Press Release: The winners of the 2009 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture are announced

The European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe announced that Norwegian National Opera & Ballet, Oslo, Norway by Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Tarald Lundevall, Craig Dykers, Snøhetta is the winner of the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award 2009. The Jury also awarded a Special Mention for an Emerging Architect to Lea Pelivan and Toma Plejic, STUDIO UP for Gymnasium 46° 09' N / 16° 50' E, Koprivnica, Croatia. By supporting the prize, the European Commission underlined the role of architecture as a driver for creativity and innovation, opens up culture to audiences beyond national borders and draws attention to the European professionals' contribution in the development of new ideas and technologies that impact Europeans' everyday life.