BTS of the Pritzker Prize and the 20’s Laureates

The Pritzker Prize is an international architecture award, annually presented to honour an architect for their built work. This work would demonstrate a combination of qualities like talent, vision, and commitment, consistently produced, making significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through art and architecture.  Founded by the Pritzker family and sponsored by the Hyatt Foundation, this award was introduced in 1979 by Jay Pritzker and his wife Cindy. The bronze medallion and $100,000 is called the  “Architecture’s Nobel” and “the profession’s highest honour.” 

History

The founders believed in the encouragement and inspiration a meaningful prize would stimulate globally. This award gets its name from the Pritzker family whose business headquarters are located in Chicago. The family has been known for supporting educational, scientific, medical, and cultural activities. “As native Chicagoans, it’s not surprising that our family was keenly aware of architecture, living in the birthplace of the skyscraper, a city filled with buildings designed by architectural legends such as Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, and many others.”, says Tom Pritzker. 

Ceremony 

Officially taking place in May annually, held at an architecturally significant site, the award is presented in different places each year to pay homage to the architecture of various eras or constructed by previous laureates. There is no intended connection between the ceremonial location and the laureate as the location for the year is chosen before the laureate is selected. The ceremony usually takes place in the following order : 

1. Welcoming remarks by the dignitary from the host country 
2. Comments from the jury chairman 
3. Presentation of the prize by Tom Pritzker 
4. Acceptance speech from the Laureate 

The event is attended by international guests and guests from the host country and is an invitation-only event. The bronze medallion on one side has the name of the prize and on the other side has the words – firmness, commodity, and delight inspired by the fundamental principles of Vitruvius – firmitas, utilitas, venustas.

Current Jury

Alejandro Aravena is the Jury Chair of the Pritzker Prize. He was also the 2016 Pritzker Prize Laureate and is the founder and director of ELEMENTAL. Manuela Lucá-Dazio is the executive director. The rest of the Jury members are: 

1. a) Barry Bergdoll
2. b) Deborah Berke
3. c) Stephen Breyer
4. d) André Aranha
5. e) Kazuyo Sejima
6. f) Wang Shu

Nomination 

Awarded irrespective of nationality, race, creed, or ideology, the Pritzker Prize is given to a sole architect and not an architectural firm. The executive director actively seeks nominations from past laureates/architects/professionals, etc. Licensed architects may submit a nomination to the Executive Director for consideration as well. Nominations are accepted through November 1 of any given year by sending the executive director an email with the nominee’s name, portfolio, and contact information. The winner is announced every spring. 

The 20’s Laureates

Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara are the laureates of 2020. Practising architecture for over 40 years, Yvonne and Shelley evidently reflect the prize’s objectives by recognizing art and architecture and consistently serving humanity through their built work. Their approach toward architecture is always honest and reveals an understanding of the processes of design and construction from large-scale structures to the smallest details. Yvonne and Shelley’s selected works are: 

1. Urban Institute of Ireland – Dublin, Ireland 
2. Loreto Community School – Milford, Ireland 
3. Università Luigi Bocconi – Milan, Italy
4. Offices for the Department of Finance – Dublin, Ireland 
5. Medical School, University of Limerick – Limerick, Ireland

Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal’s work reflects the democratic spirit of architecture. They are committed to restorative architecture that responds to technology, innovation, and ecology. Their powerful sense of material and space creates a strong structure. Anne and Jean, laureates of 2021’s, selected works being : 

1. House in Bordeaux – Bordeaux, France 
2. 53 Units, Low-Rise Apartments, Social Housing – Saint-Nazaire, France
3. FRAC Nord-Pas de Calais – Dunkerque, France
4. Multipurpose Theater – Lille, France
5. Residential and Office Building – Chêne-Bourg, Geneva, Switzerland

Diébédo Francis Kéré is from Burkina Faso. The Gando Primary School acted as a catalyst for his establishing architecture and won him the Aga Khan Award in 2004. He was the Pritzker Prize Winner of 2022, with his escalating sense of architecture, material and cultural sensitivity. His selected works are : 

1. Gando Primary School – Gando, Burkina Faso 
2. Opera Village – Laongo, Burkina Faso
3. Léo Doctors’ Housing – Léo, Burkina Faso
4. Xylem – Montana, United States
5. Startup Lions Campus – Turkana County, Kenya

David Chipperfield, the laureate of 2023, is a talented architect catering to his vision and commitment seen through his contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture. His structures are based on the higher purpose of the undertaking and the pursuit of civic and public good. David’s selected works are : 

1. The Hepworth Wakefield – West Yorkshire, UK
2. Saint Louis Art Museum – Missouri, USA
3. Amorepacific Headquarters – Seoul, Republic of Korea
4. Hoxton Press – London, UK
5. Morland Mixité Capitale – Paris, France

Riken Yamamoto has produced architecture as a background and foreground of life, winning the title of  Pritzker Prize Laureate of 2024. His work caters to precise and rational design strategies. Riken’s architecture reflects simplicity and modularity. He imposes shared dimensions through his architectural interventions. His selected works are: 

1. Shinonome Canal Court CODAN – Tokyo, Japan 
2. Ecoms House – Tosu, Japan
3. Tianjin Library – Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
4. Koyasu Elementary School – Yokohama, Japan 
5. THE CIRCLE at Zürich Airport – Zürich, Switzerland 

REFERENCES:

1. https://www.pritzkerprize.com/about
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pritzker_Architecture_Prize