The Grand Jury of the AIVP Prize Antoine Rufenacht met in Le Havre, France, on 10 and 11 October 2024 to interview the six finalists in the running for this first-ever edition of the award.

The Grand Jury members were:

  • Geraldine Knatz – Co-Chair of the Grand Jury – United States: Chair of the Board of Trustees of Altasea (Los Angeles), former Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles;
  • Carola Hein – Co-Chair & Head of the Expert Panel – Netherlands: Professor and Chair, History of Architecture and Urban Planning at Delft University of Technology;
  • Hélène Chartier – Urban Planner – France: Director of Urban Planning and Design at international organisation C40 Cities;
  • Deborah Dearing – Architect/Urban Planner – Australia: Non-Executive Board Member of Port Authority of New South Wales;
  • Jean-Baptiste Gastinne – Deputy Mayor of Le Havre – France: Head of Urban Planning and Environment – President of Le Havre Port Center;
  • Gaetan Siew – Architect & Urban Planner – Mauritius – Former President of the International Union of Architects, Special Envoy for UN-Habitat;
  • Hoe Soon Tan – Senior Executive in the Port and Maritime Sector – Singapore: Assistant Chief Executive (business and strategy) at the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)

Learn more about the six finalists

The six finalists were shortlisted by the seven members of the Expert Panel in Brussels on 6 September 2024.

Finalist No. 1: “Bekkelagsbadet – Buffer Zone” put forward by the Port of Oslo 

The project involves creating a new urban park on the site of a former container terminal and is aimed at reconnecting the local community with the port.

Finalist No. 2: “Tangier port zone redevelopment”, by Société de Développement pour la Reconversion de la Zone Portuaire de Tanger

Relocating almost all commercial activities at the Port of Tangier to the Port of Tanger Med eased congestion in the urban zone and enabled Tangier’s historic port to refocus on tourism and leisure. This led to the development of a new waterfront integrated with the city, boosting the potential of Tangier’s economy, cultural life, and urban sustainability.

Finalist No. 3: “Paseo del Bajo Parks, esplanade and northern portal”, by Corporación Antiguo Puerto Madero (Buenos Aires)

The Paseo del Bajo project was prompted by the need to address urban congestion and improve logistics between the northern and southern zones of the Port of Buenos Aires. Originally designed as an infrastructure project, the Paseo del Bajo switched tack to incorporate new objectives. It shows that a project designed to improve port access and logistics can equally benefit the wider urban community, by developing new public spaces.

Finalist No. 4: “Wilmington Waterfront Project”, by the Port of Los Angeles

Completed in February 2024, the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade at the heart of the Port of Los Angeles is part of a long-term global strategy aimed at improving quality of life, promoting sustainable development, and developing new economic opportunities for the community.

Finalist No. 5: “Duwamish River People’s Park and Shoreline Habitat”, by the Port of Seattle

The Duwamish River People’s Park and Shoreline Habitat (DRPP) is the largest habitat restoration project on Seattle’s only river. The heavily polluted site was converted into a 14 acre park and a biodiversity sanctuary, located in what is known as an “environmental justice” neighbourhood. The project was implemented within a specific local and cultural context.

Finalist No. 6: “Réaménagement du port de Javel Bas”, by HAROPA Ports de Paris

In 2012, HAROPA/Ports de Paris launched a comprehensive project to regenerate the port of Javel-Bas by redeveloping all of its existing installations and balancing the port’s ongoing activity for key urban services (industrial and logistical) with the well-being of residents living nearby, while opening up the port district to the public.

About the Grand Jury meeting

The finalists were invited to Le Havre Port Center to give their final presentations. Each candidate was given one hour to explain their project and answer questions from the Jury. The interviews were open to the public, with around twenty people watching.

The Jury members made their final deliberations behind closed doors, on the morning of 11 October, after which they were invited to take a tour of Le Havre’s port-city interface zone, and later met with Edouard Philippe, President of AIVP and Mayor of Le Havre.

The finalists were also invited to visit the city-port interface zone the following morning, 11 October, giving them the opportunity to talk to various leading stakeholders in Le Havre, including representatives from the municipal authority, the port authority, and the urban planning department.

The winning entry will be announced in Lisbon on 27 November 2024, at AIVP’s forthcoming World Conference.

Photo credit: VH Visual / Illustration by Joséphine Billey