Arata Isozaki Wins 2019 Pritzker Prize
John Hill
5. March 2019
Photo courtesy of the Pritzker Architecture Prize
Chicago's Hyatt Foundation has announced that Japanese architect Arata Isozaki is the 2019 laureate of the annual Pritzker Architecture Prize, considered architecture's highest honor.
Today’s naming of Arata Isozaki (born 1931) as the latest Pritzker Prize laureate comes one year after the prestigious prize went to Indian architect Balkrishna Doshi (b. 1927). When seen in concert with 2015 laureate Frei Otto (1925-2015), there is an apparent propensity for the Pritzker jurors to award the Prize as a lifetime achievement.
But when seen relative to the most recent laureates from Isozaki's home country, the Pritzer Prize has more often been given to architects nearing their prime, not later. Shigeru Ban was 56 when he was named the 2014 recipient, though Toyo Ito was a bit older at 71 when he won in 2013. Kazuyo Sejima was also 56 when she won in 2010, ten years older than fellow laureate Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA.
Focusing on Doshi, who is now 91, and the 87-year-old Isozaki, the Pritzker Architecture Prize is drawing attention to architects who should have been laureates earlier. In both cases their most powerful and influential work was produced decades ago. With Isozaki it was in the 1970s through the 1990s, in buildings both in Japan and overseas. Some of those buildings can be seen following the Pritzker announcement and jury citation below.
Projects in bold are illustrated with photos at the bottom of this post.
Partial statement from the Pritzker Architecture Prize:The jury for the 2019 Pritzker Architecture Prize:
- Stephen Breyer (Jury Chair), U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Washington, D.C., USA
- André Corrêa do Lago, architectural critic, curator, and Brazilian Ambassador to Japan, Tokyo, Japan
- Richard Rogers, architect and 2007 Pritzker Laureate, London, United Kingdom
- Kazuyo Sejima, architect and 2010 Pritzker Laureate, Tokyo, Japan
- Wang Shu, architect, educator, and 2012 Pritzker Laureate, Hangzhou, China
- Benedetta Tagliabue, architect and director of EMBT Miralles Tagliabue, Barcelona, Spain
- Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of Tata Trusts, Mumbai, India
- Martha Thorne (Executive Director), Dean, IE School of Architecture & Design, Madrid, Spain
The jury citation for the 2019 Prize:
Selected Projects by Arata Isozaki
Ōita Prefectural Library, 1962-66, Ōita, Japan (Photo courtesy of Yasuhiro Ishimoto)
The Museum of Modern Art, 1971-74, Gunma, Japan (Photo courtesy of Yasuhiro Ishimoto)
Kitakyushu Central Library, 1973-74, Fukuoka, Japan (Photo courtesy of FUJITSUKA Mitsumasa)
The Museum of Contemporary Art, 1981-86, Los Angeles California, USA (Photo courtesy of Yasuhiro Ishimoto)
Palau Sant Jordi, 1983-1990, Barcelona, Spain (Photo courtesy of Hisao Suzuki)
Nara Centennial Hall, 1992-1998, Nara, Japan (Photo courtesy of Hisao Suzuki)
Ceramic Park Mino, 1996-2002, Gifu, Japan (Photo courtesy of Hisao Suzuki)
Qatar National Convention Center, 2004-2011, Doha, Qatar (Photo courtesy of Hisao Suzuki)
LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA by Anish Kapoor and Arata Isozaki, 2011-2013, various locations in Japan (Photo courtesy of Iwan Baan)
AllianzTower, 2003-2014, Milan, Italy (Photo courtesy of Alessandra Chemollo)
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