Professor Balkrishna Doshi, of India, has been selected as the 2018 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate.

Doshi is the first Indian to receive The Pritzker Prize, which is internationally acknowledged as architecture’s most prestigious honour.

An architect, urban planner, and educator for 70 years, Doshi has shaped conversations about architecture, both in India and throughout the world.

Image: Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. (Photo courtesy of VSF, via The Pritzker Prize web site.)

Doshi is influenced by the work of Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, and Louis Khan, and his work has focused on architecture that both respects eastern culture and improves the quality of life in India.

"His ethical and personal approach to architecture has touched lives of every socio-economic class across a broad spectrum of genres since the 1950s," says a statement from Pritzker.

“My works are an extension of my life, philosophy and dreams trying to create treasury of the architectural spirit. 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,” said Doshi. 

Image: Aranya Low Cost Housing. (Photo courtesy of VSF, via The Pritzker Prize website.)

Doshi’s work is heavily influenced by Modernism, and explores the relationships between the basic needs of human life, self, culture, and social traditions, in the context of place and environment.

“Professor Doshi has said that ‘Design converts shelters into homes, housing into communities, and cities into magnets of opportunities',” said Tom Pritzker, whose parents, Jay and Cindy Pritzker founded the Pritzker Prize in 1979.

“The life’s work of Balkrishna Doshi truly underscores the mission of the Prize—demonstrating the art of architecture and an invaluable service to humanity. I am honored to present the 40th anniversary of this award to an architect who has contributed more than 60 years of service to us all.”

The 2018 jury ditation states, in part:

“Over the years, Balkrishna Doshi has always created an architecture that is serious, never flashy or a follower of trends. 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.” 

Click here to read the full jury citation.

2018 Pritzker Prize jury

• Glenn Murcutt (Chair): Architect and Pritzker Laureate 2002. Sydney, Australia.
• Stephen Breyer: U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Washington, DC.
• André Aranha Corrêa do Lago: Current Brazilian Ambassador to Japan.
• Lord Peter Palumbo: Architectural patron, Chairman Emeritus of the Trustees, Serpentine Galleries; Former Chairman of the Arts Council of Great Britain. London, England.
• Richard Rogers: Architect and Pritzker Laureate 2007. London, England.
• Benedetta Tagliabue: Architect and Educator. Barcelona, Spain.
• Ratan N. Tata: Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group. Mumbai, India.
• Kazuyo Sejima: Architect and Pritzker Laureate 2010. Japan.
• Wang Shu: Architect and Pritzker Laureate 2012. The People’s Republic of China.
• Martha Thorne (Executive Director): Dean, IE School of Architecture & Design. Madrid, Spain.

Click her to read more about the Pritzker Prize.

Image: Aranya Low Cost Housing. (Drawing courtesy of VSF, via The Pritzker Prize website.)

Catalonian Pritzker Prize winners blend old with new

Glenn Murcutt to chair Pritzker Prize

Pritzker winner aims for socially engaged architecture