Prolific, self-taught, and Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando has been announced today as the recipient of the Andrée Putman Lifetime Achievement award. The recognition is presented by the Créateurs Design Awards, a program that highlights extraordinary work in architecture, interior design, product design, photography, journalism, and curation. 

“France has a cultural legacy of pursuing ideas beyond the boundary of an era. Revolutionary projects such as the Eiffel Tower and the Centre Pompidou came to fruition in Paris, redefining the city’s historical context,” Ando said in response to winning the award. “Coresidence of the genius loci, the essence of a place, and the contemporary is a theme I have always considered in my approach to architecture. In the process of designing the Bourse de Commerce with my client, the president, the mayor, and the people of Paris, I was able to sense its manifestation in the coexistence of the tradition and the modern. Culture will remain the heart of France as long as one lives in pursuit of freedom: that is the message I wish to reach the new generations. It is a great honor to receive this award from Créateurs Design Association.”

Previous recipients of the honor include architect Robert A.M. Stern, interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, and fashion icon Iris Apfel.

Ando will officially receive the award at a black-tie award ceremony on January 21, 2023.