Shigeru Ban has been named the 35th Laureate of the prestigious Praemium Imperiale Award. The 67-year-old architect, originally from Tokyo, follows in the footsteps of Francis Kéré as the latest recipient in the Architecture category, after an eventful two years that have seen multiple installations of his innovative emergency shelters through the Voluntary Architects’ Network (VAN), along with completed projects for Tiffany & Co. and the Toyota City Museum, among other notable achievements. Ban's humanitarian work began in the 1990s, with notable efforts like his paper tube shelters in Rwanda and his involvement with disaster relief after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in Japan, which inspired him to establish VAN in 1995.

Ban, who established his own namesake firm in Japan back in 1985, is highly regarded not only for his humanitarian efforts but also for key projects such as the Centre Pompidou-Metz (2010), La Seine Musicale (2017), and the Swatch Omega (2019). This latest honor adds to his previous accolades, including the 2014 Pritzker Prize. Ban is a graduate of The Cooper Union and has also been awarded the Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize in Architecture, the Mainichi Art Prize, and the Asahi Prize over the past two decades. Before founding his practice, Ban studied at the Southern California Institute of Architecture and worked with Arata Isozaki, further shaping his architectural approach.

"Shigeru Ban has transformed architecture with his groundbreaking material innovations and distinctive designs. His works are monumental and inspiring, while reflecting his deep commitment to the role of architects in addressing the world’s challenges," the Praemium Imperiale citation states. "Ban has consistently employed unique structural systems across a range of projects, from large civic structures to emergency shelters. Central to his vision is a belief that architecture should have a positive impact on society." His philosophy of using low-cost, sustainable materials like recycled paper tubes was exemplified in his Japan Pavilion at the 2000 Hannover Expo, created in collaboration with Frei Otto.

The other Praemium Imperiale Laureates for 2024 are Sophie Calle (Painting), Doris Salcedo (Sculpture), Ang Lee (Theater/Film), and Maria João Pires (Music).