Japanese architect Kengo Kuma has been chosen to receive the 2027 Andrée Putman Lifetime Achievement Award at the Créateurs Design Awards (CDA), recognizing a career that has made a lasting contribution to architecture and the built environment. The honor is one of two Legacy Awards presented by the Créateurs Design Association and celebrates designers and architects whose work has shaped the profession across generations and international contexts.
Kuma will officially receive the award during the 2027 CDA Awards Ceremony, scheduled to take place at the Shangri-La Paris on January 16, 2027. The recognition highlights more than three decades of architectural practice in which Kuma has developed a distinctive approach to the relationship between buildings, nature, materials, and cultural heritage.
From Tokyo Practice to Global Architecture
Born in Yokohama in 1954, Kuma established Kengo Kuma & Associates in Tokyo in 1990. The practice later expanded internationally, opening an office in Paris in 2008. Since its foundation, the studio has become known for architecture that frequently challenges the conventional boundary between the natural and built environments.
A recurring feature of Kuma’s work is his reinterpretation of Japanese architectural traditions through contemporary techniques and materials. Wood, stone, light, screens, and layered surfaces often play important roles in his projects, creating buildings that appear closely connected to their surroundings. Rather than simply reproducing traditional Japanese forms, Kuma frequently transforms historical ideas of materiality, craftsmanship, permeability, and harmony with nature into contemporary architectural expressions.
Architecture Beyond the Building
His international portfolio includes a wide range of cultural, civic, institutional, and transportation projects. Among his best-known works are the V&A Dundee museum in Scotland, FRAC Marseille in France, and the Cité des Arts et de la Culture in Besançon. His practice also contributed to the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo, developed for the 2020 Summer Olympics, while another major recent project is Saint-Denis Pleyel station in Paris, completed in 2024.
These projects demonstrate the geographical and functional breadth of Kuma’s practice. From museums and cultural institutions to major public infrastructure, his architecture consistently explores how buildings can respond to climate, landscape, local identity, and human experience. His approach has helped establish a recognizable architectural language that combines contemporary construction with references to Japanese spatial traditions.
Kuma’s career also extends beyond professional practice into education and research. He has served as a professor at the University of Tokyo since 2009 and has previously taught at institutions including Keio University, Columbia University, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This academic work has complemented his architectural practice by allowing him to investigate new materials, construction systems, environmental strategies, and approaches to contemporary design.
Over the years, Kuma has received numerous international distinctions for his contribution to architecture and design. His honors include the Wood Design Award and Global Award for Sustainable Architecture in 2016, followed by the Japan Art Academy Prize and Imperial Prize in 2024. In 2025, he received the Prix Versailles for Best Museum as well as the 38th Louis I. Kahn Award, further reflecting the international recognition of his work.
Named after celebrated French designer Andrée Putman, the Lifetime Achievement Award is determined by members of the Créateurs Design Association rather than through an open competition. Earlier recipients have included architects such as Norman Foster, Tadao Ando, and Christian de Portzamparc, placing Kuma within a distinguished group of internationally influential figures.
According to Yuri Xavier, Co-Founder of the Créateurs Design Awards, the selection acknowledges Kuma’s sustained investigation into the dialogue between architectural tradition and contemporary design. His work demonstrates how historical principles can be adapted rather than simply preserved, allowing cultural identity to remain relevant within rapidly changing architectural and technological contexts.
The announcement of Kuma as the 2027 recipient also coincides with the opening of submissions for the 2027 Créateurs Design Awards. Entries will be accepted from September 1 to October 31, 2026, with awards spanning 15 categories across architecture, interior design, product design, and art and culture.
Kuma’s selection therefore represents not only a celebration of an individual career but also recognition of an architectural philosophy that has connected tradition, innovation, and environmental sensitivity across continents.
