Gilles Perraudin

Created in 1951 in tribute to the German architect of the in-between war period, this award yearly distinguishes the oeuvre of an architect whose work can be considered, to a certain extent, heir to that of Heinrich Tessenow. The awardee this year, the French Gilles Perraudin, is the very latest name on a long list of architects whose work is characterized by simplicity and economy, and which also includes the likes of Peter Zumthor, Juan Navarro Baldeweg, David Chipperfield or Eduardo Souto de Moura. Perraudin’s work, distinguished for its environmental awareness and the use of low-energy cost materials, has been commended, in particular, for the innovative use of stone as modern material and for the refined sobriety and attention to detail of his buildings. The French atelier Perraudin Architectes, founded in 1982 and with branches in Lyon and in Vauvert, currently develops serveral important projects such as the Cultural Center in Fontaine, the construction of a vine-growing cellar in the Monastery of Solan or the expansion of the School of Architecture of Lyon.