The awards ceremony took place at the Palacio de Minería Museum in Mexico City to announce the 11 winning projects of the 2023 Interceramic Architecture and Interior Design Award across their respective categories, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award in Architecture, presented to architect Gonzalo Gómez Palacio.
Now in its twelfth edition, the Interceramic Architecture and Interior Design Award recognizes projects that, through their creativity, originality, composition, and contribution to the environment, showcase the exceptional architectural and interior design work of numerous professionals from Mexico, Guatemala, and China. From the 31 finalist projects, the jury—composed of Alexandre LeNoir, Bernardo Gómez Pimienta, Covadonga Hernández, Félix Sánchez, Juan Pablo Serrano, Olga Hanono, and Verónica González—highlighted 11 projects across the following categories:
2023 Winners
Located in the municipality of Ocoyoacac, the project's design focuses on preserving the forest and its tree species, leveraging surrounding views, and carefully orienting the property to ensure optimal climatic conditions. The design adapts to the site's topography, taking advantage of open, treeless spaces and varying levels. The house consists of three rectangular volumes with pitched roofs that reach their highest point at the southern facade, optimizing solar gain. These three elements are connected and articulated by two low-rise volumes with flat roofs.
AN 867 is a residential development located in the State of Mexico, in an area west of Mexico City. The project integrates into its surroundings through the use of understated materials such as concrete and natural pine wood, prioritizing its residents by aiming to enhance their quality of life within their immediate environment.
Conceived as a multifunctional space housing a gym, cinema, and primarily a spa, the project champions design honesty, guided by a clear narrative from its inception. Its name, 28.08550, represents the atomic weight of Silicon—the primary element in silica, which forms the basis of most natural stones. Stone serves as an essential anchor throughout the entire project.
Situated between a narrow street and the old Cuernavaca railway tracks on a tight lot that seemed destined to remain a residual urban space, the building is the result of analyzing and reinterpreting classical architectural assembly. It incorporates aesthetic proportions, golden ratios, and a modern understanding of steel, concrete, and glass construction, all while responding to the site's unique constraints. The project’s guiding principles are rationality, order, and meticulous proportion.
The Pabellón de la Reserva aims to promote ecologically self-sufficient architecture. Its orientation, geometry, and technical specifications respond to the local climate, enhancing indoor thermal, acoustic, and luminous comfort by combining passive climate control strategies with innovative construction materials and resource conservation systems.
The house is located in Lomas de Angelópolis, one of the most exclusive gated communities in the city of Puebla. The site presented two defining factors: a privileged corner location at the entrance of the cluster, and a sloping topography that allows for playing with heights and a dynamic architectural layout. Eighty percent of the finishes used in this residence are by Interceramic®.
The local architecture serves as the starting point for a visual proposal that crafts a narrative. Through these interventions, messages are conveyed about the site's history and the people who inhabit its spaces.
Torre Santa Fe is an office building situated in the city of Chihuahua. Throughout the building, iconic elements are integrated into the architecture to serve specific functions while maintaining material honesty—such as ceramics, metals, aluminum, exposed concrete, and low-maintenance finishes.
The project employs three key strategies: creating a neutral backdrop of stained, weathered oak; constructing a ceiling structure of oak veneer inspired by traditional Japanese joinery techniques; and establishing a fluid boundary between inside and out using a continuous linear bench that runs along the facade, bordered by a planter box that harmonizes the space with nature.
Located in Guanajuato, the project is organized around a cruciform floor plan, where a cross-shaped layout of stone pathways divides the space into four quadrants, defining circulation, framing moments, and separating each zone. Evoking the spirit of an ancient monastery, the layout encourages direct interaction with the earth, air, and mountains, framing the landscape and seamlessly becoming part of it.
Pies Ligeros is an ephemeral architecture project presented as a traveling pavilion. Inspired by the versatility and mobility of the Rarámuri culture, the structure is demountable and adaptable to diverse urban and natural landscapes. Serving as a space for connection, transition, and reflection, the pavilion's geometry creates a sensory journey that integrates the architectural element into the social dynamics of its environment.
Interceramic China Award
In recognition of international talent, the Interceramic Architecture and Interior Design Award expanded to the Asian continent this year through its distributor, ICC-Interceramic in China. Alongside Patrick Fong from Hong Kong and TK Chu from Taiwan, the jury reviewed all entries. The winning projects from China will be announced in December.
2023 Lifetime Achievement Award in Architecture
The thirteenth edition of the Award, scheduled for 2024, is currently being organized and will launch next year. For more information, visit Premio Interceramic.
This article was written by Agustina Iñiguez. The translation is powered by AI.
