British architect David Alan Chipperfield, known for renovating old buildings such as the New Berlin Museum, is the winner of the 2023 Pritzker Prize, the world's most important architecture award, the organization announced this Tuesday.
Civic architect, urban planner and activist, Sir David Alan Chipperfield is described by the organization as "subtle yet powerful, subdued yet elegant, he is a prolific architect who is radical in his restraint, demonstrating his reverence for history and culture while honoring the pre-existing built and natural environments, by reimagining the functionality and accessibility of new buildings, renovations and restorations through timeless modern design that addresses climate emergencies, transforms social relations and invigorates cities".
Among his most famous projects are the reconstruction of the Neues Museum in Berlin, the Extension of the Royal Academy of Arts in London, the Jumex Museum of Contemporary Art in Mexico City, the One Pancras Square Building in London, the Valentino Flagship Store in Milan and the James Simon Gallery in Berlin.
In reaction to the award, the architect said he was "overwhelmed" to receive this "extraordinary honor and to be associated with previous winners who have so inspired the profession".
Chipperfield further said "accepting this award as an incentive to continue to direct attention, not only to the content of architecture and its meaning, but also to the contribution we can make as architects to address the existential challenges of climate change and inequality Social".
The architect also recalled that architects can have "a more prominent and committed role in the creation, not only of a more beautiful world, but also of a fairer and more sustainable world. We must rise to this challenge and help to inspire the next generation to embrace this responsibility with vision and courage".
His works span more than four decades and range from civic, cultural and academic buildings to residential and urban planning across Asia, Europe and North America.
The international award was created in 1979 to annually reward a living architect for significant achievements in this discipline, and amounts to 100,000 dollars (about 93,800 euros).
Portuguese architects Álvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura were awarded the Pritzker in 1992 and 2011, respectively. Chaired this year by Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena, the jury also included Brazilian diplomat André Aranha Lago, professor of Art History Barry Bergdoll, architect Deborah Berke, jurist Stephen Breyer and architect Kazuyo Sejima, architect Benedetta Tagliabue, professor and architect Wang Shu, and the executive director of the award, curator Manuela Lucá-Dazio.
In 2022, the Pritzker Prize was awarded to the Burkina Faso architect Francis Kéré, who became the first African to win the award, and in 2021 the French architect duo Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal won.
In 2020, the Pritzker Prize was awarded to Irish architects Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, co-founders of the Grafton Architects office, the first female duo to win the award.
