The Ralph Erskine Award

Andrew Freear receives the Ralph Erskine Award 2006

British architect Andrew Freear receives the Ralph Erskine award 2006 for his work with Rural Studio at Auburn University in Alabama, USA.

Andrew Freear receives the Ralph Erskine award 2006 for his work with Rural Studio at Auburn University, where the students construct their own projects in one of USA's poorest states. Recycling of materials and social design are two cornerstones in Rural Studio's work.

- I am surprised, honoured and very happy. Ralph Erskine was a great architect. This acknowledges our work in a global context. It shows that good architecture can be provided for everyone in society, even to the poor, Andrew Freear comments the award.

Rural Studio lets the students work with projects that improve the lives of the less privileged inhabitants of Hale County, Alabama. The result of the work is a number of realized single family houses, public buildings, playgrounds, churches and parks, often built with recycled materials.

The Ralph Erskine award is given to a person who works for good architecture or planning for the less privileged in the world. Additionally, the project is to be realised and constructed according to ecologically sustainable demands.

The Ralph Erskine Award was established by the Ralph Erskine Nordic Stipend Fund in 1988 and amounts to 10.000 USD. According to the charter of the Fund, the Award is to be conferred upon an individual, group or organization for innovation in architecture and urban design with regard to social, ecological and aesthetic aspects. The efforts of the applicant are to have benefited primarily the less privileged in society.