Two South American architects were awarded Architect of the Year Award and the Moira Gemmill Prize for Emerging Architecture in this year’s Women in Architecture Awards. The Capetonian Ilze Wolff of Wolff Architects was also on the shortlist for the Moira Gemmill Prize.

Ilze Wolff

The awards are made by The Architectural Review and The Architects’ Journal.

Peruvian Sandra Barclay of Barclay & Crousse, won the award of Architect of the Year for her work on Peru’s Museo de Sitio de Paracas. The original museum was almost totally destroyed in a 2007 earthquake and the new building also serves as memory to its forbearer.

Peru’s Museo de Sitio de Paracas

Gloria Cabral is the winner of the Moira Gemmill Prize for Emerging Architecture. The prize recognises excellence in design and a bright future for women designers under the age of 45. Cabral, partner at Gabinete de Arquitectura, is from Paraguay. The judges were impressed with the way in which she “combines rational yet innovative construction techniques with humble materials, such as Paraguayan brick, inviting a challenge to conventions”

Gloria Cabral and Peter Zumthor

Ilze Wolff is a founding partner of Wolff Architects, together with husband Heinrich Wolff. Ilze also is the driving force behind OHArchitecture, which strives to create a memory bank on ‘architecture from South Africa and in South Africa’. In Stellenbosch, she accompanied her father, Wilfred Damon, on walking tours of Die Vlakte. She published Pumflet Gaiety, a history of the Gaiety Theatre. A documentary film of the Wilfred Damon walking tours at Die Vlakte is in production.  In Stellenbosch, she accompanied her father, Wilfred Damon, on walking tours of Die Vlakte.  She published Pumflet Gaiety, a history of the Gaiety Theatre.  A documetary film of the Wilfred Damon walking tours at Die Vlakte is in production.