Jury Designates Winning Design for WIPO Building
Geneva, March 2, 2000
Press Releases PR/2000/208
The international jury appointed by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to oversee an international architectural competition to extend its premises awarded on Thursday the first prize to German firm Behnisch, Behnisch & Partner. Of the 27 proposals submitted from 18 countries, the jury also conferred awards on five other entries presented by architects from Italy, Switzerland, Norway and United States of America. The 15 member jury, which includes a number of eminent architects, senior government officials and legal experts from across the globe, met at WIPO headquarters from 28 February to 2 March to select the winning designs.
Commenting on the jury's decision, the Director General of WIPO, Dr. Kamil Idris, said "[The winning project] reflects the vision of WIPO to create a building of architectural beauty and technical excellence, which will symbolize creativity, facilitate our activities and incorporate technology of the twenty-first century."
The second prize went to Massimiliano Fuksas, Italy. In addition, four third prizes were awarded to: Luscher Architectes, Switzerland, Riechter & Dahl Rocha, Switzerland, Snøhetta, Norway, and Bernard Tschumi, the United States of America.
In its final report, the jury noted that the winning design is "a project for a new generation." The jury stated "The overall concept for this project can be found in its integration with the surrounding environment. It is completely coherent -- the whole is the sum of its parts. The building is inserted into its site in a way that plays with the existing landscape and brings the outside in." In his submission to the jury, the winning architect emphasized the importance of integrating the surrounding landscape into the design. "People should perceive their environment not so much as fixed building but rather as a three-dimensional, open-spatial structure, which can be "filled" according to changing requirements," the architect said.
Mr. Shigeki Sumi, President of the jury, said "The successful entries were judged to be those that offered the most suitable architectural, environmentally-friendly, and operationally efficient proposals." He added, "We were very impressed by the interesting and imaginative proposals, and by the extremely high standard of the entries."
The winner of the competition will be awarded a cash sum of 100,000 Swiss francs. Second prize will receive 50,000 Swiss Francs. Third prizes will receive 25,000 Swiss Francs each. All entrants whose proposals complied with the rules of the competition and that were examined by the jury will receive a sum of 10,000 Swiss francs.
Mr. Francis Gurry, jury Vice-President and Assistant Director General of WIPO, said "This project is a contemporary expression oriented towards both the environment and the future."
All prizes will be conferred at an awards ceremony in April 2000. At that time, the top proposals will be displayed at an exhibition, featuring a scale model of the first prize entry, at WIPO headquarters in Geneva.
The competition was launched following a decision by WIPO member states in June 1998 to authorize the acquisition of additional land adjacent to the existing headquarters'
building for expansion of its administrative headquarters in Geneva. In February 1999 some 800 architectural practices from 62 countries had expressed interest in the competition. Of these, 186 applicants followed through by submitting profiles and were the basis of selection for the finalists.
An international jury, appointed in June 1999 and made up of fifteen permanent members and three substitutes supported by a team of technical experts, was responsible for ensuring that the selection process was undertaken in an objective and transparent manner according to pre-defined standards. The jury established the competition procedures during an organizational meeting held in June 1999.
At a meeting in September 1999, the jury chose the finalists to compete in the last leg of the competition. Mr. Sumi stated "The finalists not only represent the diversity of architectural practice in the world today, but also hold sufficient professional resources to meet the specialized needs of WIPO."
The competition covers the design of a complex comprised of:
1) An office building with some 500 work places, several meeting rooms, an underground car park for about 300 vehicles, a cafeteria, service areas and a link to the main building.
2) A conference room, offering about 600 seats for delegates and equipped with modern six-language interpretation facilities and appropriate computer and audiovisual equipment, located in immediate proximity to the existing WIPO conference and meeting facilities.
3) Enlargement and restructuring of the lower floors to provide parking facilities for delegates and visitors.
With the decision of the jury, WIPO will now move into the next phase of implementing the construction project.
The growing importance of intellectual property issues and the consequent expansion of WIPO's activities has created a pressing practical need for additional premises. The new complex will bring all WIPO headquarters' staff together. Currently, WIPO rents office space in several commercial buildings located in Geneva.
For additional information, please contact Mr. Thierry Estoppey, Project Manager: Telephone: (+41 22) 338 8344; E-mail:thierry.estoppey@wipo.int, or the Media Relations and Public Affairs Section at WIPO:
- Tel.: +4122-3388161 or +4122-3389547
- Fax: +4122-3388810
- Email: publicinf@wipo.int