With over 300 architectural designs to his name, Tadao Ando is treated as a national treasure in his home country of Japan. Renowned for his work with concrete and light, his œuvre has received international recognition, including the UIA Gold Medal in 2005 and the Pritzker Prize in 1995. In an interview with the UIA / International Union of Architects, Ando explores design philosophy and creative process.
"I begin every project with a hand sketch. In this modern age of computers and technology, architects and designers must rely on their instincts and the power of the human imagination. Architecture is at a tipping point where humans are becoming less necessary in the design process. With the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning, it is only a matter of time before the entire process of architecture is mechanized. However, while standard, copy-paste architecture will be able to be produced quickly with little human supervision, spaces that inspire hope with physical and emotional depth cannot be constructed so easily. These types of spaces cannot be rationalized or quantified because they facilitate connection between human beings. Consciously or unconsciously, people will always have a desire to gather in these types of spaces." You can read the full interview with Gold Medalist Tadao Ando here.