On November 15, the Seventh Awards Ceremony of the International Golden Trezzini Awards for Architecture and Design took place at the Hermitage Theatre in St. Petersburg. The gala event featured a performance by the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra.
“I am delighted to welcome you to the ceremony of one of the most remarkable awards — the St. Petersburg-based Golden Trezzini Awards, which have demonstrated their significance over the years,” said Mikhail Piotrovsky, President of the Worldwide St. Petersburg Club, General Director of the State Hermitage Museum, and Honorary Chair of the International Council of the Golden Trezzini Awards, during his opening speech.
“In today’s ever-changing world, the Golden Trezzini Awards remain steadfast, as does the large community of people participating in them,” he added.
The ceremony’s guests were greeted by Vladimir Zapevalov, Ambassador-at-Large and Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Representative Office in St. Petersburg; Stefan Kloetzli, Deputy Head of Mission and Minister at the Embassy of Switzerland in Russia; Eduardo Villegas Megías, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mexico to Russia; and Özgün Talu, Consul General of Turkey in St. Petersburg.
The event was attended by over 300 winners, finalists, experts, and partners of the Awards. Among the notable Russian attendees were Alexey Mikhailov, Headman of the Committee for State Control, Use, and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments (KGIOP); Pavel Sokolov, Chief Architect of St. Petersburg; Sergey Lutchenko, First Deputy Chair of the Committee for Urban Policy of the Leningrad Region and Chief Architect of the Leningrad Region; Andrey Ermakov, Head of the Ministry of Culture’s Department for the Northwestern Federal District; and Sergey Makarov, Deputy General Director of the State Hermitage Museum.
Diplomatic representatives and participants from Australia, Italy, Iran, Mexico, Thailand, Turkey, Syria, Uzbekistan, and Switzerland were honored guests of the ceremony.
The 2024 Golden Trezzini Awards set a new record with 1,318 submissions from 55 countries. Finalists were announced on October 15, and during the second round, the International Jury, comprising experts from 34 countries, selected the winners in the main categories.
Among the winners were projects by architects and designers from Argentina, Iran, Thailand, and other countries. Laureates from Italy and Iran traveled to St. Petersburg to accept their awards in person, while a representative of the Thai Embassy in Moscow accepted the Golden Trezzini Award for a winner from Bangkok. Awards for other international winners will be delivered by mail.
The ceremony was hosted by Nikolai Pozdeev, Merited Artist of Russia, with musical accompaniment provided by the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra (Artistic Director and Principal Conductor: People’s Artist of Russia Sergey Stadler; Conductor: Alexey Nyaga).
Following the awards presentation, winners and guests were invited to a celebratory reception at the Corinthia St. Petersburg Hotel.
The Golden Trezzini Awards honor outstanding contributions to architecture as an art form. Established in 2018 by the Worldwide St Petersburg Club, the Awards are named after Domenico Trezzini (1670–1734), St. Petersburg’s first architect and the creator of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the Twelve Collegia building, and other masterpieces of Petrine Baroque.
The International Council of the Awards is chaired by Mikhail Piotrovsky, with the jury comprising over 200 experts from 34 countries.
The Awards’ categories span a wide range of architectural creativity, including design and construction, restoration and reconstruction, exhibition and set design, public space and interior design, student projects, three-dimensional art and architectural ceramics.
The Golden Trezzini Awards hold official museum status: winning entries are included in the collection of the State Museum of St. Petersburg History, ensuring their preservation as culturally, scientifically, and artistically significant works. This solidifies St. Petersburg’s position as an international center for the study and museumization of architectural excellence.
The Awards' mission is to promote «architectural diplomacy» — a unique form of people-to-people diplomacy fostering creative collaboration among architects and related professionals worldwide, regardless of political circumstances.
Since the Awards’ inception, over 5,100 projects from 113 countries have been submitted. Winners from 2018–2024 represent 29 countries.
Submissions for the 8th Golden Trezzini Awards will open in February 2025. Participation is free of charge.
Photos: Mikhail Vilchuk, Vitaly Kolikov
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