The Japan Art Association (JAA) has named French architect Dominique Perrault winner of the 2015 Praemium Imperiale International Arts Award. Lauded for his "wildly imaginative [or] abstractly minimal" designs, Perrault is known for masterfully blending innovative works with their context.
“Architecture should not be closed on itself, with its back to the context," says Perrault. "It should always be in resonance with the environment, whether natural or urban. We architects should always think about our buildings’ place in the urban design, and about the city itself as a whole.”
The prestigious global arts prize, now in its 27th year, recognizes "outstanding contributions to the development, promotion and progress of the arts" in the fields of architecture, painting, sculpture, music and theater/film. Perrault joins a small handful of architects who have received the award, including James Stirling, Tadao Ando, Alvaro Siza, Richard Rogers, Jean Nouvel, Toyo Ito, Zaha Hadid, Peter Zumthor, David Chipperfield, andJacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron.
All five 2015 Praemium Imperiale laureates include:
- Painting: Tadanori Yokoo (Japan)
- Sculpture: Wolfgang Laib (Germany)
- Architecture: Dominique Perrault (France)
- Music: Mitsuko Uchida (Japan/Britain)
- Theatre/Film: Sylvie Guillem (France)
Perrault will be awarded at a ceremony in Tokyo on October 21, 2015. Imperial Highness Prince Hitachi, honorary patron of the Japan Art Association, will present each Praemium Imperiale winner with a specially-designed gold medal, a testimonial letter and a 15 million yen (approximately $122,000) award.
