The Pritzker Architecture Prize, established in 1979 by the Hyatt Foundation through the initiative of Jay A. Pritzker and his wife Cindy Pritzker, is an international award presented annually to a living architect or architects. Regarded as the highest honor in the field of architecture, the prize is often referred to as the “Nobel of architecture.”

History

The Pritzker Architecture Prize was founded in 1979 in Chicago by the Hyatt Foundation through the efforts of Jay A. Pritzker and Cindy Pritzker. The first award was given that same year to Philip Johnson. During the 1980s, figures such as Luis Barragán, James Stirling, Kevin Roche, and Richard Meier were among the early laureates. This period was noted for its strong Western focus in the selection process. In 1988, the joint recognition of Gordon Bunshaft and Oscar Niemeyer, and in 1991, the exclusion of Denise Scott Brown despite Robert Venturi’s selection, stood out as some of the more controversial moments in the prize’s history.

From the 1990s onward, geographical diversity increased, and architects from different cultural contexts began to be considered. In 2004, the awarding of Zaha Hadid marked an important milestone as she became the first female architect to be recognized in the history of the prize.

In the 2000s and 2010s, laureates included Jean Nouvel, Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, Wang Shu, Toyo Ito, Balkrishna Doshi, and Diébédo Francis Kéré. In 2025, with the selection of Liu Jiakun, China produced its second laureate following Wang Shu.

Purpose

The primary aim of the Pritzker Architecture Prize is to recognize and honor living architects for their contributions to the built environment and to humanity. The award does not adhere to any specific style or architectural type; rather, it evaluates works across different geographies based on consistency, creativity, and the ability to generate social value. Emphasis is placed on the artistic dimension of architecture as well as its social, cultural, and human aspects.

Each year, the laureate—or laureates—are evaluated based on the entirety of their career achievements. The award acknowledges not a single building, but the long-term contributions and values an architect has offered to humanity through architecture.

The Prize and Ceremony

Each year, the Pritzker Architecture Prize is presented to the laureate or laureates along with a monetary award of $100,000 and a bronze medallion based on the designs of Louis Sullivan. Until 1987, recipients were given limited-edition Henry Moore sculptures, after which the medallion became the symbol of the prize.

On one side of the medallion appears the name of the award, while the other side features Vitruvius’s famous architectural principles: “firmness, commodity and delight.”

^{Medallion (The Pritzker Architecture Prize)}

The award ceremony is held each year in a building of architectural significance. The venue is selected prior to the announcement of the laureate, and therefore it is not directly tied to the identity of the recipient. The ceremony takes place in the presence of invited guests, and the program typically includes an opening address by a representative of the host country, remarks from the jury chair, the presentation of the award by Tom Pritzker, and an acceptance speech by the laureate.

Since the 2000s, the ceremonies have been opened not only to invited attendees but also to international audiences through digital video content.

Jury

The jury of the Pritzker Architecture Prize is reconstituted annually as an independent body, with members drawn from diverse fields such as architecture, art, culture, politics, and law. Composed of distinguished figures who shape architecture on a global scale, the jury upholds the prestige of the award. Its role is to identify, among the candidates, the architect or architects whose work best embodies the purpose of the prize.

Past jury members have included figures such as Philip Johnson, Lord Palumbo, Juhani Pallasmaa, Jorge Silvetti, Rolf Fehlbaum, and Martha Thorne. Current members include Alejandro Aravena (jury chair, 2016 laureate), Barry Bergdoll, Deborah Berke, Stephen Breyer, André Aranha Corrêa do Lago, Anne Lacaton (2017 laureate), Hashim Sarkis, and Kazuyo Sejima (2010 laureate). The executive director is Manuela Lucá-Dazio.

Throughout the year, the jury reviews nomination files, conducts site visits when necessary, and determines the laureate through collective deliberation. This process ensures that the award is not bound to any specific style or geography, and that the diversity of architectural practice is evaluated through objective criteria.

Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureates (1979–2025)