Shigeru Ban was named the 35th Laureate of the prestigious Praemium Imperiale for Architecture. Founded in 1988 by the Japan Art Association, the annual award honors outstanding contributions in Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Music, and Theatre/Film.
Born in Tokyo in 1957, Ban had a very early interest in carpentry and thus sensitively approached the notion of architecture with great regard for materials such as wood. He studied architecture at the Southern California Institute of Architecture prior to later attending Cooper Union’s School of Architecture in New York, where he drew from well-recognized individuals such as John Hejduk.
Ban is also famous not only for his unique style of architecture but also for being a pioneer in using different materials and for his commitment to humanitarian work. His innovative designs have made temporary housing possible for communities struck by disasters across the globe through buildings such as the Paper Log House. “I design houses and public buildings, but disaster relief is my life’s work,” says Ban, citing the very core of his architectural career.
This acknowledgment underlines the lasting mark Shigeru Ban has left on both the architectural world and global humanitarian efforts.
