The Pritzker Prize is widely regarded as the most prestigious award in the world of architecture. Founded in 1979 by the Pritzker family of Chicago, the award recognizes architects from around the world who have made significant contributions to the field of architecture and whose work has demonstrated a combination of talent, vision, and commitment to architectural excellence.
Since its inception, the Pritzker Prize has been awarded to some of the world’s most influential and innovative architects, from modernist pioneers to contemporary visionaries. In this first blog in a series of three, we will explore the history of the Pritzker Prize and some of the most notable winners from the early decades of the award, their works, and their legacy in the world of architecture.
Philip Johnson
Born in 1906 in Cleveland, Ohio, he studied philosophy and literature at Harvard University. In the early 1930s, he became interested in architecture and began working in the architectural office of Mies van der Rohe in New York.
Johnson was one of the first American architects to embrace the modern style, and is credited with designing some of the most iconic buildings of the era, including the Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut.
In the 1950s, Johnson moved away from modernism and began to explore other currents, such as historicism and postmodernism. In 1978, he was one of the founders of the Department of Architecture at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Throughout his career, Johnson received numerous awards and recognitions for his work, including the Pritzker Prize in 1979, and was one of the most influential architects of the 20th century.
Luis Barragan
Born in 1902 in Guadalajara, Mexico, he studied engineering at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. He began his career as an architect in the 1920s, designing houses and commercial buildings in Mexico.
Barragan is known for his use of color and light in his work, as well as his ability to create intimate and poetic spaces. His designs incorporate elements of Mexican architectural tradition, such as courtyards and gardens, and often use local materials and construction techniques.
Among his most famous works are the Casa Estudio Luis Barragan in Mexico City and the Capuchinas Chapel in Tlalpan. In 1980, Barragan received the Pritzker Prize, becoming the first Mexican architect to win the award.
Throughout his career, Barragán was an advocate of architecture as an art form and the importance of preserving cultural heritage. His work has been a major influence on Latin American architecture and continues to be studied and admired around the world.
James Stirling
Born in 1926 in Glasgow, Scotland, he studied architecture at Liverpool University. Early in his career, he worked in the architectural office of Le Corbusier in Paris, before establishing his own studio in London in the 1950s.
Stirling is known for his work in the Brutalism movement, which is characterized by the use of raw, unpolished building materials such as concrete. Among his most famous works are the Sackler Art Center at Harvard, the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and the Gallery of Modern Art in Stuttgart.
In 1981, Stirling received the Pritzker Prize for his contribution to contemporary architecture. He was also awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Order of Merit and was knighted by the Queen in 1981.
Throughout his career, Stirling was an advocate of experimentation and innovation in architecture, and his work has been a major influence on British and European architecture.
Kevin Roche
Born in 1922 in Dublin, Ireland, he studied architecture at the National University of Ireland. In 1948, he emigrated to the United States to work for Eero Saarinen’s architectural firm in Michigan, where he eventually became a partner.
Roche is known for his work on major corporate and cultural projects, including the General Motors Tower in New York, the Ford Center in Michigan and the Oakland Museum of Art in California. He also designed the expansion of the Metropolitan Center of Art in New York, for which he received the Pritzker Prize in 1982.
Throughout his career, Roche was recognized for his ability to create functional and elegant spaces that respond to the needs of their users, as well as for his commitment to sustainability and innovation. In 1993, he received the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal, one of the highest honors in the U.S. architectural profession.
Roche continued to work until shortly before his death in 2019, and his legacy continues to be a major influence on corporate and cultural architecture around the world.
Ieoh Ming Pei
Born in 1917 in Guangzhou, China, he studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States. In the 1950s, he began working at the architectural firm of William Zeckendorf in New York, where he eventually became a partner.
Pei is known for his work on a wide variety of projects, from corporate and cultural buildings to housing and urban planning projects. Among his most famous works are the East Tower of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Louvre Pyramid in Paris and the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong.
In 1983, Pei received the Pritzker Prize for his contribution to contemporary architecture. He also received the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1979 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992.
Throughout his career, Pei was an advocate for innovation and exploration in architecture, and his work has been a major influence on global architecture. Pei passed away in 2019, but his legacy continues to be celebrated and studied around the world.
Richard Meier
Born in 1934 in Newark, New Jersey, he studied architecture at Cornell University. In 1963, he founded his own architectural firm in New York, which became one of the most influential of its generation.
Meier is known for his work in the Modernism movement, which is characterized by the use of simple geometric forms and building materials such as glass and steel. Among his most famous works are the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and the Jubilee Church in Rome.
In 1984, Meier received the Pritzker Prize for his contribution to contemporary architecture. He also received the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1997 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.
Throughout his career, Meier has been an advocate for exploration and innovation in architecture, and his work has been a major influence on modern and contemporary architecture. Meier retired from his studio in 2018, but his legacy continues to be celebrated and studied around the world.
Hans Hollein
Born in 1934 in Vienna, Austria, he studied architecture at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. In the 1960s, he began working at Egon Eiermann’s architectural firm in Berlin, where he began to develop his own style of postmodern architecture.
Hollein is known for his work on a wide variety of projects, from corporate and cultural buildings to jewelry and interior design. Among his most famous works are the Abteiberg Museum in Mönchengladbach, the Viennese Restaurant in New York and Vienna International Airport.
In 1985, Hollein received the Pritzker Prize for his contribution to contemporary architecture. He also received the Gold Medal of the American Institute of Architects in 1990 and the Cross of Honor for Science and Art in 2003.
Throughout his career, Hollein was an advocate for exploration and innovation in architecture, and his work has been a major influence on postmodern and contemporary architecture. Hollein passed away in 2014, but his legacy continues to be celebrated and studied around the world.
Gottfried Bohm
He was born in 1920 in Offenbach am Main, Germany, and studied architecture at the Technical University of Munich and the University of Illinois in the United States. In 1951, he joined the firm of his father, Dominikus Bohm, who was also a well-known architect.
Bohm is known for his work on a wide variety of projects, from religious and cultural buildings to housing and urban planning projects. Among his most famous works are the Church of Mary, Queen of Peace in Neviges, the Church of St. John the Baptist in Colonia and the Bensberg Town Hall.
In 1986, Bohm received the Pritzker Prize for his contribution to contemporary architecture. He also received the Gold Medal of the American Institute of Architects in 1991.
Throughout his career, Bohm was an advocate for exploration and innovation in architecture, and his work has been a major influence on modern and contemporary architecture. Bohm passed away in 2021, but his legacy continues to be celebrated and studied around the world.
Kenzo Tange
He was born in 1913 in the city of Imabari, Japan, and studied architecture at the University of Tokyo. Tange is considered one of the most important architects of the 20th century in Japan and one of the main drivers of modern architecture in Asia.
Tange is known for his work on urban and monumental projects, including the master plan for the reconstruction of Hiroshima after World War II and the Tokyo Bay project, which transformed a large part of Tokyo’s waterfront.
Among his most famous works are the Tower of the Winds in Yokohama, the Japan Pavilion at Expo 1970 in Osaka and the Tokyo Convention Center.
In 1987, Tange received the Pritzker Prize for his contribution to contemporary architecture. He also received the Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1985 and the Gold Medal of the American Institute of Architects in 1987.
Throughout his career, Tange was an advocate for exploration and innovation in architecture, and his work has been a major influence on modern and contemporary architecture in Japan and around the world. Tange passed away in 2005, but his legacy continues to be celebrated and studied around the world.
Gordon Bunshaft
Born in 1909 in Buffalo, New York, he studied architecture at Harvard University and the American Academy in Rome. Bunshaft is known for his work on iconic projects in modern architecture, and his style was characterized by elegance and simplicity.
Among his most famous works are the Lever House in New York, the Hirshhorn Building in Washington D.C., the Vatican Bank Building in Rome, and the Beinecke Tower of Rare Books and Manuscripts at Yale University.
In 1988, Bunshaft received the Pritzker Prize for his contribution to contemporary architecture. He also received the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1979.
Bunshaft was a supporter of modern architecture and his legacy has been a major influence on contemporary architecture in the United States and around the world. Bunshaft passed away in 1990, but his work continues to be celebrated and studied for its innovation and contribution to modern architecture.
Oscar Niemeyer
Born in 1907 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he studied architecture at the National School of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro. Niemeyer is one of the most influential architects in modern Brazilian architecture and is known for his distinctive style and his use of curved and sinuous forms.
Among his most famous works are the headquarters of the French Communist Party in Paris, the Latin American Memorial building in Sao Paulo, and the United Nations headquarters in New York, designed together with Le Corbusier.
In 1988, Niemeyer received the Pritzker Prize for his contribution to contemporary architecture, and was also awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1998 and the Gold Medal of the American Institute of Architects in 1982.
Throughout his career, Niemeyer was a supporter of modern architecture and his work has been a major influence on Brazilian and Latin American architecture in general. Niemeyer passed away in 2012, but his legacy continues to be celebrated and studied around the world.
Frank Gehry
He was born in 1929 in Toronto, Canada, and studied architecture at the University of Southern California and Harvard University. Gehry is known for his unique architectural style, which is characterized by the use of curved, organic forms and unconventional materials.
Among his most famous works are the Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao in Spain, the Dancing House in Prague, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
In 1989, Gehry received the Pritzker Prize for his contribution to contemporary architecture, and he also received the Gold Medal from the American Institute of Architects in 1999.
Throughout his career, Gehry has been an advocate for innovation and experimentation in architecture and his work has been a major influence on contemporary architecture worldwide. Gehry remains active in his work and has continued to design iconic buildings around the world.
Aldo Rossi
Born in 1931 in Milan, Italy, Rossi studied architecture at the Politecnico di Milano. Rossi is known for his poetic and symbolic approach to architecture and his work is characterized by an exploration of the relationship between the city, architecture and memory.
Among his most famous works are the Teatro del Mondo in Venice, the Hotel Il Palazzo in Fukuoka, Japan, and the San Cataldo Cemetery in Modena, Italy.
In 1990, Rossi received the Pritzker Prize for his contribution to contemporary architecture, and he also received the Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1989 and the Gold Medal of the American Institute of Architects in 1991.
Throughout his career, Rossi was an advocate of rationalist architecture and his work has been a major influence on contemporary architecture in Italy and around the world. Rossi passed away in 1997, but his legacy continues to be celebrated and studied for his innovation and contribution to modern architecture.
Robert Venturi
He was born in 1925 in Philadelphia, USA, and studied architecture at Princeton University and the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice. Venturi is known for his postmodernist approach to architecture, characterized by the incorporation of historical and ornamental elements into contemporary designs.
Among his most famous works are the Vanna Venturi House in Philadelphia, the Frist Library in Princeton, New Jersey, and the Fire Station in Columbus, Indiana.
In 1991, Venturi received the Pritzker Prize for his contribution to contemporary architecture, and he also received the Gold Medal from the American Institute of Architects in 1992.
Throughout his career, Venturi was an advocate for diversity and complexity in architecture, and his work has been a major influence on postmodern architecture worldwide. Venturi passed away in 2018, but his legacy continues to be celebrated and studied for his innovation and contribution to modern architecture.
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