Odisha Krushi Bhawan bagged the Supreme Award and awards for public building exterior & interior at Surface Design

Bhubaneswar:14/2/20: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik congratulated State Agriculture Department and IDCO as Krushi Bhawan bagged the Supreme Award and awards for public building exterior & interior at Surface Design Awards 2020.

Taking to Twitter Patnaik stated that “the structure’s vernacular narratives & unique design are a tribute to Odisha’s agricultural history & its farmer.

The Awards, hosted by author and independent event organiser Aidan Walker, celebrate excellence in architectural projects worldwide and the materials used in their creation.

The impressive Krushi Bhawan from Bhubaneswar, India by Studio Lotus was named the Supreme Winner, as well as winning the Public Building Interior and Public Building Exterior categories. Capturing the admiration of all the judges Krushi Bhawan is a testament to design, created for the Odisha State Government’s Agriculture Department in India. The centre incorporates an eye-catching façade drawn from vernacular materials and narratives, which responds to the local climate and offers glimpses into the region’s agricultural folklore and mythology, which have been envisioned at an unprecedented architectural scale.

Judge Paul Priestman of PriestmanGoode praised the project’s sense of place, stating “This building characterises part of the world. It’s a lovely reflection of culture using local materials.” Glenn Johnson of Collins Aerospace added “Somebody’s heart and soul is in this building.”

Across 14 categories in total, from retail and public buildings to commercial projects and housing, including new categories public realm and affordable housing, the Award’s entries comprised the best in architecture and design from across the globe. Giles Miller Studio, Mikhail Riches and Chris Dyson Architects from the UK, Steven Holl Architects for the USA, and Kris Lin International Design from China were amongst those shortlisted.

Launched six years ago, the Awards have continued to grow in stature to become one of the most respected accolades in the design awards realm. This year’s shortlist comprised an impressive 39 projects across the 14 categories. Such was the quality of entries submitted that some projects won nominations across several categories. Demonstrating the truly international reach of the Awards, projects on the shortlist spanned 13 countries from 34 different organisations with emerging practices represented, as well as established firms.

The 2020 judging panel of industry experts was Co-Chaired by Paul Priestman from PriestmanGoode and Amin Taha from Groupwork. The judges were Nikki Barton, British Airways; Sean Griffiths, Modern Architect; Charles Holland, Charles Holland Architects; Glenn Johnson, Collins Aerospace; Daniel Mota Veiga, KEF / GP Acoustics and Steve Webb, Webb Yates Engineers.

The judging panel commended both the high quality and variety of entries within the field of surfaces and materials. The entries in the new affordable housing and public realm categories were particularly praised for their innovation and diversity in their respective sectors.

WilkinsonEyre and Zeidler Architecture’s CF Toronto Eaton Centre Bridge won in Public Realm after being admired for its avant-garde design. Goldsmith Street, based in the UK and designed by Mikhail Riches with Cathy Hawley, was applauded for its warmth and community feel by the judges, and was announced the winner of the Affordable Housing category.