SuperHub and Regulateur winners of Groninger Architecture Prize

The winners of the Groninger Architecture Prize were announced at the beginning of October. This prize for good architecture in the city of Groningen recognizes the importance of a high-quality built environment and careful design. A professional jury and the public choose the best new buildings in Groningen. Among the winners this year are two buildings by De Zwarte Hond: Regulateur and SuperHub Meerstad.

Regulateur, built by Trebbe on behalf of Nijestee, received a third prize from the professional jury. It is gratifying to see the appreciation for this building, which aims to make people healthier and happier through where they live.

The following comment about this project appears in the report of the public jury: “The detailing is beautiful, from the square profile in the brickwork to the sturdy spiral staircases along the inner façades. It was here, in the courtyard, that the jury members had a ‘wow’ moment. The water features and winding walkways give this part of the complex a unique character. The clever solution of the indoor bicycle shed also adds value. Many words in the statement were devoted to the meeting of people. This is what the building ideally invites.”

The big favourite was SuperHub Meerstad, which won first prize from the professional jury and third prize from the public jury. In addition, the project was awarded the GRODUAP sustainability encouragement prize by city architect Nathalie de Vries, as well as the TILS Development Award. It also recorded the most online votes.

The public jury also praised SuperHub: “What a beautiful building De Zwarte Hond has created in collaboration with MWPO in the Meerstad district. The curving wooden columns, the sloping roof, the glass and steel shell and the rounded corners: it is an iconic structure, reminiscent of a futuristic cathedral. The SuperHub is a highly photogenic building that gives Meerstad a much-needed architectural boost. (...) The jury is curious to see what impact the building will have on its surroundings, especially if it acquires a different function in the long term. In any case, Groningen now has probably has the two most beautiful supermarkets in the Netherlands.”

The full public jury report and the full professional jury report can both be read (in Dutch) on the GRAS website. An overview of all prize winners can also be found here.