a Brick Plinth” by Ágora Arquitectura
Elements such as the perforated wall or overhead lighting are “integrated with restraint and naturalness, avoiding superfluous gestures and allowing the architecture to breathe,” according to the judges.
The ceramic elements were also noted as “used coherently and naturally, with a distinctive language that supports the project’s essence and enhances the atmosphere created within the home.”
Two additional projects received honourable mentions from the jury in recognition of their outstanding quality.
“House O” by Xstudio
The first honorable mention went to “House O” in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, by Xstudio. The jury commended “the freshness with which space is opened up and light recovered” through precise interventions that reveal — rather than hide — the existing structure. Exposed installations, beams and conduits “allow the building’s history and evolution to be read,” while ceramics are “used precisely in key areas, defining a unified volume where color and material come together harmoniously.”
The second honorable mention went to “WMF Showroom” in Belgrade, Serbia, by Parch Studio. The jury highlighted “the clarity with which the space is organised around a central cube that acts as the functional core,” creating a fluid circular layout. The project’s material restraint and the way it conveys the brand’s identity “without formalism” were also praised, resulting in a clean, serene and highly functional interior.
“WMF Showroom” by Parch Studio.
The APE Grupo Architecture Awards are open to professionals and projects from anywhere in the world. The winning project receives a €5,000 cash prize.
