Dezeen Magazine

Sandra Barclay wins Woman Architect of the Year 2018 award

Barclay & Crousse co-founder Sandra Barclay has become the seventh recipient of the Woman Architect of the Year prize, while Gabinete de Arquitectura partner Gloria Cabral has been named emerging female architect.

The two architects were recognised during this year's Women in Architecture Awards, which are organised by annually by the Architects' Journal (AJ) and The Architectural Review.

Peruvian architect Sandra Barclay was given the top prize, Woman Architect of the Year, which recognises architects for a recently completed project.

Barclay, who leads Lima studio Barclay & Crousse with Jean Pierre Crousse, was chosen for her work on the Museo de Sitio de Paracas, a red-pigmented archaeological museum designed to replace another almost completely destroyed by earthquake.

She was selected ahead of three other finalists: Iba Dow of London-based Dow Jones Architects, for the renovation of the Garden Museum in London; Ángela García de Paredes of Madrid practice Paredes Pedrosa Architects, for Twin Houses in Oropesa; and Stephanie Macdonald of 6a Architects, for Cowan Court in Cambridge.

Barclay & Crousse's Museo de Sitio de Paracas is a red-pigmented archaeological museum designed to replace another almost completely destroyed by earthquake

"The Museo de Sitio de Paracas is a bold, ambitious project with an admirable clarity of purpose that encapsulates the determination and focus of this exceptional architect," said AJ editor and juror Emily Booth.

"The architects responded to the lack of context with a design that was both robust and simple, yet powerful [with] even its man-made imperfection adding value to the building," added the jury.

Gloria Cabral, a partner at Paraguayan practice Gabinete de Arquitectura, picked up the Moira Gemmill Prize for Emerging Architecture. The prize is awarded for excellence in design to a woman under the age of 45.

Cabral's £10,000 professional development prize comes from a fund dedicated to the late V&A museum director Moira Gemmill.

Gloria Cabral picked up the Moira Gemmill Prize for Emerging Architecture for her use of "humble materials", including Paraguayan brick

"Beyond her deep understanding of materials and construction, Cabral showed a sensitive appreciation of the life and use of the buildings she designs. Her commitment is extraordinary and her passion is infectious," said the judges.

Other contenders for the award were Ilze Wolff from South African practice Wolff Architects, Anna Puigjnaner and Maria Charneco of Spanish practice MAIO, and Sook Hee Chun from Korean studio Wise Architecture.

The annual Women in Architecture Awards were awarded at a luncheon held at Claridge's hotel in London last week.

The event also saw AL_A founder Amanda Levete win the 2018 Jane Drew Prize, while Dutch artist and OMA co-founder Madelon Vriesendorp was named recipient of this year's Ada Louise Huxtable Prize.

Both awards recognise the lifetime work of raising the profile of women in architecture and the broader industry.

The announcement of the awards coincides with International Women's Day today, 8 March 2018. To also coincide, Dezeen has launched an initiative to improve gender equality in architecture and design, called Move the Needle.