2025 PRITZKER PRIZE AWARDED THIS YEAR TO CHINESE ARCHITECT LIU JIAKUN
Born in Chengdu in 1956, Jiakun grew up in a bustling city; he graduated from Chongqing Architecture and Engineering College
(now Chongqing University) in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in Architecture. He became one of the first university graduates tasked with
rebuilding the country during China's transitional period. However, the architect only realized years later that “the built environment could be used as a personal expression tool.” This awareness accelerated his career; Liu Jiakun established his own office in 1999 and began participating in more collaborative projects in China and
Europe.
His works, developed based on his experiences, are grounded in his understanding of reality and his respect for China's multilayered traditional history and intrinsic diversity. At the same time, he successfully establishes a perfect balance between architecture and nature, tradition and modernity. These
concepts do not hinder his awareness of human needs and the importance of public spaces.
Liu Jiakun's projects demonstrate that spaces can influence human behavior and create positive emotions. The public spaces he designs can offer benevolent atmospheres that allow for relaxation and collaborative production.
“Like my pursuit of narrative and poetic quality in design...”
Jiakun's holistic approach in his works keeps him away from any stylistic or aesthetic obligation. He simply listens to what the space, the natural landscape,
the existing urban fabric, and the needs of people require. The physical outcome becomes a whole that blends all of these with local traditions.