33nd Euregional Prize for Architecture , Heerlen/ Niederlande

Press release by SCHUNCK, Heerlen, 21 November 2023

Jakob Naujack (RWTH Aachen) wins 33rd Euregional Prize for Architecture

On 18 November, the cross-border Euregional Prize for Architecture was awarded for the 33rd time. The first prize went to Jakob Naujack (RWTH Aachen) for his project ‘How many rooms do you need to live?’.

The Euregional Prize for Architecture is an initiative of SCHUNCK, Museum for contemporary art & architecture, in Heerlen (NL). The prize is awarded annually for the best final-year projects of the five faculties of architecture based in the cities of Hasselt, Liège, Maastricht and Aachen. The international jury for this 33rd edition consisted of Marie Frioni, Jean-Philippe Jasienski, Piotr Kalbarczyk, Yves Malysse and Mechthild Stuhlmacher.

First prize for ‘How many rooms do you need to live?’
First prize (€2,500) went to Jakob Naujack (RWTH Aachen) for his project ‘How many rooms do you need to live?’. According to the jury, this project is a social statement, wherein Naujack is questioning the regulation attached to social housing and tests and rethinks what these actually mean for daily life. The project focuses on flexible housing plans to accommodate changing family types, cleverly altering apartment typologies through the poetic action of just ‘closing’ a door. It challenges the rigid norms of social housing with creative architectural solutions. This approach, rich in playful poetry and meticulous spatial design, aligns with core architectural values: spatial adeptness, sensitivity to daily needs, and simple solutions to societal challenges. Termed 'ordinaire / extraordinaire,' it transforms the mundane into extraordinary architectural material, echoing John Habbraken's concepts.

Second prize for ‘Building Surgery’
Second prize (€1,250) went to Anatol Pabst (RWTH Aachen) for his project ‘Building Surgery’. This project tackles the challenge of making an immense hospital livable through sensitive architectural interventions. This well-balanced, controlled, and realistic proposal skillfully repurposes an abandoned building for large-scale quality housing. The student demonstrates a clear understanding of the stakes, ensuring the proposed spaces, including the building's plinth, are inhabitable. The project's visualizations strike a well-considered balance – appropriate and delicate – which suits the project well.

Third prize for ‘Pôle multifonctionnel’
The groupproject ‘Pôle multifonctionnel’ by Emelyne Delchambre and Isalyne Dries (ULiège) won the third prize (€500). This project focuses on the revitalization of a rural area near Spa. The jury was impressed by the very careful reading of the place and its history, leading to a strategy that fosters reconnection, not only for the sake of strengthening local public life, but also for the exchange of food production between the villages. The renewed appreciation for slow public transport is a notable aspect, preventing local people moving to larger cities and to improve existing, rural environments.

Exhibition EAP (free of charge)
20 nov 2023 - 15 dec 2023, 08:00 - 19:00
Closed on weekends, except Sunday November 26th
UHasselt - Campus Diepenbeek, Agoralaan – Gebouw E, 3590 Diepenbeek (Belgium)

For more information about the 30 nominations, the best final-year studies of 2023, including jury report, video presentations and project analysis, go to schunck.nl/en/museum/architecture/projects/the-euregional-prize-for-architecture/2023.

The EAP 2023 is sponsored by: Creative Industries Fund, Province of Limburg, Municipality of Heerlen, Architektenkammer NRW