Japanese architect Shigeru Ban won the 2014 Pritzker Architecture Prize in March. He is the second Japanese architect in a row, after Toyo Ito, to win. To mark the occasion, NHK WORLD TV’s “J-Architect” in April features the two laureates.
J-Architect – Shigeru Ban
Shigeru Ban has won the 2014 Pritzker Architecture Prize. While known for innovative architecture, such as the Centre Pompidou-Metz, since the 1990’s he has also devised a model of temporary architecture for disaster victims worldwide. His system of using cardboard tubes of recycled paper has been lauded for being inexpensive and quick to assemble. In the summer of 2013 he used these tubes to erect a temporary church in Christchurch, New Zealand. 30 April, 28 minutes
J-Architect – Toyo Ito
Toyo Ito claimed 2013 Pritzker Architecture Prize. He graduated from the University of Tokyo’s Department of Architecture in 1965 and established his own firm in 1971. Known for his iconoclastic buildings such as the Sendai Mediatheque and TOD’S in Tokyo, he is recently making headlines with new works, such as National Taiwan University and Taichung Metropolitan Opera House. 23 April, 28 minutes
(Source: Press release)