THE PRITZKER ARCHITECTURE PRIZE

is awarded annually to "honor a living architect 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."

Founded in 1979 by Jay A. Pritzker and his wife Cindy, the award is funded by

the Pritzker family and sponsored by the Hyatt Foundation and is considered to be one
of the world's premier architecture prizes;

it is often referred to as the Nobel Prize of architecture. The prize is said to be

awarded "irrespective of nationality, race, creed, or ideology."

The recipients receive US$100,000, a citation certificate, and since 1987, a bronze

medallion.
Page 1 of 12

The designs on the medal are inspired by the work of architect Louis Sullivan, while

the Latin inspired inscription on the reverse of the medallionfirmitas, utilitas,

venustas from Ancient Roman architect Vitruvius.

Before 1987, a limited edition Henry Moore sculpture accompanied the monetary

prize.

The Executive Director of the prize, as of 2009, Martha Thorne, solicits nominations

from a range of people, including past Laureates, academics, critics and others "with
expertise and interest in the field of architecture".

Any licensed architect can also make a personal application for the prize before 1

November every year. In 1988 Gordon Bunshaft nominated himself for the award and
eventually won it.
-

The jury, each year consisting of five to nine "experts ... recognized professionals in

their own fields of architecture, business, education, publishing, and culture", deliberate
early the following year before announcing the winner in spring.
Page 2 of 12

The present prize Chair is Lord Palumbo; earlier chairs were J. Carter Brown (1979

2002), and Lord Rothschild (200304).

-

Inaugural winner Philip Johnson was cited "for 50 years of imagination and vitality

embodied in a myriad of museums, theaters, libraries, houses, gardens and corporate

structures".
-

The 2004 laureate Zaha Hadid was the first female prize winner.

Ryue Nishizawa became the youngest winner in 2010 at age 44.

The 34th prize winners, Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, were cited for

"architecture that is simultaneously delicate and powerful, precise and fluid, ingenious
but not overly or overtly clever".

The most recent winner, in 2013, is Japanese architect Toyo Ito.

Page 3 of 12

Laureates
Year

Laureate

Nationality

1979

Philip Johnson

United
States

1980

Luis Barragn

Mexico

1981

Sir James Stirling

Photo

United
Kingdom

Example work (year

completed)

Ceremony
location

Glass
House (1949)

Dumbarton Oaks

Torres de
Satlite (1957)

Dumbarton Oaks

Seeley Historical National Building

Library (1968)
Museum

Page 4 of 12

Example work (year

completed)

Ceremony
location

Kevin Roche

United
States

Knights of
Columbus
Building(1969)

Art Institute of
Chicago

1983

Ieoh Ming Pei

United
States

National Gallery
of Art, East
Building (1978)

Metropolitan
Museum of Art

1984

Richard Meier

United
States

High Museum of
Art (1983)

National Gallery of
Art

1985

Hans Hollein

Austria

Abteiberg
Museum (1982)

The Huntington
Library

Year

1982

Laureate

Nationality

Photo

Page 5 of 12

Year

1986

1987

Laureate

Gottfried Bhm

Kenz Tange

1988

Gordon Bunshaft

1988

Oscar Niemeyer

Nationality

Photo

Example work (year

completed)

Ceremony
location

Christi
Worshipful
Auferstehung, Col Company of
ogne(1968)
Goldsmiths

West
Germany

Japan

United
States

Brazil

Page 6 of 12

St. Mary's
Cathedral,
Tokyo(1964)

Kimbell Art
Museum

Beinecke Rare
Book and
Manuscript
Library (1963)

Art Institute of
Chicago

Cathedral of
Braslia (1958)

Art Institute of
Chicago

Year

Laureate

Nationality

1989

Frank Gehry

Canada
United
States

1990

Aldo Rossi

1991

1992

1993

Robert Venturi

lvaro Siza Vieira

Fumihiko Maki

Photo

Example work (year

completed)

Ceremony
location

Walt Disney
Concert
Tdai-ji
Hall (19992003)

Italy

Bonnefanten
Museum (1990)

Palazzo Grassi

United
States

National Gallery
(London),
Sainsbury Wing
(1991)

Palacio de Iturbide

Portugal

Pavilion of
Portugal in
Expo'98(1998)

Harold
Washington
Library

Japan

Tokyo
Metropolitan
Prague Castle
Gymnasium(1991
Page 7 of 12

Year

Laureate

Nationality

Photo

Example work (year

completed)

Ceremony
location

)
1994

Christian de
Portzamparc

France

The
French Embassy,
Commons, Colum
Berlin (2003)
bus, Indiana
Palace of
Versailles

1995

Tadao Ando

Japan

Nagaragawa
Convention
Center(1995)

1996

Rafael Moneo

Spain

Kursaal
Palace (1999)

Getty Center

Norway

Norwegian
Glacier
Museum(1991)

Guggenheim
Museum Bilbao

Italy

Kansai
International
Airport(1994)

White House

1997

1998

Sverre Fehn

Renzo Piano

Page 8 of 12

Year

1999

Laureate

Norman Foster

Nationality

Photo

United
Kingdom

Example work (year

completed)

Ceremony
location

Millennium Bridge
Altes Museum
(London)(2000)

Casa da
Jerusalem
Msica, Porto (20 Archaeological
03)
Park

2000

Rem Koolhaas

2001

Herzog & de
Meuron

Switzerland

Tate
Modern (2000)

Monticello

2002

Glenn Murcutt

Australia

Berowra Waters
Inn (1983)

Michelangelo's Ca
mpidoglio

Netherlands

Page 9 of 12

Year

Laureate

Nationality

Photo

Example work (year

completed)

Ceremony
location

Sydney Opera
House (1973)

Royal Academy of
Fine Arts of Saint
Fernando

Zaha Hadid

Iraq
United
Kingdom

Bridge
Pavilion (2008)

Hermitage
Museum

2005

Thom Mayne

United
States

San Francisco
Federal
Building(2007)

Pritzker Pavilion,
Millennium Park

2006

Paulo Mendes da
Rocha

Saint Peter
Chapel, So
Paulo (1987)

Dolmabahe
Palace

2007

Richard Rogers

Lloyd's
building (1986)

Banqueting
House, Whitehall

2003

2004

Jrn Utzon

Denmark

Brazil

United
Kingdom
Page 10 of 12

Year

Laureate

2008

Jean Nouvel

2009

Peter Zumthor

2010

Kazuyo Sejima
and
Ryue
Nishizawa(SANAA)

2011

Eduardo Souto de
Moura

Nationality

Photo

Example work (year

completed)

Ceremony
location

France

Torre
Agbar (2005)

Library of
Congress

Switzerland

Therme
Vals (1996)

Legislative Palace
of the City Council,
Buenos Aires

Japan

21st Century
Museum of
Contemporary
Ellis Island
Art,
Kanazawa(2003)

Portugal

Estdio Municipal
de
Andrew W. Mellon
Braga,Braga (200 Auditorium
4)

Page 11 of 12

Year

2012

2013

Laureate

Wang Shu

Toyo Ito

Nationality

Photo

Example work (year

completed)

Ceremony
location

China

Ningbo
Great Hall of the
Museum, Ningbo
People, Beijing
(2008)

Japan

John F. Kennedy
Sendai
Presidential
Mediatheque, Se
Library and
ndai(2001)
Museum, Boston

Page 12 of 12