Toronto architect who studies water systems wins Prix de Rome
26.06.2008 00:02
Arts
- Source: cbc.ca
 Pierre Blanger has won the Professional Prix de Rome and will use his $50,000 award to study water systems in urban areas abroad.(Miho Mazereeuw/Canada Council for the Arts)The Professional Prix de Rome in Architecture has been awarded to a Toronto architect who studies the relationship between water resources and urban growth. Pierre Blanger was announced as winner of the $50,000 prize, which is intended to give young architects a chance to study to hone their skills, on Wednesday by the Canada Council for the Arts. Also receiving honours was the Toronto architecture studio WilliamsonWilliamson, which won the Ronald J. Thom Award for Early Design Achievement. Blanger plans to use the money to travel to Asia, Europe and the Middle East to look at three regions with different approaches to water: - The Rhine River Delta in the Netherlands and Belgium, a densely populated area that has to deal with flooding and upstream use of water.
- A region of Saudi Arabia, where water from an aquifer is being used for central pivot irrigation.
- The Yangtze River Delta in China, where a centuries-old agricultural area is being rapidly industrialized.
"The idea is to be able to show from a regional perspective the relationship between water and patterns of urbanization," he told CBC News. Blanger, a landscape architect and assistant professor at the faculty of architecture, landscape and design at the University of Toronto, wants to raise awareness among Canadians about our own use and abuse of water. "The idea is to awaken people because Canadians don't care about water," he said, pointing out that Canadians pay less for water than people in any other place on earth and seem ill-prepared for a future in which there may be fierce competition for water resources. He plans to write a book about his findings and to work with bodies such as the Toronto Region Conservation Authority to forge new policies about water resources in the region. Blanger has a master of arts in landscape design from Harvard University's graduate school of design and combines knowledge from engineering and environmental sciences with his approach to design. WilliamsonWilliamson is a design studio founded in 2002 by architect Betsy Williamson and Shane Williamson, associate professor at the University of Toronto's faculty of architecture, landscape and design. Their projects range from furniture and installations to buildings and urban proposals, and they have designed residences in Grey Highlands, Ont., and downtown Toronto that are now under construction. The $10,000 Thom Award, named after an eminent Canadian architect, is given every two years to a candidate in the early stages of his or her career who demonstrates outstanding talent or potential in design. Story Tools: E-MAIL | PRINT | Text Size: SMLXL | REPORT TYPO | SEND YOUR FEEDBACKRelatedExternal LinksWilliamsonWilliamson(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window) More Art & Design HeadlinesToronto architect who studies water systems wins Prix de RomeThe Professional Prix de Rome in Architecture has been awarded to a Toronto architect who studies the relationship between water resources and urban growth.Architect to build shape-shifting skyscrapers in Dubai, MoscowAn ambitious architect has unveiled plans to build an 80-storey, revolving, shape-shifting skyscraper in both Dubai and in Moscow.Monet painting shatters records with $80M saleA water lily painting by Claude Monet sold for more than $80 million US on Tuesday, breaking the previous auction record for the French impressionist artist, Christie's said.Ottawa artist, Toronto publisher win premier's arts awardsRon Noganosh, an Ojibwa artist who has challenged notions of contemporary native art, has won the Ontario Premier's Award for Excellence in the Arts.Live Londoners to form artwork in Trafalgar SquareThousands of live Londoners and a ship in a bottle have won a competition to fill an empty plinth in the city's iconic Trafalgar Square. More Arts HeadlinesQueen knights author RushdieAbout a year after it was first announced and caused ripples of protest across the Muslim world, the Queen knighted author Salman Rushdie in London on Wednesday.COC names German-born Alexander Neef as general directorThe Canadian Opera Company in Toronto has hired Alexander Neef, the casting director of the Opra national de Paris, as its new general director.HBO, SNL to revive classic Carlin comedyThe challenging comedy of George Carlin will be on TV again this week, courtesy of U.S. cable network HBO and NBC sketch stalwart Saturday Night Live digging into the vaults for programming to pay tribute to the late comedian.Atwood nets prestigious Spanish literary prizeSpain has named writer Margaret Atwood winner of one of the country's most distinguished arts prizes, sometimes likened to the European country's version of the Nobel Prize.New Shelagh Rogers, current affairs shows set for CBC RadioA new current affairs program and a books show featuring popular CBC host Shelagh Rogers will be the latest additions to the CBC Radio lineup this fall. Arts FeaturesRunning with the packYour handy guide to the Wolf Parade networkShe raaah!Women are doing it for themselves in the world of heavy metalBy George, he did itSeven reasons to miss comedian George CarlinGeorge Carlin: 1937-2008Remembering the trailblazing stand-up comic in picturesMore than wordsThe Calabash festival is a slice of literary paradiseThe last days of ZiaMohammed Hanif's novel probes the death of Pakistani dictator Zia ul-HaqPeople who read this also read …
| 
Add comment