The Executive Director of the
Pritzker Prize, considered architecture’s Nobel, on redefining the relationship
between architecture and society
The
international architecture academic, curator and author talks about the future
of building and about the legendary Japanese architect, Arata Isozaki, winning
the Pritzker Prize this year.
Arata
Isozaki was recognised as a ‘visionary architect’ in the 80s when we were
students of architecture. How is his philosophy relevant to our times?
If
I were to convey the citation of the Pritzker Prize jury, there is a profound
underlying philosophy guiding Isozaki’s work and writings. It is not content
with categorisation, but a constant exploration to break the status quo. It is
a search for the relevance of architecture and its relationship to society at
large. It is both avant-garde and deeply humanistic.
The
challenge for countries like India and Japan, with ancient living traditions,
has been the confrontation with modernisation and technology. How does the
citation recognise this?
Isozaki
bridges the spirit of the East and West in a rare way. It is not through visual
caricatures but processes of contemplation. He has been engaged at many levels,
whether writing, teaching, exhibitions, conferences or diverse projects across
the world. He has been an architect actively immersed in this dialogue,
absorbing its challenges; not a passive spectator. The jury recognises the
value of that contribution.
Isozaki's
generosity in supporting younger architects is exemplary; not only from Japan
but from many other countries. He recognised a young radical Zaha Hadid. In the
80s, younger architects in Japan were given a chance to participate in
Isozaki’s initiatives. Even as he searches for theoretical underpinnings, he
never forgets the experience of its inhabitants, the local context, and
aspirations. When we see his works from the beginning (the museums), they
reveal a sensitivity to light, movement, and contemplation.
What
message does the Pritzker Prize seek to convey?
The
jury looks for a message that has relevance to the moment, the present — on the
meaning of architecture and possibilities for the future. The Pritzker is granted
for ‘the art of architecture’ and ‘service to humanity’. The jury reinterprets
these concepts each year. For instance, when Alejandro Aravena won (2016),
there were political and social discussions around the challenges of housing.
Last year, B.V. Doshi was recognised for a long career in architecture,
education, urbanisation, affordable housing and institution building. There is
so much to learn from India, a vast, old country, which is trying to find its
way in the 21st century. People sometimes say there is a ‘before’ and an
‘after’ for a person visiting India. I had this feeling.
For
someone born in the U.S. and living in Europe, the intensity of the feelings
one has during the first visit — and mine was to Jaipur — is unexpected. For
me, all was amplified in India — history, the energy I felt when walking in the
city, the colours, the conversations, food, the kindness of the people.
How
do you envision future directions?
I
think this is an important moment and has several new directions. Isozaki has
an understanding of a global shared reality. He is an international,
cosmopolitan figure, yet with an ability to connect to the personal. Globally,
there are many big challenges. The world appears to have become smaller on one
hand and yet more complex on the other. Jury chair Stephen Breyer talked about
the importance of dialogue across cultures — Isozaki as an exemplar of sharing
and learning, bridging East and West.
At
a time in history when many things divide us, Isozaki’s search for
communication and collaboration is something the jury recognised.
How
can students of architecture and design address these challenges?
That’s
a great question. As dean of a school here in Spain, I confront these issues
almost every day. I think Isozaki’s philosophy may convey to students ideas of
patience, curiosity, and study. Although we have lots of information on the
Internet that can be instantaneously transmitted, this deeper meditation, an
understanding of history, culture, philosophy — knowledge that is inherent in
architecture — is important. These are the building blocks and we can’t forget
them. They make architecture the heart of our society. Otherwise, it risks
becoming something banal or flashy. It is a challenge for students to slow
down, introspect, observe, and make connections across disciplines.
There
is a need to expand the role of an architect. Normally, design architects
receive the most recognition. In contrast, architects related to policy,
community projects, sustainability or housing often don’t receive recognition.
No other profession has such a broad range of knowledge and skills to make
multiple contributions to society. We have to expand that definition in our
education, bring that awareness into society. The structure of our profession
needs questioning since it has implications on the way we work.
What
structural changes could truly recognise the role of women in architecture?
The
recognition of women in architecture is a multi-pronged process. On the one
hand, our profession needs to change. Architects can get subsumed in practice,
leaving no space for family or a life outside work. Most often, women are
disadvantaged in this unfair comparison, since they have to look after family
and children. So we need to change how we structure our profession from the
inside. Offices can do this in a number of ways — flexible hours, humane hiring
policies, supportive teams.
The
contribution of women architects needs to be recognised. This can be done
through awards, conferences, lectures and competition juries. These public or
semi-public events need an equal representation of women, so people gradually
realise the significant difference they make to the profession, and to ways of
perceiving the world. Maybe it’s time to question these larger issues in architecture
in order to engage meaningfully with society.
The
writer is an architect, academician and world traveller.
