This year we have seen further challenges, as living life with the pandemic becomes a familiarity. 2021 provided an opportunity to build on unique opportunities and continue to develop the resolve of our human spirit, which was so prominent in 2020. It was another demanding year, with plenty to be grateful for.
In 2021, we upheld the high standard of our projects. This year has proven to be a success for our projects both in the Netherlands and globally. Libraries have arguably been at the forefront of our work. In February, along with MAYU we completed Tainan Public Library, inspired by the local culture and designed for the tropical climate. We were selected to design the new Macau Central Library, which is located in a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This summer, along with Beyer Blinder Belle the transformation of New York’s largest circulating branch, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library was opened to the public. The project was awarded the MASterworks Best Adaptive Reuse Award. In November, The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library reopened after our transformation. The library also won the prestigious Driehaus Foundation National Preservation Award. In addition, we completed work on two OBA library branches, with the modernisation of OBA Mercatorplein Library and the new OBA Library Postjesweg.
In the Netherlands, Manifest Rotterdam Zuid presented an integral vision for a sustainable and future-proof development. A new gateway to Rotterdam City Centre was revealed with Hart 010. De Kwartiermaker has been designed as a new urban beacon for Amsterdam and The Co-Creation Centre and Nonohouse at TU Delft forms the heart of The Green Village, where innovation and co-creation help to work towards a sustainable future.
In Manchester, construction was completed on UK’s largest engineering campus at The University of Manchester. KAMPUS celebrated the vibrancy and diversity of Manchester’s Canal Street. In Taiwan, we designed Taichung Green Corridor, which reuses the old railway to connect different parts of the city. This year we continued expanding our exhibition portfolio with the design of “Calder Now” at the Kunsthal, Rotterdam. It was another prosperous year for awards, with the standout prize being our European Prize for Architecture. The office also saw Armand Paardekooper Overman and Pieter Hoen embark on new roles as Associate Partners.
These are just a few of the highlights that have made 2021 a great triumph for Mecanoo. Along with our other successes, we would like to thank all teams for their relentless hard work and dedication. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Continue to stay safe and take care of each other.