Arata Isozaki, renowned Japanese architec, has been named the 2019 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate.
The Hyatt Foundation gave the background to their decision, explaining that, even as he is one of the most influential figures in contemporary world architecture, he is on a constant search, not afraid to change and try new ideas. His architecture rests on a 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.…
Arata Isozaki, born in Ōita, Island of Kyushu, Japan, graduated from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Architecture in 1954, and worked in the office of Tange Kenzo. In 1963, he founded his own office and began his activities in earnest. At that time, there was a movement in Japan to wipe out the scars of World War II.
“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.”
In the beginning, he presented works such as Ōita Medical Hall (1960) and its Annex (1972), and Ōita Prefectural Library (1966). Through this, he was able to expand the scope of his work to Osaka and Tokyo while receiving much recognition in the field of architecture. During this period, he built his own architectural world that cannot be defined in only one style. Uncertain times throughout politics, economics and culture have become a driving force to make his architecture varied and ever-changing...
Ōita Prefectural Library, 1962-66, Ōita, Japan
Isozaki’s early career began with the postwar rebuilding of Japan in his hometown of Ōita on the island of Kyushu. Ōita Prefectural Library (renamed Ōita Art Plaza) was one of the architect’s first commissions and part of a larger plan that emphasized “growing architecture,” his theory that city planning should never remain static, but be intended for growth and evolution. An analogy with the human body was an inspiration for the organization of the building, which was realized mainly in exposed concrete and gives way to environments of lightness and darkness through skylights and windows.…
The Museum of Contemporary Art, 1981-86 Los Angeles California, USA
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles was the architect’s first international commission outside of his native Japan. Faced with a challenging site, the sunken red sandstone building is in purposeful contrast to the surrounding area’s high-rise buildings. The barrel-vaulted library and copper-clad pyramids are part of the three stories that are above ground, while visitors must descend downstairs to the underground galleries that comprise four subterranean floors.
Palau Sant Jordi, 1983-1990, Barcelona, Spain
Designed for the 1992 Summer Olympic Games, Palau Sant Jordi remains Barcelona’s largest covered sports facility. Situated on the Montjuïc hillside, the versatile structure is positioned partially below ground to minimize the profile of the 17,000-person facility. The massive domed roof, with its signature convex windows, was constructed on the ground and then elevated atop the building over a period of 20 days. Rising 148 feet above the arena floor, the roof encloses the generous interior space with a feeling of lightness. Local materials including brick, tile, zinc and travertine were used as finishes.
Ceramic Park Mino, 1996-2002, Gifu, Japan
This ceramics museum, which includes gallery spaces, conference halls, tea housesand a public workshop, is situated in a cascading valley. It preserves its surrounding vegetation while serving as an extension of the topography through outdoor terraces, observation decks and a glass curtain wall. Two light boxes that rise up from the building hint at what lies inside. Materials such as regional stoneware bricks and ceramic are used throughout, and pendulum-like structures and suspension pillars secure the galleries against the dangers of earthquakes, thus protecting the museum’s contents.
In the 1980s, his interest in an architecture that responds sensitively to local culture, environment and social needs expanded to the concept of “world architecture” with both locality and globality.
“I wanted to see the world through my own eyes, so I traveled around the globe at least ten times before I turned thirty. I wanted to feel the life of people in different places and visited extensively inside Japan, but also to the Islamic world, villages in the deep mountains of China, South East Asia, and metropolitan cities in the US I was trying to find any opportunities to do so, and through this, I kept questioning, ‘what is architecture?’,” recalls the Laureate.”
His buildings appear geometrically simple, but are infused with theory and purpose. The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (1981-1986 United States) was the architect’s first international commission. Though controversial and geographically challenging, the red sandstone building was resolved by Isozaki’s eloquent awareness of scale through an assemblage of volumes, while employing the golden ratio and a theory of yin and yang throughout, evoking the complementary nature of western and eastern relationships.
Tsukuba Center Building, 1979-83, Ibaraki, Japan
Tsukuba Center Building, located in one of the first postwar cities of Japan, is a civic center designed to evoke both ruins and reinvention. This complex is comprised of a concert hall, information center, hotel, restaurants and shopping—all of the facilities needed to give life to a new city. The focus of the project is a sunken plaza or “forum.” The façades facing the plaza display a variety of forms and are finished with contrasting materials such as sleek aluminum and concrete, rough and smooth granite, and polished and unpolished tile.…..
Kitakyushu Central Library, 1973-74, Fukuoka, Japan
The Kitakyushu Central Library was inspired by Étienne-Louis Boullée’s proposed design for the French National Library (1785). Izosaki realized a modern interpretation of the neoclassical vaulted ceilings through precast concrete. The building’s two large barrel vaults, which run parallel prior to curving separately, contrast with the rectangular windows that line the exterior.
Art Tower Mito, 1986-90, Ibaraki, Japan
Commissioned to celebrate the centennial of Mito, Art Tower Mito was built as a cultural complex consisting of a theater, performance hall and contemporary art gallery. The iconic tetrahelix tower was inspired by Constantin Brancusi’s Endless Column (1938), and is comprised of fifty-six triangular panels in varying orientations...
Nara Centennial Hall, 1992-1998, Nara, Japan
The Nara Centennial Hall, the object of an international competition won by Isozaki, was completed for the centennial of the municipality and eloquently combines past, present and future. Taking into account location, site and orientation, the building is designed as an independent monolith. The design also honors the nearby and prominent Todaiji Temple (734 AD) through its sloping form and gray ceramic tile. The building interiors were designed to be versatile, changing to accommodate a range of events, conventions and conferences.
Domus: La Casa del Hombre, 1993-1995, A Coruña, Spain
This interactive science museum, dedicated to the exploration of humankind, sits overlooking Orzan Bay on a site that was once a quarry. The seaside-facing exterior forms a curved protective wall, resembling a windsail or a shell, that is clad in slate panels. The opposite exterior wall, composed of local granite, zig-zags similarly to a folding screen.
Qatar National Convention Center, 2004-2011, Doha, Qatar
As one of the largest exhibition centers in the Middle East, the Qatar National Convention Center can accommodate up to 10,000 people within its three main halls and flexible meeting spaces. The exterior evokes two trees—inspired by Sidrat al-Muntaha, a holy Islamic tree that symbolizes the end of the seventh heaven—which surround the glass façade and support the roof canopy. Using careful design and the latest techniques in water conservation and energy efficiency, the building has achieved exemplary results in terms of sustainability.
Efforts for building across the East and West, across the ages, and across disciplines continue in other works.
Ceramic Park Mino (1996-2002 Gifu, Japan), a ceramics museum situated in a cascading valley, preserves surrounding vegetation while serving as an extension of the topography through outdoor terraces, observation decks and overlooks, detailed with regional stoneware bricks and ceramic. Palau Sant Jordi (1983-1990 Barcelona, Spain) is positioned partially below ground to minimize the profile of the 17,000-person facility and instead highlight the surrounding Montjuïc hillside. The domed roof was built referencing Catalan vault techniques, while the sloped forms were inspired by those of Buddhist temples, and local materials including brick, tile, zinc and travertine were used as finishes.
Shanghai Symphony Hall, 2008-2014, Shanghai, China
The 2014 opening of Shanghai Symphony Hall celebrated the 135th anniversary of Asia’s oldest orchestra, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. In collaboration with acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota, the two halls seat 1200 and 400 guests respectively, each achieving an intimate aural balance for users through the use of latest technology and sensitive materials. Located in the heart of Shanghai’s French Concession, the performance art building sits on springs to offset the vibrations from the subway tracks below. The interior features reflector boards covered in woven bamboo and stage floors fabricated from Hokkaido cypress, while terra cotta bricks and a Chinese garden highlight the exterior of the building.
Isozaki’s work has thus far surpassed six decades and over one hundred built works throughout Asia, Europe, North America, the Middle East and Australia. Other prominent works include the Kitakyushu City Museum of Art (1972-1974 Fukuoka, Japan), Tsukuba Center Building, (1979-1983 Ibaraki, Japan), Art Tower Mito (1986-1990 Ibaraki, Japan), Nara Centennial Hall (1992-1998 Nara, Japan), Pala Alpitour (2002-2006 Torino, Italy), Himalayas Center (2003-2013 Shanghai, China), Allianz Tower (2003-2014 Milan, Italy), Qatar National Convention Center (2004-2011 Doha, Qatar), and Shanghai Symphony Hall (2008-2014 Shanghai, China).
Lucerne Festival Ark Nova (designed by Anish Kapoor and Arata Isozaki)
(2011-2013, 2014) Miyagi, Japan / (2015) Fukushima, Japan / (2017) Tokyo, Japan
Ark Nova, or “new ark,” was commissioned by the Lucerne Festival and designed by Anish Kapoor and Isozaki as a response to natural disaster. The PVC-coated polyester membrane of the orb-like structure inflates and deflates quickly, allowing this concert hall to be transported from one location to another, originally touring areas that were affected by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. The inflatable mobile performance venue can showcase a range of performing arts for audiences of up to 500 guests, and has become a symbol of the spirit of rebuilding.
The 2019 Jury Citation states: “Possessing a profound knowledge of architectural history and theory, and embracing the avant-garde, he never merely replicated the status quo, but his search for meaningful architecture was reflected in his buildings that to this day, defy stylistic categorizations, are constantly evolving, and always fresh in their approach.”
Isozaki is the 46th Laureate of the Pritzker Prize, and the eighth to hail from Japan. The 2019 Pritzker Prize ceremony will take place in France this May, accompanied by a public lecture in Paris.
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