Foster + Partners’ new European headquarters for Bloomberg in London has been awarded the RIBA Stirling Prize 2018. The judges called the building a “once-in-a-generation project,” that has “not just raised the bar for office design and city planning but smashed the ceiling.”With this award, Foster + Partners becomes the first practice to have been awarded the Stirling Prize three times. The earlier winning projects were the American Air Museum in Duxford (1998), and 30 St Mary Axe (2004).According to Foster + Partners, the spirit of innovation and collaboration that underpins the building was led by the vision of Mike Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, who said, “When we embarked on this project, we wanted to create a cutting-edge design that would push the boundaries of what an office building could be, which meant setting new standards for openness and sustainability. At the same time, we wanted to honor London’s history and contribute to its vitality. We knew that if we could achieve both objectives, we’d have a building that would inspire everyone who set foot inside it. This prize indicates that — thanks to the brilliant Norman Foster — we succeeded. And we’re grateful to everyone who worked so hard to bring it to life.”Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman Foster + Partners says, “From our first discussions to the final details of the project, Mike Bloomberg and I had a ‘meeting of minds’ on every aspect of the project — its sustainable focus, commitment to innovation, and drive to create the best workplace for Bloomberg employees. It is due to his enlightened patronage and the hands-on role that he played throughout the design process that has made Bloomberg a resounding success. He is one of those rare individuals who truly ‘practice what they preach,’ marrying the sustainable vision for Bloomberg with his own personal convictions, laid out so succinctly in his book — ‘The Climate of Hope.’ The Stirling Prize is a testament to the incredible collaborative spirit that has underpinned the entire project from start to finish, and to Mike’s pioneering vision.”The RIBA Stirling Prize is the UK’s most prestigious architecture award, which is given to the architect of the building, thought to be the most significant of the year for the evolution of architecture and the built environment.“Bloomberg’s pioneering new European HQ has been credited as the world’s most sustainable office and is thought to be the largest stone building in the city of London since St Paul’s Cathedral,” RIBA states.Click on the slideshow for a sneak peek at the winning project.http://www.blouinartinfo.com/                                Founder: Louise Blouin            Read more