Student Prize

In 1979, Jean Francois Koenig won the third prize from judges Norman Foster, Charles Moore and Derek Walker in the competition “An Image for Britain” organised by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).  Invitations for participation went out to architects around the world and attracted 132 entries.  Jean Francois Koenig was the only student to win a prize and his drawings were exhibited at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).  His proposal was not just a ‘building’.  It went ‘beyond the brief’ and foresaw an opportunity to create a ‘pedestrian link’ between Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square,   tying into the urban fabric and relating the building to the height of the National Gallery. A vaulted glass bridge frames the view on Canada House when walking from Leicester Square. The project illustrates the importance of ‘context’ in Jean Francois Koenig’s work from his very beginnings as an architect.