Sea Organ/A8ernA

Awarded every two years and organized by the Center of Contemporary Culture of Barcelona, together with other European institutions, this award puts emphasis on public space as a necessary element for the vitality of cities, and it provides an impulse for the debate on the future of emerging urban models. This honor is therefore awarded to the project and the mayor of the city where it is located. In its fourth edition, the award has been bestowed jointly on the Sea Organ in Zadar, Croatia, by Nikola Basic, and the A8ernA in Zaanstad, the Netherlands, by NL Architects. The seaside of Zadar was made into a boardwalk and bathing area, transforming its stone steps into an organ of enormous dimensions that sounds with the movement of the waves. The work of NL Architects, on the other hand, consisted of converting a parking lot, located under the elevated highway that divides the city of Zaanstad, into an area that includes a zone for skaters, basketball courts, and places for young people to hang out. All of the projects submitted for this award can be consulted in the online archives, a manual for good urban practices in Europe.