The prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize was awarded to David Chipperfield

Sir David Alan Chipperfield (photo: Tom Welsh)

Washington – The Pritzker Prize, the highest honor in the world of architecture, was awarded today to 69-year-old Brit David Chipperfield, known for the minimalism and elegance of his designs. The jury praised Chipperfield particularly for his timeless and modern style, which addresses the climate crisis, transforms social relations, and revitalizes cities.

Chipperfield stated that he was overwhelmed with emotion at receiving "this extraordinary honor. "I take this award as encouragement to continue focusing my attention not only on the essence of architecture and its meaning but also on how we as architects can contribute to solving existential challenges such as climate change and social inequality," Chipperfield said in a statement.

Procuratie Vecchie, realization 2017-22 (photo: Alessandra Chemollo)

Chipperfield, born in 1953 in London, is particularly known for the renovations of the Neues Museum in Berlin and the Procuratie Vecchie, the oldest of the three buildings lining St. Mark's Square in Venice. Chipperfield began his career in the 1970s. He had the opportunity to work in the offices of architectural stars Norman Foster and Richard Rogers. In 1984, he began working as a freelancer, with a breakthrough coming from the design of stores for Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake.

According to the jury, Chipperfield's buildings "always feature elegance, restraint, a sense of permanence, and refined details". "In an era of excessive commercialization, over-the-top design, and exaggeration, he is always able to achieve balance," the organizers of the Pritzker Prize stated.

Although Chipperfield firmly belongs to the architectural establishment, having won countless international competitions, served as curator of the Venice Biennale, and received the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) award, he has always felt like an outsider. "As a young architect, you had no chance in England in the 1980s," he told The Guardian. "We had Margaret Thatcher and Prince Charles, the twins of a negative attitude towards the architectural profession. My first three buildings were realized in Japan, followed by competitions in Italy and Germany. To be honest, that hasn't changed. I've been traveling ever since," he added.

Own house in Corrubedo (realization 2002)

Chipperfield now has about 250 employees spread across offices in London, Berlin, Milan, and Shanghai, but it seems that his heart truly lies in Corrubedo – a small fishing village in northwest Spain, where he owns several properties and operates a bar.

The Pritzker Architecture Prize was established in 1979 by entrepreneur Jay Pritzker and his wife Cindy. The award includes a bronze medallion and $100,000 (2.2 million Czech crowns). It is not awarded to firms or studios, but to individuals. If more than one is selected, it is because the jury perceives their work as inextricably linked. Last year, the winner was Burkina Faso architect Francis Kéré.