On January 9th, the jury of the ‘bulthaup – the kitchen as a living space’ award had the pleasure of announcing the prizes for the fifth edition of the competition, aimed at acknowledging the best projects submitted by architects and designers from Spain, Portugal, and Andorra.
The jury panel’s deliberations
On December 3rd, 2018, after several rounds of discussions, the members of the jury –interior designer Susanna Cots, architect Osvaldo Luppi, architect Fuensanta Nieto, Quinita Cotorruelo from bulthaup Madrid Claudio Coello, Rafael Padín from bulthaup Pontevedra, and Ivan Cuní, Country Manager for bulthaup Iberia, agreed to grant the award to the "Loft in Ciutat Vella" project designed by Estudio Vilablanch.
The jury panel also awarded two special mentions: the first to the "Casa Mac" project, presented by La Errería, and the second to the "Loft 01" project, designed by Nada.
Award-winning values
What drew the jury members’ attention to the "Loft in Ciutat Vella" project was its particularly successful fulfillment of the four criteria set for the competition (utility value, design quality, the kitchen’s integration within the overall space, success in turning the kitchen into the heart of the home) through its use of the original space and its integration of new materials with the existing ones, turning the kitchen into a cohesive hub for the shared space within the home.
Special mentions
For Special Mention 1, the "Casa Mac" project, the jury valued the spatial concept from which the kitchen emerged as the central element within a space generated by its empty areas.
Regarding Special Mention 2, awarded to the "Loft 01" project, the jury was struck by the graceful solution proposed for a small space by including elements that allow for a flexible use of both areas, thus maximizing the existing volume.
A close-knit gathering
The event was held at the Bulthaup Iberia office in Barcelona. It was attended by part of the jury, the award-winning team, and the recipients of the special mentions.
The relaxed atmosphere led the close-knit group to an informal discussion about the role of the kitchen as the center of the living space as a whole.