Toyo Ito Awarded Pritzker Prize 2013

March 28, 2013

tags: Architecture, Pritzker Prize, Toyo Ito

The most prestigious recognition an architect can achieve this year has been awarded to Toyo Ito, the japanese master whose buildings are a reference for the global professional community since four decades. His buildings are diverse, generous and naturally sensitive. They are also iconic, but always in a different and peculiar way. His approach to architecture may appear elitaire when looking at the flagship buildings, but his residential projects for several private clients witness great ability to set everyday life in original and comfortable scenarios. Furthermore most of Toyo Ito’s projects are public buildings providing extraordinary stimulating places for people to meet.

The Pritzker Prize was initiated in 1979 by Jay and Cindy Pritzker who “believed that a meaningful prize would encourage and stimulate not only a greater public awareness of buildings, but also would inspire greater creativity within the architectural profession”. It is sponsored by the Hyatt Foundation (yes, the luxury hotel chain) and this year the Jury was composed by Lord Palumbo (Chairman), Alejandro Aravena, Stephen Breyer, Yung Ho Chang, Glenn Murcutt, Juhani Pallasmaa and Martha Thorne (Executive Director).

Below a quote from the Jury’s citation and pictures of some significant works.

Toyo Ito is a creator of timeless buildings, who at the same time boldly charts new paths. His architecture projects an air of optimism, lightness and joy, and is infused with both a sense of uniqueness and universality. For these reasons and for his synthesis of structure, space and form that creates inviting places, for his sensitivity to landscape, for infusing his designs with a spiritual dimension and for the poetics that transcend all his works, Toyo Ito is awarded the 2013 Pritzker Architecture Prize.

Dome in Odate 1997

A large geometrically defined volume in extremely fragmented environment can easily become a Ufo, but this is not the case, thanks to the careful relationship of the shell with the ground and its delicate folding.

Dome in Odate

Crematorium in Gifu 2006

Not an easy architecture for a dramatic task, but the result is a overwhelming peacefulness.

Crematorium in Gifu

Crematorium in Gifu

Solar Powered Stadium in Taiwan 2009

Solar Powered Stadium in Taiwan

Matsumoto Arts Centre 2004

Striving for harmony and continuity in a fragmented and chaotic urban environment. The building is a composition of volumes kept together by the sinuous facade of the base. Inside the search for continuity goes on like in a Moebius strip.

Matsumoto Arts Centre

Matsumoto Arts Centre

Matsumoto Arts Centre

Matsumoto Arts Centre

Museum of Architecture in Ehime 2011

Museum of Architecture in Ehime

Museum of Architecture in Ehime

Sendai Mediatheque 2001

Capturing the essence of a dematerialising world with a spectacular, but also familiar and user friendly design.

Sendai Mediatheque

Silver Hut House 1984

Silver Hut House

Taichung Metropolitan Opera House – Under Construction

Taichung Metropolitan Opera House

Taichung Metropolitan Opera House

Taichung Metropolitan Opera House

Pushing things a step further into another, bigger dimension. That’s another challenge the architect has not avoided. The result will be soon to be seen. In the meanwhile the building site is impressive enough.