Balkrishna Doshi became the first Indian architect to win the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize 2018 since the prize was first awarded in 1979.
- The 90 years old Doshi will be presented the prize at Aga Khan Museum Toronto in Canada.
About Balkrishna Doshi
- Pune based Doshi is an alumnus of the JJ School of Architecture in Mumbai.
- He has worked with the legendary Le Corbusier in Paris in the 1950.
- He established his studio Vastu-Shilpa (environmental design) in 1955.
- He designed the campus of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad as well as IIMs in Bangalore and Lucknow, the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Tagore Memorial Hall, the Institute of Indology in Ahmedabad. He also designed Indore based Aranya Low Cost Housing development society.
- Known as an institution builder; He is the:
- First founder Director of the School of Architecture, Ahmedabad,
- First founder Director of the School of Planning,
- First founder Dean of the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (whose building he also designed),
- Founder member of the Visual Arts Centre, Ahmedabad
- First founder Director of the Kanoria Centre for Arts, Ahmedabad.
About Pritzker Architecture Prize
- Jay and Cindy Pritzker established the prize in 1979.
- The Pritzker Prize is awarded annually “to honor a living architect or architects whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.
- Their name is synonymous with Hyatt Hotels located throughout the world. Hence the prize is given by Pritzker family and Hyatt Foundation.
- The award consists of $100,000 (US) and a bronze medallion.
- The award is conferred on the laureate/s at a ceremony held at an architecturally significant site throughout the world.
- The architect Glass House, Philip Johnson was awarded the first Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1979.
