Tadao Ando

Born in Osaka. Taught himself architecture and set up Tadao Ando Architect & Associates in 1969. Among his well-known works are Rokko Housing, Church of the Light, Fabrica (Benetton art school), Pulitzer Arts Foundation, Chichu Art Museum, Omotesando Hills (Dojunkai Aoyama Apartment Rebuilding Plan), Punta della Dogana and Shanghai Poly Grand Theater. Received the AIJ (Architectural Institute of Japan) Prize in 1979 for Row House in Sumiyoshi, the Alvar Aalto Medal in 1985, Gold Medal of the Academy of Architecture of France in 1989, Japan Art Academy Prize in 1993, the Asahi Prize in 1995, the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1995, the Praemium Imperiale Award in 1996, AIA (American Institute of Architects) Gold Medal and the Kyoto Prize in 2002. Was chosen as Bunkakorosha (Person of Cultural Merits) in 2003. Given the UIA (International Union of Architects) Gold Medal and named Chevalier (Knight) in the National Order of the Legion of Honor in 2005, given the Distinguished Service Award for Environment Preservation from the Minister of Environment in 2006, the Gold Medal for Fine Arts from the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, the Shinpei Goto Award, and the Order of Culture in 2010, the Richard Neutra Award in 2012, the Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2013, and the Grande Ufficiale dell'Ordine della Stella d'Italia in 2015. In 2011, appointed as deputy chairman of the Reconstruction Design Council in Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake and as Committee Chairman of the Momo-Kaki Orphans Fund. Has taught as guest professor at Yale University, Columbia University and Harvard University. In 1997, became professor at the University of Tokyo and in 2003, its professor emeritus. Among books he has written are "Kenchiku o kataru (Talking about architecture)", "Rensen renpai (Losing many battles)", "Kenchikuka Ando Tadao (Architect Tadao Ando)", "Shigoto o tsukuru (Creating work)", "Tadao Ando Insight Guide: Ando Tadao to sonokioku (Tadao Ando and his memories)".

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