sejima kazuyo – DesignApplause

yvonne farrell and shelley mcnamara of grafton architects awarded 2020 pritzker prize.

Mar 4, 2020

above/below > utec – universidad de ingenieria y tecnologia by grafton architects won the very first riba international prize in 2016. photography: iwan baan

the first two women business partners and first irish architects yvonne farrell and shelley mcnamara of dublin, ireland, have been selected as the 2020 pritzker prize laureates, announced tom pritzker, chairman of the hyatt foundation, which sponsors the award that is known internationally as architecture’s highest honor.

the other three women architects since the first award in 1979 are, in 2004 the late zaha hadid – the first women not part of a team; in 2017 co-winner carme pigem along with partners rafael aranda and ramon vilalta; in 2010, kazuyo sjima with her partner ryue nishizawa; below left to right > farrell and mcnamara

in a press statement announcing their selection, farrell wrote, “architecture could be described as one of the most complex and important cultural activities on the planet. to be an architect is an enormous privilege. to win this prize is a wonderful endorsement of our belief in architecture. thank you for this great honor.”

to which mcnamara added, “within the ethos of a practice such as ours, we have so often struggled to find space for the implementation of such values as humanism, craft, generosity, and cultural connection with each place and context within which we work. it is therefore extremely gratifying that this recognition is bestowed upon us and our practice and upon the body of work we have managed to produce over a long number of years. it is also a wonderful recognition of the ambition and vision of the clients who commissioned us and enabled us to bring our buildings to fruition.”

as architects and educators since the 1970s, farrell and mcnamara create spaces that are at once respectful and new, honoring history while demonstrating a mastery of the urban environment and craft of construction. balancing strength and delicacy, and upholding a reverence of site-specific contexts, their academic, civic and cultural institutions, as well as housing developments, result in modern and impactful works that never repeat or imitate, but are decidedly of their own architectural voice.

above > universita luigi bocconi / photo courtesy alexandre soria // below > universita luigi bocconi / photo courtesy federico brunetti

above/below > institut mines télécom, photo courtesy of alexandre soria

above> town house building, kingston university / photo courtesy of dennis gilbert // town house building, kingston university / photo courtesy of ed reeves

above/below > loreto community school, photo courtesy of ros kavanagh

[ pritzker architecture prize jury citation ]

yvonne farrell and shelley mcnamara have practiced architecture together for forty years in a way that clearly reflects the objectives of the pritzker prize: to recognize the art of architecture and consistent service to humanity as evidenced through a body of built work.

co-founding their professional practice, called grafton architects, in dublin, ireland in 1978, they have consistently and unhesitatingly pursued the highest quality of architecture for the specific location in which it was to be built, the functions it would house and especially for the people who would inhabit and use their buildings and spaces.

they have an oeuvre that includes numerous educational buildings, housing and cultural and civic institutions. pioneers in a field that has traditionally been and still is a male-dominated profession, they are also beacons to others as they forge their exemplary professional path.

many of their buildings are located in their home country of ireland, but through competitions, they have won major commissions for other places around the world, such as italy, france and peru. with a profound understanding of place gained through their research, keen powers of observation, open and ever curious explorations and deep respect for culture and context, farrell and mcnamara are able to make their buildings respond to a setting and city most appropriately, while still being fresh and modern.

this deep understanding of “spirit of place” means that their works enhance and improve the local community. their buildings are “good neighbors” that seek to make a contribution beyond the boundaries of the building and to make a city work better. their north king street housing in dublin (2000) is one example of this: it creates an inner courtyard and a welcome respite from the adjacent busy streets.

their approach to architecture is always honest, revealing an understanding of the processes of design and construction from large scale structures to the smallest details. it is often in these details, especially in buildings with modest budgets, where a big impact can be felt. for example, the urban institute of ireland (dublin, 2002) employs what the architects call a “crafted skin” to create a visually interesting building through changes in materials responding to openings, folds, needs for shade and other concerns.

at the same time, it employs common sense, good-practice environmental control methodologies for an efficient, sustainable building. on a particularly sensitive site in dublin, the masterful offices for the department of finance (2009) attests to their knowledge and care in the selection of materials and construction techniques with a carefully handcrafted bronze railing and gate and sanded limestone on the facades.

the architects are skilled and successful working at many scales—from large institutional buildings to a house of only a little more than 100 square meters. without grand or frivolous gestures, they have managed to create buildings that are monumental institutional presences when appropriate, but even so they are zoned and detailed in such a way as to produce more intimate spaces that create community within. in their large buildings such as the university campus utec (2015) in lima, peru or the school of economics building (2008) at universita luigi bocconi, they have achieved a human scale through the composition of spaces and volumes of different sizes. the dialogues they create between buildings and surroundings demonstrate a new appreciation of both their works and place.

a constant in their approach, the architects have an understanding of how to design complex sections of buildings in such a way that views connect deep interior spaces with the larger exterior realm and allow natural light to penetrate and animate spaces deep inside a building. often light streams from skylights or upper story windows throughout the interiors of their buildings, providing warmth and visual interest, helping the inhabitants easily orient themselves in the spaces, and providing the ever necessary connection to the exterior.

for their integrity in their approach to both their buildings, as well as the way they conduct their practice, their belief in collaboration, their generosity towards their colleagues, especially as evidenced in such events as the 2018 venice biennale, their unceasing commitment to excellence in architecture, their responsible attitude toward the environment, their ability to be cosmopolitan while embracing the uniqueness of each place in which they work, for all these reasons and more, yvonne farrell and shelley mcnamara are awarded the 2020 pritzker architecture prize.

[ jury members ]

stephen breyer (chair) / u.s. supreme court justice / washington, dc
andré aranha corrêa do lago / architectural critic, curator and brazilian ambassador to india / delhi, india
barry bergdoll / architecture historian, educator, curator and author / new york, new york
deborah berke / architect and educator / new york, new york
sejima kazuyo / architect and 2010 pritzker laureate / tokyo, japan
benedetta tagliabue / architect and educator / barcelona, spain
wang shu / architect, educator and 2012 pritzker laureate / hangzhou, china
martha thorne (executive director) / dean, ie school of architecture & design / madrid, spain

[ pritzker architecture prize ]

japanese architect arata isozaki earns 2019 pritzker prize.

Mar 5, 2019

when i was old enough to begin an understanding of the world, my hometown was burned down. across the shore, the atomic bomb was dropped on hiroshima, so i grew up near ground zero. it was in complete ruins, and there was no architecture, no buildings and not even a city. only barracks and shelters surrounded me. so, my first experience of architecture was the void of architecture, and i began to consider how people might rebuild their homes and cities.

[ jury citation ]
arata isozaki, born in oita, island of kyushu, japan is known as a versatile, influential, and truly international architect. setting up his own practice in the 1960s isozaki became the first japanese architect to forge a deep and long-lasting relationship between east and west. possessing a profound knowledge of architectural history and theory, and embracing the avant-garde, he never merely replicated the status quo but challenged it. and in his search for meaningful architecture, he created buildings of great quality that to this day defy categorizations, reflect his constant evolution, and are always fresh in their approach.

over the more than 50 years isozaki has been practicing, he has had an impact on world architecture, through his works, writings, exhibitions, the organization of important conferences and participation on competition juries. he has supported many young architects from across the globe to have a chance to realize their potential. in such endeavors as the fukuoka nexus world housing project (1988-1991) or toyama prefecture’s machi-no-kao (“face of the city”) program (1991-1999) he invited young international architects to develop catalytic projects in japan.

above> oita prefectural library, oita japan / 1966 / photo – yasuhiro ishimoto /// below> moma gunma, gunma japan / 1974 / photo – yasuhiro ishimoto

isozaki’s oeuvre has been described as heterogeneous and encompasses descriptions from vernacular to high tech. what is patently clear is that he has not been following trends but forging his own path. an early exploration of a new vision for the city is seen in the project city in the air, from the early 1960s, for a multilayered city which hovers over the traditional city. his first works in his home country of japan include a masterpiece of japanese brutalism, the oita prefectural library (1966). such projects as the kitakyushu central library (1974) and the gunma prefectural museum of modern art, opened in 1974, reveal an exploration of a more personal architecture. in the museum, the clear geometry of the cube reflects his fascination with void and grid as it seeks to attain an equilibrium in which to display changing works of art.

arata isozaki’s reach and repertoire have expanded over the years to include projects of many scales and typologies and in numerous countries. in the united states, isozaki is probably most well-known for undertaking the museum of contemporary art in los angeles (1986) and the team disney building in florida (1991). the first is a study of the vault or what he calls “rhetoric of the cylinder” and the second is evidenced by a more playful use of shapes with a postmodern flair.

above> museum of contemporary art, los angeles / 1981-86 / photo – yasuhiro ishimoto // bottom> team disney building, orlando / 1987-90

many know his work through such significant buildings as the sant jordi stadium for the 1992 olympics in barcelona. he has undertaken exemplary works in china such as the cafa (china central academy of fine arts) art museum in beijing opened in 2008 or the shenzhen cultural center (2007) in shenzhen, guangdong.

isozaki has shown extraordinary dynamism in recent years with such works as qatar convention center (2011), the traveling inflatable ark nova (2013) designed with anish kapoor for regions in japan affected by the 2011 tsunami, and the powerful yet elegant allianz tower in milan, opened in 2018. once again, it is a testimony to his ability to understand the context in all its complexity and to create a remarkable, well-crafted and inspiring building that is successful from city scale to the interior spaces.

above> qatar national convention centre, qatar / 2004-11 /// below> allianz tower, milan / 2003-14

clearly, he is one of the most influential figures in contemporary world architecture on a constant search, not afraid to change and try new ideas. his architecture rests on profound understanding, not only of architecture but also of philosophy, history, theory and culture. he has brought together east and west, not through mimicry or as a collage, but through the forging of new paths. he has set an example of generosity as he supports other architects and encourages them in competitions or through collaborative works. for all these reasons, the pritzker architecture prize jury has selected arata isozaki the 2019 laureate.

[ jury members ]
stephen breyer (chair)
u.s. supreme court justice
washington, dc

andré aranha corrêa do lago
architectural critic, curator, and brazilian ambassador to india tokyo, japan

richard rogers
architect and 2007 pritzker laureate
london, england

sejima kazuyo
architect and 2010 pritzker laureate
tokyo, japan

benedetta tagliabue
architect and educator
barcelona, spain

ratan n. tata
chairman of tata trusts
mumbai, india

wang shu
architect, educator and 2012 pritzker laureate hangzhou, china

martha thorne (executive director)
dean, ie school of architecture & design madrid, spain

[ biography ]
2019 laureate arata isozaki was born in oita, island of kyushu, japan in 1931 prior to the onset of world war ii. he was 14 years old when hiroshima and nagasaki were bombed, and builds with the theory that while buildings are transitory, they should please the senses of the users presently passing through and around them.

“when i was old enough to begin an understanding of the world, my hometown was burned down. across the shore, the atomic bomb was dropped on hiroshima, so i grew up near ground zero. it was in complete ruins, and there was no architecture, no buildings and not even a city. only barracks and shelters surrounded me. so, my first experience of architecture was the void of architecture, and i began to consider how people might rebuild their homes and cities.”

isozaki graduated from the department of architecture in the faculty of engineering at the university of tokyo in 1954, and began his career with an apprenticeship under the guidance of 1987 pritzker prize laureate kenzo tange.

he established arata isozaki & associates in 1963, after the allied occupation when japan had regained its sovereignty and was seeking physical rebuilding amidst political, economic and cultural uncertainty from the decimation of wwii. “in order to find the most appropriate way to solve these problems, i could not dwell upon a single style. change became constant. paradoxically, this came to be my own style.”

his work began locally, with many buildings in his hometown and fukuoka, and quickly expanded to gunma, osaka and tokyo. in the 1960s, isozaki envisioned city in the air (1962 tokyo, japan), a futuristic plan for shinjuku consisting of elevated layers of buildings, residences and transportation suspended above the aging city below, in response to the rapid rate of urbanization. although it was unrealized, isozaki went on to plan cities in accelerating economies, with his most recent developments in china and the middle east.

isozaki demonstrated a worldwide vision that was ahead of his time and facilitated a dialogue between east and west. he emerged as an international leader in architecture in the 1980s,

through his critical writings, and as a jury member for important architecture competitions, he has played a significant role in bringing to realization the concepts of young architects around the world. six decades of his work include philosophy, visual art, design, music, films, and plays, alongside his iconic buildings.

isozaki has served as a visiting professor at several u.s. universities including: columbia university, harvard university and yale university.

[ about the pritzker architecture prize ]
the pritzker architecture prize was founded in 1979 by the late jay a. pritzker and his wife, cindy. its purpose is to honor annually a living architect or architects whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.