2009 Prince Claus Prize

View the image at Koninklijkhuis

The Dutch Royal Family yesterday attended the 2009 Prince Claus Prize awards ceremony.

Attended by HM Queen Beatrix and TRH the Prince of Orange, Princess Máxima, Prince Constantijn (who presented the award as honorary chairman of the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development), Princess Laurentien, Prince Friso (also honorary chairman) and Princess Mabel; this year’s award went to Colombian architect Simón Vélez, who has been investigating how bamboo can be used as a modern and sustainable building material.

View the image at Koninklijk Huis

Vélez was awarded the annual monetary sum of 100,000€ for receiving this year’s award, which highlighted this year’s theme of culture and nature. A statement by the RVD revealed that, with this theme, the Fund aimed to “highlight the ingenious ways in which individuals, groups and organisations use nature in their work and thereby balance the relationship between man and nature.” Vélez has also been commissioned by The Dutch Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture to design a stage for the Tolhuistuin in Amsterdam Noord.

The Prince Claus Prize has been awarded each December since 1997, one year after the Fund was established as a gift from the Dutch Cabinet to HRH Prince Claus on his 70th birthday in September 1996.

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