In 2007, the Berlin-based practice, Barkow Leibinger, was selected as the second recipient of the Marcus Prize from among 26 nominees. The firm is known for its environmentally sensitive industrial buildings, as well as research and experimentation in new building technologies and materials.
Frank Barkow (Barkow Leibinger) and Kyle Talbott (Associate Professor, UWM) co-led the second Marcus Prize Studio. Using the framework of a conventional design/ build studio as a starting point, the teaching dyad asked students to experiment in designer-led building construction by radically reallocating the responsibilities of designers and builders. The intensive curriculum resulted in a fully designed and constructed, permanent, 120 square meter park pavilion and storage facility in a reclaimed Milwaukee industrial corridor. The Barkow-Talbott studio’s built work has been reviewed internationally and is the recipient of the 2008 Mayor’s Urban Design Award.
