Audain Art Museum wins international architect award

The Audain Art Museum has won another building award.

The facility was recently awarded the International Prize from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

The award is given to the most transformative building which demonstrates visionary, innovative thinking, excellence of execution, and makes a distinct contribution to its users and physical context. The prize is open to any qualified architect in the world, for a building of any size, type or budget.

The building was designed by Patkau Architects who have won a number of architectural awards with seven coming from the Audain Art Museum’s design. RIBA praises the buildings steep slopped roofs that takes into account the heavy Whistler snowfall that when sliding off the roof ‘would accumulate in a controlled, and beautiful way to create edges to the paths and undercroft’. The organisation also notes that only one tree was removed to create the building that is raised off the ground and nestled inside a wooded area, built on a former public works yard.

The museum shares the 2018 award with 19 other buildings from around the world, including the Musee d’arts de Nates in France and the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.