Vox Pops
- Published: 10 October 2007 09:57
- Last Updated: 10 October 2007 09:57
- Reader Responses
The AJ team caught the immediate reactions of people at the party to Chipperfield's win. This was one of the most universally popular decisions, but there were a few dissenters...
Vox pops
The AJ team caught the immediate reactions of people at the party to Chipperfield's win. This was one of the most universally popular decisions, but there were a few dissenters...
Tom Bloxham, Urban Splash
They were six fantastic buildings. When we were travelling around looking at them, there were lots of arguments going on. Rem Koolhaas's building was a truly iconic design. The Young Vic has transformed The Cut. Dresden was a beautiful roof. Glenn Howells' was wonderfully sympathetic to its surroundings, and Valencia was very innovative. But I think the Museum of Modern Literature deserved to win. The details were simply fantastic, right down to the compartment that held the fire extinguisher.
I thought the whole thing was a disaster. Stirling should be for the best British building in Britain. As long as it's to do with people producing very nice buildings for other people, we can't have a debate about what it means to produce good buildings in Britain. It makes architecture into this thing where a bunch of judges go round and have a nice time. It's got nothing to do with the production of architecture in Britain.
Ed Vaizey, Shadow Architecture Minister
It's a fantastic building, and I'm really pleased for David Chipperfield. It is a wonderful design, and fanastic public space, and it shows what can be achieved with relativey low budgets.
Stefan Behling, Foster + Partners
I have huge respect for David Chipperfield, and it's a fantastic building. He tutored at Stuttgart and it is a very German building, a very fine building. He has made a very good symposium of himself with this building, especially as a British architect in Germany.
Alain De Botton
I think it is very interesting that it is a British architect designing that building in Germany. It is the first building with more than three columns to be built since the Third Reich.
Gordon Murray, former president, RIAS
It was my second favourite. Valencia was my favourite. Both the Chipperfield projects were a pleasant opportunity for British architecture to make its mark. David Chipperfield was well overdue for an award.
Glenn Howells, shortlisted for Savill Building
We were just delighted to be on the shortlist. We popped the champagne months ago. The Stirling has done a fantastic job for British Architecture, and we were just delighted to be involved with it. The winning building is a truly great building.
Peter Clegg, Feilden Clegg Bradley
It's great that David has got the recognition. He ought to have received it in terms of commissions in this country.
Paul Hyett, director of Ryder HKS
We were at college together – Chipperfield's come a long way since then. He is so controlled, so mannered and the building is so exquisitely detailed. At the end of the day, I'm so pleased he has landed the award that has eluded him for so long. Actually I would've liked Glen Howell's building to have won, but this victory is a great win from people who care about design.'
Marco Goldschmied, former RIBA president
Germany has ignored its recent history. That building wouldn't have got built 30 years ago. It's a classical building.
Peter King, Carden King Architects (Sponsor of the Manser Medal)
I think it is a horrible building. 99.99 per cent of all buildings are classical buildings. Classicism ended 2,000 year ago. Why do we need another classical building? Glenn Howells' Savill building deserved to win. It is an organic building, and one which should be built more often.
I loved his speech. It should have been part of the television programme.
Sarah Wigglesworth, Sarah Wigglesworth Architects
I thought that the exhibition of the literature was amazing, but I find the building very austere. If I had been the judge, I would have gone for the Young Vic.
Richard Conner, Piercy Conner
I am happy because I think Marbach is good and clear, and does its job really well. My preference is for OMA, but I'm silly like that.
Simon Allford, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris
I didn't place any money, but I always thought that Marbach would win. I think that it's a very strong building.
Andrew Taylor, Patel Taylor
I think what is amazing about Chipperfield is that he produces such quality and does something really pure and uncompromising.
Ian Cox, the Concrete Centre
Wonderful – lovely concrete
Stephen Hodder, winner of the first Stirling Prize
It was absolutely the right choice. Sometimes Stirling has gone to a winner because it was news-making. This year it has gone to the right one.
Joanna van Heyningen, van Heyningen and Haward
A surprisingly good choice
Selina Mason, former head of Cabe's design review now at the ODA
This is a very credible winner. I picked it. But, in response to the amount of contests in the UK, the ODA has done competitions – but I think there is probably some truth in what he says generally.
I expect it is a really fine building, I just wish it met the ground better.Pascale Scheurer, from architectural entrepreneurs Surface to Air
The Stirling Prize has put the spotlight on the fact that we couldn't have built that building in the UK. Imagine trying to get that through planning here – we do not have the right conditions for this in the UK.
Hanif Kara, founder of AKT
I had money on both REM and Chipperfield – I'm a gambling man. What made it for me was Chipperfield's speech. Rem wouldn't have said that….But the Casa da Musica is a better building for an engineer.
Graeme Russell, the curator of next year's Le Corbusier exhibition in Liverpool for the RIBA Trust
In my view Chipperfield is the greatest living architect.
I am glad David Chipperfield won. He is a great architect. But I prefer Valencia.
Peter St John, Caruso St John
I am pleased that Chipperfield has won it.
Maurice Shapero, Mancunian design wide boy
This building, it's a zeitgeist. It's not a façade it's about putting space in front of the building and follows the fundamentals of architecture that have been around for 2000 years. Developers want concrete soffits and concrete columns. The only reason nobody has done it here is because nobody had thought of doing it. I had an idea, without seeing this building, to do a similar colonnade on a gallery in Bury. Obviously I can't do that now.
Roger Stephenson, founder of Manchester-based practice Stephenson Bell
Chipperfield really deserves this and I wanted this building to win. Though the Casa da Musica was a fabulous building, I would have had a problem with a foreign architect in a foreign country winning Stirling. That would have been a bridge too far.
Hugh Broughton
Hugh Broughton, Hugh Broughton Architects
I think David Chipperfield likes working abroad. I am sure he could just as well work in England if he wanted to.
Michel Mossessian, Mossessian and Partners
The use of concrete at Marbach is immaculate – so noble. The building is elegant, simple and has very dignifying proportions. But it has taken Chipperfield a lot of hard work to get on the shortlist – hard work to stay up there. The question is, do you stay here and change the mind of clients to design buildings like this or, like Chipperfield, go overseas.'
Kevin Carmody, ex-Chipperfield now of Carmody Groarke
It is really great Chipperfield has been recognised at that level. He has been working abroad throughout his career, the Stirling prize is coming home. Marbach is very considered and explores ideas he has been working on and testing for years. His speech was fantastic - his sentiment about how young British architects need the chance to compete was spot on.
Alan Stanton, founder of Stanton Williams
I'm astonished this has won. I thought the jury would generally have gone for something more media friendly and glamorous. This is a very subtle building and I would love to have a look at it. I think it will start quite a debate. This result is good for Stirling. The fact that the jury has the ability to pick a modest looking building which is not easily read is very healthy decision. Chipperfield has been ploughing that furrow for years – it shows Chipperfield has integrity.'
Yes – the right choiceStephen Harding, head of public affairs at the RIBA
It's the building I wanted to win. When the AJ explained it was like a Miesian pavilion, that told me why I liked it.
Eddie Heathcote, architecture critic, Financial Times
Yes, a good choice, but I would have been happy to see the Young Vic win. It is a really serious bit of urban architecture.
Hal Currey, ex-Rogers, now one of the directors of FLACQ
Is this Prize part about Chipperfield's portfolio of work as much as this building? Is this recognition of his wider body of work – the same as for Richard Rogers last year? Hopefully the award will give Chipperfield a new and more receptive audience in the UK.
Roger Zoglovitch
Roger Zogolovitch, Solid Space
I think there is an issue to do with the way buildings are made in the UK. You only get fabulous buildings if it is one person's passion. You can't expect that level of passion with the ODA.
Peter Murray, organiser of the London Architecture Festival
I always thought Chipperfield was going to win, that's why instead of putting money on it, I booked him in for a major 'special' at the London Architecture Festival. I knew in advance 2008 would be the year of Chipperfield
I want to go and see it. It's very cool.
