Just recently, the 2019 Pritzker Architecture Prize was awarded to Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. In the architecture field, the Pritzker Architecture Prize is often referred to as the "Nobel prize of architecture."
Isozaki is an 87-year-old Japanese architect who has left his indelible imprint on different cities across the globe.
Some of the most notable works done by the award-winning Japanese architect include the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the inflatable Ark Nova Concert hall in Japan. He is also behind the 700-foot skyscraper in Milan and an Olympic sports venue in Barcelona.
The work of Isozaki is known for bending genres and styles as it spans through continents and time periods.
On March 5, the Japanese architect was awarded the highly coveted prize as the jury regarded his work as constantly evolving with an approach that is always fresh.
In 1974, the Kitakyushu Museum of Art located in Kitakyushu, Japan was opened to the public. This work of Isozaki is a building with horizontal columns at the top of the structure which resembles a pair of binoculars. The said building gives accent to its terrain as it sits atop a hill.
The Japanese architect also built the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles which rivals the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. MoMA's darkrooms depend on artificial light, while The Museum of Contemporary Art in LA features natural light from glass skylights.
The art Tower Mito was opened in 1990 in celebration of the centennial anniversary of the Japanese city of Mito. The tower, designed to resemble a helix, is divided into three sections, namely the concert hall, a theater, and a contemporary art gallery.
Spain's largest outdoor arena, Palau Sant Jordi, is also one of the buildings designed by Isozaki. The said outdoor arena hosted the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona where it held events such as volleyball, handball, and gymnastics. Currently, the building serves as a concert venue and a sports arena.
Another building in Spain designed by the Japanese architect is the massive slate wall shaped like a sail, called the Domus Science Museum in Galicia. For this project, Isozaki designed the museum alongside Spanish architect César Portela. This building, which is reportedly Isozaki's favorite design, was originally named Casa Del Hombre, or "house of man."
