The 2006 Pritzker Prize was awarded to Paulo Mendes da Rocha.
more info. in the full post
Mendes da Rocha, Paulo (Archias)
(b Vitória, Espirito Santo, 25 Oct 1928). Brazilian architect. He graduated in architecture in 1954 from Mackenzie University, São Paulo, one of a new generation of professionals from the newly created, autonomous architecture faculties that replaced the specialist courses in engineering schools. He entered private practice in São Paulo in 1955, and in 1957 he won a competition for the Paulistano Athletics Club, São Paulo. His design incorporated an ingenious structural system and a dramatic trussed roof; it also won a prize at the 1961 Biennale in São Paulo.
In 1961 he was invited by João B. Vilanova Artigas, one of the runners-up in the competition for the athletics club, to lecture at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at the University of São Paulo; he was dismissed by the military government in 1969 because of his political views. His architecture was increasingly influenced by Brutalism; the influence of Artigas was particularly evident in his early designs, although he also admired Oscar Niemeyer and Affonso Eduardo Reidy.
His affinity with Artigas can be seen in his ability to create imaginative and unexpected spatial solutions from architectural briefs. 
Paulo Mendes Da Rocha: Bauten Und Projekte/Works and Projects
Other buildings resulting from prizewinning competition entries include the Jockey Club (1963), Goiânia, and the Brazilian Pavilion (1970; with Flavio Motta, Julio Katinsky and Ruy Ohtake) at Expo’ 70 in Osaka, Japan, and in 1971 he was placed in the international competition for the design of the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris. During the 1960s and 1970s, frequently working with others, he completed several schools and housing estates, office buildings such as the Municipal Insurance Headquarters (1975) in the new administrative centre of São Paulo, cultural buildings such as the Museu de Arte Contemporânea (1975; with Jorge Wilheim) at the University of São Paulo, and university buildings such as those (1977) at Rondonôpolis, Mato Grosso.
In 2000 he received the Mies Van der Rohe prize for the renovation of the Museum of Beaux Arts of the Pinacoteca of São Paulo.
images of the Brazilian Museum of Sculpture 1 and 2
Here is a poorly translated write up of the museum
More on Mendes da Rocha in News
10 Comments
exciting.
reminds me of sverre fehn a couple of years ago. he was a favorite of mine, but a kind of sleeper, under-the-radar pick. everybody said 'who?!'.
this time i get to discover someone new!
NPR had a story on Paolo this morning and they have some photos of his work.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5331826
No-one has linked to the official site yet.
the official site has quite an extensive showing of his work (pdf)
http://www.pritzkerprize.com/2006/pdf/photobook.pdf
That is a great surprise choice. Makes up a bit for last years marketing ploy.
And why does his work look like it is so new?
or has everyone from rem to zaha to Maya shapemakers been using his book as "inspiration?"
thanks Theo and simples
that PDF is nice
and his work is amazing.
and I predict he will start a fashion revolution: look for every hipster architect to ditch the corbu glasses and start wearing black mechanics overalls.
I think, Pritzker made a point to reward & promote all not-that-well-known architects that have been consistent to their theories for +50 years without compromising their pure theory, concept, idea in the professional practice. Refreshing news! Always a surprise! We all learn and admire the conviction & legacy!
i met paolo when participating in a foreign studio in brazil in 2000. a very intelligent man whose life long passion has been studying architecture. he works in a tiny office with just a few people usually (sometimes contracting out workers from other firms in sao paolo). he does everything the old fashioned way, sketches, cardboard models, and drawings on trace. not a lot of flash in his presentation, just incredible spaces. a great choice! pleasantly surprised
jklmnop
jolly good show ...
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