Traditional Building

The King Saud Mosque in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, incorporates a brick dome that is 131 ft. tall and 65 ft. in dia. It is built without the use of concrete. Photo: courtesy of University of Notre Dame School of Architecture

The University of Notre Dame School of Architecture had announced that Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil, a leading practitioner of contemporary Islamic architecture who is known worldwide for his traditional form and technique, has been named the 2009 Richard H. Driehaus Prize laureate. The prize is awarded annually to an outstanding architect whose work applies the principles of classicism, including sensitivity to the historic continuum, the fostering of community, and consideration of the impact to the built and natural environment. It is administered by the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture.

In another announcement, Fabio Grementieri, Argentine scholar and preservationist, has been named recipient of the 2009 Henry Hope Reed Award. It is given to an influential supporter of the classical architecture movement.

El-Wakil has built mosques, public buildings and private residences throughout the Middle East, including the Al-Suleiman Palace and several mosques in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as well as mosques in Medina, Mecca and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; residences in Agamy and Giza, Egypt; mosques in Bahrain and South Africa. He is alsoknown for his design of the Oxford University Centre for Islamic Studies in the UK.

Grementieri has served as the project manager of some of Buenos Aires’ most delicate and culturally significant architectural preservation projects, including the Palacio Bosch, the Errazuriz Palace, the Pereda Palace and Villa Ocampo. He is currently working to preserve architectural treasures in Buenos Aires, including the famous opera house, Teatro Colon, and is releasing a new book co-authored with Pablo Zunino, Argentina’s Cultural and Natural Heritage – The Bicentennial’s Album.

“It is with great pride and happiness that I accept the Richard H. Driehaus Prize,” said El-Wakil. “This award represents the principles and truths on which my life’s work has been based. Traditional expression and techniques in architecture continue to create new masterpieces that are cherished and loved, and that are completely relevant and appropriate for our times.”

“Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil is a remarkable architect, craftsman and advocate for traditional architecture,” said Michael Lykoudis, Dean of the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture. “His extraordinary work embodies the principles of classical architecture and shows the importance of the traditional language in architecture today.”

Previous Driehaus winners include Leon Krier (2003), Demetri Porphyrios (2004), Quinlan Terry (2005), Allan Greenberg (2006), Jaquelin T. Robertson (2007), Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk and Andres Duany (2008). The jury included Richard H. Driehaus, founder and chairman of Driehaus Capital Management; ; Michael Lykoudis, Dean of the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture; Paul Goldberger, architecture critic for The New York Times; David M. Schwarz, president and CEO of David M. Schwarz Architects; Adele Chatfield-Taylor, president of the American Academy in Rome; Robert Davis, principal at Arcadia Land Company and founder of Seaside, FL; and Leon Krier, architect, scholar and inaugural Driehaus Prize recipient.

Last year the Driehaus Prize was doubled to $200,000 and the Henry Hope Reed Prize was doubled to $50,000. They represent the most significant recognition for classicism in the contemporary built environment. “The Richard H. Driehaus Prize and Henry Hope Reed Award celebrate the best of humanity,” said Driehaus.

The awards ceremony will be held March 28, 2009. For more information, email driehaus@nd.edu, or call 574-631-5720.

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