Edificio E, University of Piura

The Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize is given biennally by the College of Architecture of the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) to acknowledge the best buildings raised in the Americas. The jury of the 2018 MCHAP – chaired by Ricky Burdett and including José Castillo, Ron Henderson, Rodrigo Pérez de Arce, and Claire Weisz – has selected Edificio E at the University of Piura (Peru), designed by the Lima-based practice led by Sandra Barclay and Jean Pierre Crousse. The university building contains tiered classrooms, group study rooms, and faculty offices. The design works around the idea of encouraging impromptu encounters, stimulating exchange of knowledge among faculty and students, and ensuring comfort in a climate of year-round sun, heat, and aridness, Piura being located north of the Sechura Desert and surrounded by tropical dry forests of carob trees. The authors of this winning project will receive US$50,000 (close to 42,800 euros) with which to finance research and a publication, and will be recognized as honorary members of the MCHAP at the IIT College of Architecture.