asif khan is first architect to win cannes lions innovation award
(above) image courtesy of asif khan

 

 

 

london-based architect asif khan has won the 2014 cannes lions ‘grand prix’ for innovation, for the pavilion he designed at this year’s sochi winter olympic games, making him the first architect to have won the prestigious award. ‘megafaces’, designed for russian telecom operator megafon, was a giant structure with a kinetic exterior, formed by 11,000 actuators. the building was able to transform in three dimensions to recreate the faces of visitors to the site. participants at the olympic park had their portrait photographed and transferred to the pavilion’s façade, which functioned as a huge pin screen extending as far as two meters. find out more about the winning design in our feature, here.

 

below, designboom shares an exclusive video about the ‘megafaces’ pavilion and how it was conceived.

 

khan was also the youngest architect to be shortlisted for the UK pavilion at the milan expo 2015, which will be realized by wolfgang buttress.

 

 


megafaces pavilion and kinetic facade, sochi winter olympics 2014
video courtesy of asif khan

 

 

project credits:

 

client: megafon
agency: axis

 

author and creative director: asif khan
interactive engineering: iart

 

UK team
architecture and design: asif khan ltd.
digital sculpture consultant: scott eaton with martin aufinger
structural engineer: akt II
services engineer: atelier ten
quantity surveyor: aecom

 

russia team

client: megafon
agency and project management: axis
local architecture and engineering: progress

 

film: marcus mcsweeney
music: geinoh yamashirogumi
track: kaneda theme, akira soundtrack