<span style="font-weight:bold">Royal Gold Medal 2012</span> was awarded to Herman Hertzberger

Hans van den Bogaard

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announced on Tuesday, December 6, 2011, that the holder of the Royal Gold Medal for 2012 is the Dutch architect Herman Hertzberger.
Hertzberger, who will celebrate his 80th birthday next July, studied architecture at the Delft University of Technology and founded his own office in Amsterdam in 1958. He has influenced the international architectural scene with structuralist buildings as well as his theoretical texts. A pivotal role in his work consists of school buildings, of which he has constructed more than thirty during his professional career. His buildings allow for flexible use and provide enough space for unexpected events. In 1970, he became a professor at the Delft University of Technology, and from 1982 to 1986 he served as a visiting professor at the University of Geneva and from 1990 to 1995 at the Berlage Institute in Amsterdam. In 1975, he became an honorary member of the Belgian Royal Academy and in 1991 was appointed a knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau. His personality, work, and publications continue to serve as a great model for many contemporary architects. Peter Cook, co-founder of Archigram, wrote about Hertzberger in 1967: “An architect can set their own boundaries based on existing patterns, but the best architects do not settle for this. Herman Hertzberger never thought conventionally. The continuity in his architectural work has helped him find constantly new solutions.”
The Royal Gold Medal, one of the most prestigious architectural awards worldwide, is awarded annually by RIBA to an individual or team that has a significant influence on the architectural scene. The award ceremony, which is personally presented by Queen Elizabeth II, is scheduled for February 9, 2012.

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