The Tehran-based architect was selected ahead of four other architect candidates from Japan, Ethiopia, the Netherlands, and Colombia.

Alireza Taghaboni
Alireza Taghaboni © Tristan Fewings

On Wednesday, Iranian architect Alireza Taghaboni received the first Dorfman Award at a ceremony held at London's Royal Academy of Arts (RA) as part of the academy's inaugural Architecture Awards Week. Supported by the Dorfman Foundation and nominated by academy members, curators, and journalists, the Dorfman Award celebrates "an international talent representing the future of architecture" and aims to highlight "the relationship between art and architecture," according to a press release. Taghaboni was selected ahead of four other architect candidates: Anne Holtrop, founder of Netherlands and Bahrain–based practice Studio Anne Holtrop; Rahel Shawl, founder of Ethiopian architecture practice RAAS Architects; Go Hasegawa, founder of Japanese firm Go Hasegawa and Associates; and Bogotá, Colombia–based design collective Arquitectura Expandida. Following public presentations by each candidate, Taghaboni was presented with the 10,000 pounds (approximately $13,000) award.

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