The annual Pritzker Architecture Prize was awarded to Liu Jiakun of China, who was honoured for “supporting architecture that celebrates the lives of ordinary people,” organisers said.
Liu, 68, became the 54th recipient of the award, which is considered the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in architecture.
In an interview at his office in Chengdu, located in the southwestern province of Sichuan, the architect said he has a simple definition of his profession: “To put it simply, the job of architects is to create the best living environment for people.”
“First of all, your task is to make something functional. But if it is only functional, it cannot be called architecture. So you must bring in an element of poetry.”
Liu is known for his work on creating public spaces in overcrowded cities where public spaces are scarce, “establishing a positive relationship between population density and open environment,” as the Pritzker Commission’s report puts it.
The architect “supports the transcendent power of the built environment by harmonizing cultural, historical, emotional and social aspects, using architecture to build community, awaken compassion and elevate the human spirit,” the statement said.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
