Architecture Prize
Commendation

Gymnasium in Sesto Fiorentino (Italy)
Architects: Fabio Capanni, Florence
Contractor: In. G. Iovi S.R.L., Afragola (Italy)

This gym on the outskirts of Sesto Fiorentino near Florence can be considered a tribute to the work and genius of Leonardo da Vinci, as each of his projects was inspired by the human body. The TECU® Classic copper plates covering the exterior make the façade look like muscle fibre. The choice of copper for the exterior is striking: due to the metal’s flexibility for forming and structurizing the building seems to breathe like a human organism.

"Just like a piece of art, a façade shaped like a sculptural piece. Here the material is defining the architecture in an impressive approach." (Excerpt from the Jury’s appraisal)