Liu Jiakun Awarded Pritzker Architecture Prize for Contributions to Public Space
Chinese architect Liu Jiakun receives the prestigious Pritzker Prize for designs prioritizing community and harmony in urban environments.
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Get StartedLiu also seeks to balance commercial imperatives with civic concerns.
Pritzker Prize goes to Liu Jiakun of China, an architect who celebrates lives of ordinary citizens
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In China’s era of architectural excess, Liu has instead quietly thrived by letting each site — and the history, nature and craft traditions surrounding it — shape his designs, not vice versa.
Pritzker Prize 2025: China’s Liu Jiakun awarded ‘Nobel of architecture’
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This multi-levelled landscape of leisure, culture and commerce, known as West Village, is the work of architect Liu Jiakun, who has been named as the recipient of this year’s Pritzker prize, the world’s highest accolade in architecture.
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Liu also applies this vocabulary to busy public spaces.
Chinese architect Liu Jiakun wins the 2025 Pritzker Prize
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Summary
Liu Jiakun has been awarded the 2025 Pritzker Architecture Prize for his dedication to creating public spaces that celebrate community in densely populated areas of China. Known for his projects like West Village in Chengdu and his innovative use of 'rebirth bricks' from earthquake debris, Liu emphasizes a methodology over a distinct visual style. He merges traditional architectural elements with modern technology, aiming to create sustainable, human-centered environments amidst China's rapid urbanization. Liu hopes his work serves both commercial needs and civic interests, maintaining balance in the built environment.
Perspectives
Liu Jiakun has been awarded the Pritzker Prize for his architecture that prioritizes human needs and community building over distinctive personal style.
His designs, such as the West Village in Chengdu, emphasize public spaces that integrate cultural, historical, and social dimensions, addressing urban density issues in China.
Liu aims to balance commercial needs with public space in urban areas, advocating for a harmonious relationship between architecture and nature.