Shigeru Ban (B.Arch '80)

Born in Tokyo in 1957. Graduated from the Cooper Union. Started working for Arata Isozaki & Associates in 1982. Founded Shigeru Ban Architects in 1985. Became consultant to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1995. Established the NGO, Voluntary Architects' Network (VAN) in the same year to support disaster relief. Selected works include Centre Pompidou- Metz, Oita Prefecture Art Museum, Mt. Fuji World Heritage Centre, Shizuoka, Musical Complex of La Seine Musicale, and Swatch Omega Headquarters. Recipient of multiple awards, including Grande Médaille d’or de l’Académie d’architecture, France (2004), Grand Prize of AIJ (2009) , le grade d’officier for L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France (2010), Auguste Perret Prize (2011), Art Prize from the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs (2012), le grade de commandeur for L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France (2014), Pritzker Architecture Prize (2014), Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon, Japan (2017) and Mother Teresa Social Justice Award (2017). An ambassador among "distinguished thinkers and practitioners" for the New European Bauhaus high-level roundtable (2021). Currently Professor at Keio University.