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Architectes Urbanistes wins 1994 Benedictus Professional Award for design of new offices and a social centre for the Banque Populaire de l'Ouest

A Paris-based architectural firm, Architectes Urbanistes, has won the 1994 Benedictus Professional Award for its design of new offices and a social centre for the Banque Populaire de l'Ouest (BPO) in Rennes, France. The winning project was created by Benoit Cornette and Odile Decq, project architects with the firm.

Cited by the panel of judges for its "marvelous interplay of walls and structure", the Banque Populaire de l'Ouest project features an innovative, 120-metre (393-foot) suspended, structural glass façade – devoid of any internal frame – that ensures maximum transparency and a complete view from the inside to the outside.

The Benedictus is an international design competition with two categories – professional and student – that recognizes significant and enterprising architectural uses of laminated glass. It is sponsored by the American Institute of Architects and Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (AIA/ACSA) Research Council, the International Union of Architects (UIA) and DuPont. The 1994 Benedictus attracted entries from the USA, Japan, Hong Kong, Poland, Scandinavia, Latin America and central Europe.

Five distinguished finalists were also cited for special recognition this year: Architects Behnisch & Partner (Stuttgart, Germany); Dominique Perrault Architecte (Paris); Agence Jerome Brunet and Eric Saunier (Paris); Shoei Yoh & Architects (Fukouka-shi, Japan) and Francois Deslaugiers Architecte (Paris).