The Pritzker Prize was awarded to Balkrishna Doshi

This year, the Pritzker Prize was awarded to Indian architect Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi, who celebrated his ninetieth anniversary last year. In the nearly forty-year history of this award presented by the Hyatt Foundation, he is the first laureate from this populous Asian country.
Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi began studying architecture in 1947 in Mumbai at the Sir JJ School of Art, one of the oldest and most prestigious architecture schools in India. During his sixty-year professional career, he has realized more than a hundred buildings and influenced several generations of Indian architects as a teacher. He learned from the greatest architects of the 20th century by participating in projects with Louis Kahn and Le Corbusier in India.
In the 1950s, Doshi began working with Le Corbusier on his projects for Ahmedabad and Chandigarh. In the mid-50s, he became independent and established his own practice in Ahmedabad, followed by the research foundation Vastushilpa. Since 1962, he collaborated with Louis Kahn for a decade on the realization of the university campus in Ahmedabad. By the late 1970s, Doshi's office was renamed Stein, Doshi & Bhalla (now SDB Consultants).
Doshi created architecture that sensitively translated modern architecture into the Indian context. His interest in environmental and urban issues makes him an exceptional philosopher and teacher. Doshi's buildings exude a refined sense of architectural scale, form, and space. His architecture represents one of the most important examples of modern Indian architecture. Doshi has never sought to make his buildings draw attention. He did not want to dazzle or chase trends with his designs but always acted with deep consideration, responsibility, and a desire to contribute to the flourishing of his country.
This year’s jury, traditionally chaired by Australian architect and 2002 Pritzker Prize laureate Glenn Murcutt, particularly emphasized that “Doshi's work has touched the lives of all socio-economic groups across a wide spectrum of types of buildings that have gradually emerged since the 1950s.”
The ceremonial presentation of the 2018 Pritzker Prize will take place at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. The designer of this Canadian museum is Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki, who received the Pritzker Prize in 1993 during a ceremonial presentation at Prague Castle.

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