balkrishna doshi awarded 2018 pritzker prize

indian architect balkrishna doshi has been selected as the 2018 pritzker architecture prize laureate — the award that is often referred to as architecture’s highest honor. as an architect, urban planner, and educator for the past 70 years, doshi has been instrumental in shaping the discourse of design and architecture throughout india and internationally.

indian institute of management, bangalore, india, 1977-1992
image courtesy of VSF, and the pritzker architecture prize

the work of balkrishna doshi, who is also known as B. V. doshi, is heavily influenced by masters of 20th-century architecture — including le corbusier and louis khan. according to the pritzker prize jury, doshi has been able to interpret architecture and transform it into built works that respect eastern culture, while enhancing the quality of living in india. the panel praised his ethical and personal approach, which has touched lives of every socio-economic class across a broad spectrum of genres since the 1950s.

indian institute of management, bangalore, india, 1977-1992
image courtesy of VSF, and the pritzker architecture prize

‘my works are an extension of my life, philosophy and dreams trying to create treasury of the architectural spirit,’ says balkrishna doshi. ‘I owe this prestigious prize to my guru, le corbusier. his teachings led me to question identity and compelled me to discover new regionally adopted contemporary expression for a sustainable holistic habitat. with all my humility and gratefulness I want to thank the pritzker jury for this deeply touching and rewarding recognition of my work. this reaffirms my belief that, ‘life celebrates when lifestyle and architecture fuse’.’

indian institute of management, bangalore, india, 1977-1992
image courtesy of VSF, and the pritzker architecture prize

doshi’s architecture explores the relationships between fundamental needs of human life, connectivity to self and culture, and understanding of social traditions, within the context of a place and its environment, and through a response to modernism. doshi describes architecture as an extension of the body, and he seeks to appropriately use materials that address function, while considering climate, landscape, and urbanization.

sangath architect’s studio, ahmedabad, india, 1980
image courtesy of VSF, and the pritzker architecture prize

‘over the years, balkrishna doshi has always created an architecture that is serious, never flashy or a follower of trends,’ the 2018 jury citation states. ‘with a deep sense of responsibility and a desire to contribute to his country and its people through high quality, authentic architecture, he has created projects for public administrations and utilities, educational and cultural institutions, and residences for private clients, among others. doshi is acutely aware of the context in which his buildings are located. his solutions take into account the social, environmental and economic dimensions, and therefore his architecture is totally engaged with sustainability.’

centre for environmental planning and technology, ahmedabad, india, 1966–2012
image courtesy of VSF, and the pritzker architecture prize

doshi is the 45th pritzker prize laureate, and the first to hail from india. the 2018 ceremony commemorates the 40th anniversary of the accolade, and will take place at the aga khan museum in toronto, canada, in may. doshi will present a public lecture, in partnership with the john h. daniels faculty of architecture, landscape, and design at the university of toronto on may 16, 2018. see designboom’s previous coverage of the pritzker prize here.

institute of indology, ahmedabad, india, 1962
image courtesy of VSF, and the pritzker architecture prize