Arata Isozaki, winner of the 2019 Pritzker Prize. Photography: courtesy of the Pritzker Architecture Prize.
The Pritzker Prize, initiated as an annual award in 1979, has long been recognized as the world’s highest honor for architecture. The Pritzker’s international juries have an impressive record of identifying designers whose work would be admired and treasured for decades – possibly centuries. As a veteran design journalist, I’ve been involved in press coverage of the Pritzker for all but a few of its 41 years.
Over these decades, the Pritzker honorees have varied widely in age, from winners in their mid-40s on – the majority in the 50s and early 60s that are the high points of architectural careers. This year’s choice, Arata Isozaki of Japan, is in the much older “it’s about time” category.
Isozaki was born in 1931, and by the mid-1960s he had produced works in Japan that gained worldwide attention. By the 1980s, he was winning design commissions in other countries, eventually completing prominent works in the U.S., Spain, Italy, Australia, Qatar, and China, continuing his international practice up to the present.
While Isozaki has pursued such a stellar career, the Pritzker Prize has been awarded to seven other Japanese architects, starting with the revered Kenzo Tange in 1987. Isozaki had the good fortune to work in Tange’s office after his 1954 graduation from Tokyo University. In the years since, the Pritzker has been won by his contemporary Fumihiko Maki in 1993, by the decade younger Tadao Ando in 1995 and Toyo Ito in 2013, and by the several decades younger partners Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa in 2010 and Shigeru Ban in 2014.
Why has it taken so long for the Pritzker jury to honor Isozaki? The factor behind their reluctance seems to be the notably variable design character of his works – the impossibility of identifying an Isozaki style.
In praising his accomplishments, this year’s Jury Citation states: “In his search for meaningful architecture, he created great buildings that to this day defy categorizations, are constantly evolving.” It observes, as well, that Isozaki’s design approach is “fluid, adjusting in response to the needs and influences of each environment” through “solutions that reflect deep sensitivity to specific contextual, environmental and societal needs.” His work has been hard to pin down.
There are very specific aspects of Isozaki’s life that led to the design variety visible in his works. Born in Oita on the island of Kyushu, he saw that city destroyed by Allied bombing during his World War II childhood. And just across the Inland Sea from it, the larger city of Hiroshima was vaporized in mere seconds when he was 14. In the postwar period that he experienced as one of “political, economic, and cultural uncertainty” he recalls: “Change became constant. Paradoxically, this came to be my own style.” He also made a point of traveling extensively during his early years, becoming deeply impressed with the inherent variety of design worldwide – as he prepared himself to undertake work worldwide.
Founding his own office in 1963, he began to build locally, in Oita, and within a few years was completing buildings in other Japanese cities, as well as a Festival Plaza for Expo ’70 in Osaka. His first overseas commission was for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and he has been remarkably skillful at design landmarks wherever he wins commissions.
Isozaki’s key works, among his more than 100 projects, include:
>Oita Prefectural Library (1966), Oita, Japan
Ōita Prefectural Library. 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. Photo: courtesy of Yasuhiro IshimotoSection perspective, Ōita Prefectural Library. 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. Photo: courtesy of Arata Isozaki and Associates
>Museum of Modern Art (1974), Gunma, Japan
The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma, was the first of Isozaki’s museum commissions, and is based on the architect’s concept of the “art gallery as void.” It is comprised of a system of cubes that form a primary rectangular backbone with two projecting wings. The concept of the cube extends to interior spaces such as the lobby and galleries, as well as exterior areas including the reflecting pool. Photo: courtesy of Yasuhiro IshimotoEntrance Hall at MoMA Gunma. The museum has since been extended to accommodate a restaurant (1994) and contemporary art gallery (1997), all of which continue the original geometric approach. Photo: courtesy of Yasuhiro Ishimoto
>Kitakyushu Central Library (1974), Fukuoka, Japan
Kitakyushu Central Library. The building’s two large barrel vaults, which run parallel prior to curving separately, contrast with the rectangular windows that line the exterior. Photo courtesy of Yasuhiro Ishimoto
>Tsukuba Center Building (1983), Ibaraki, Japan, multipurpose civic center for an academic new town near Tokyo, his venture into Postmodernism
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 comprises 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.” Photo: courtesy of Yasuhiro IshimotoHotel Lobby at Tsukaba Center Building. 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. Photo: courtesy of Yasuhiro Ishimoto
>Museum of Contemporary Art (1986), Los Angeles, CA, a relatively modest component of the growing arts district, later joined by nearby Disney Concert Hall by Gehry and Broad Museum by Diller & Scofidio
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. Photo: courtesy of Yasuhiro Ishimoto: Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. 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. Photo: courtesy of Yasuhiro Ishimoto
>Art Tower Mito (1990), Ibaraki, Japan, arts center including concert hall, theater, and gallery, marked by 100-meter metal-clad tower
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. Photo: courtesy of Yasuhiro IshimotoArt Tower Mito, exterior of gallery. The iconic tetrahelix tower was inspired by Constantin Brancusi’s Endless Column (1938), and is comprised of 56 triangular panels in varying orientations. Photo: courtesy of Yasuhiro Ishimoto
>Palau Sant Jordi (1990), indoor arena for the 1992 Summer Olympics, 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. Photo: courtesy of Hisao SuzukiPalau Sant Jordi. 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. Photo: courtesy of Hisao Suzuki
>Team Disney office building (1990), Orlando, FL, noted for its conical central courtyard, doubling as a multistory sundial
>Auditorium, Brooklyn Museum (1992), Brooklyn, NY, component of an expansion plan designed jointly with Polshek Partnership
>Domus, La Casa del Hombre (1995), La Coruña, Spain, a science museum
Domus: La Casa del Hombre. 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. Photo: courtesy of Hisao SuzukiDomus: La Casa del Hombre. Photo: courtesy of Hisao SuzukiDomus: La Casa del Hombre. Photo: courtesy of Hisao Suzuki
>Nara Centennial Hall (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. Photo: courtesy of Hisao SuzukiNara Centennial Hall. 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. Photo: courtesy of Hisao Suzuki
>Ceramic Park Mino (2003), Gifu, Japan, demonstrating a regional product
>Pala Alpitour (2005), Turin, Italy, ice hockey stadium for the 2006 Winter Olympics
Pala Alpitour, aerial view from the north. Originally designed for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, the 12,000-person capacity stadium was developed from the concept of “invisible architecture.” The building remains sensitive to its surrounding context, as two of its four stories are sunken underground so that the overall height complements that of the neighboring 1934 World Cup stadium. Photo: courtesy of Alessandra ChemolloPala Alpitour. On the outside, stainless steel and glass compose the exterior, creating a glow throughout the day and night. On the inside, adaptable features such as retractable bleachers and a moveable deck allow for the evolution of the space to accommodate other sporting events, concerts and conventions. Photo: courtesy of Hisao Suzuki
>Shenzhen Cultural Center (2007), Shenzhen, China
>Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum (2008), Beijing, China
>Zendai Himalayas Center (2010), Shanghai, China
>Qatar National Convention Center (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. Photo: courtesy of Hisao SuzukiQatar National Convention Center. Using careful design and the latest techniques in water conservation and energy efficiency, the building has achieved exemplary results in terms of sustainability. Photo: courtesy of Hisao Suzuki
>Lucerne Festival Ark Nova (2013), movable, inflatable event structure designed with sculptor Anish Kapoor, Miyagi Prefecture, 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. Photo: courtesy of Iwan Baan
>Allianz office tower (2014), Milan, Italy
Allianz Tower is one of the tallest skyscrapers in Italy and serves as a new landmark for the city of Milan. The narrow stature of the 50-stories tall building emphasizes its verticality. The exterior triple glass curtain wall is curved in billowing six-floor sections to diminish the reflection of the sun, while showcasing the natural light that illuminates the building. This vertical succession of rounded forms creates a feeling of slight movement as the building arises. Photo: courtesy of Alessandra ChemolloAllianz Tower. Four exterior buttresses, accentuated in gold, counter oscillations, while a versatile interior structure allows for flexible office spaces. Photo: courtesy of Alessandra Chemollo
>Shanghai Symphony Hall (2014), Shanghai, China
The 2014 opening of Shanghai Symphony Hall celebrated the 135th anniversary of Asia’s oldest orchestra, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. Photo: courtesy of Chen HaoShanghai Symphony Hall. 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. Photo: courtesy of Chen HaoShanghai Symphony Hall. 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. Photo: courtesy of Chen Hao
>Hunan Provincial Museum (2017), Changsha, China
The Pritzker Prize is sponsored by the Hyatt Foundation and takes its name from the Pritzker family, whose international business interests, which include the Hyatt Hotels, are headquartered in Chicago. Pritzker laureates receive a bronze medal and a grant of $100,000. Members of its evolving eight-member jury represent a variety of professions, each agreeing to serve for a minimum of three years.
This year’s jury includes past Pritzker laureates Richard Rogers of England, Kazuyo Sejima of Japan, and Wang Shu of China, and is chaired by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. The award ceremony is held each year at a landmark site of worldwide significance, and this year’s will be presented in May at the Palace of Versailles in France.