IPC/IAKS Awards Presented in Cologne

The International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced this year’s winners of their international architectural awards for sports and leisure facilities. The prize-giving ceremony took place during the 22nd IAKS Congress in conjunction with FSB – International Trade Fair for Amenity Areas, Sports and Pool Facilities – on 26 October 2011 in Cologne, Germany.

A jury with international personalities honoured seven projects with an IPC/IAKS Distinction, five projects were awarded with the IOC/IAKS Gold Medals, nine with Silver, and five with Bronze. In addition, three Special Prizes were given. The winning entries came from 14 countries worldwide.

The prizes were handed out by IAKS Vice President Horst Huber, IPC President Sir Philip Craven and IOC Member Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu.

The winners of the IPC/IAKS Distinction 2011 include:

- 3D Athletics Track, Elda, Spain, Architect: Subarquitectura

- CAU Gymnasium, Beijing, China, Architect: Architecture Design And Research Institute.

- Richmond Olympic Oval, Vancouver, Canada, Architect: Cannon Design Architecture, Inc.

- Bourbon Beans Dome, Hyogo, Japan, Architect: Endo Shuhei Architect Institute.

- Ronald McDonald Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Architect: Fact Architects.

- Swimming Opera House Wuppertal, Germany, Architect: Planungsbüro Rohling AG Architekten und Ingenieure.

- Killarney Community Pool, Vancouver, Canada, Architect: Hughes Condon Marler Architects.

The IPC/IAKS Distinction is aimed at increasing the accessibility of all sports facilities and architectural projects in order to give opportunities to persons with a disability to practice and view sport freely and without barriers. For the IPC/IAKS Distinction, 50 entries have been received, this also is a new all-time high.

The IOC/IAKS Award is the only international architecture competition for sports and leisure facilities. This year 135 teams of operators and designers from 38 countries took part in the IOC/IAKS Award. In the 24 year old history this competition for sports facilities has never previously seen such number of registered participants.

For more information on the IPC/IAKS Distinction, please visit http://www.iaks.info/en/.