A group of London architects have become the first non-artists to win the UK’s most prestigious art award; the Turner Prize.
Assemble were honoured for an urban regeneration project they organised in Liverpool, using art and design to oppose gentrification and improve the homes and public spaces of local residents in the city’s Granby Four Streets.
The Turner awards ceremony was held on 7 December at the Tramway arts theatre in Glasgow, Scotland. Assemble received their £25,000 (US$37,600, €34,700) first-place prize from artist, musician and songwriter Kim Gordon – from the band Sonic Youth – at a ceremony shown on live television.
The judges said: “Assemble draw on long traditions of artistic and collective initiatives that experiment in art, design and architecture. In doing so they offer alternative models to how societies can work.
“The long-term collaboration between Granby Four Streets and Assemble shows the importance of artistic practice being able to drive and shape urgent issues in the post-industrial era.”
After collecting the award, Assemble said: "We'd like to thank everyone who's been involved in any of our projects over the past five years. This nomination was a surprise to all of us, and the last six months has been very surreal. It's allowed us an amazing opportunity to start something, which we hope will live on for a very long time."
The Turner Prize, organised by the Tate art galleries, is awarded to a British artist under the age of 50. Past winners include Damien Hirst, Grayson Perry and Anish Kapoor.
This year’s other shortlisted artists were Bonnie Camplin, Janice Kerbel and Nicole Wermers.
