Pritzker Prize, the most prestigious award in international architecture, has named Liu Jiakun as its 54th laureate. Liu Jiakun is a Chinese architect known for his contextual and human-centered design approach. Liu, often referred to as one who builds with memory, history, and social consciousness, opened new doors to redefine what it means to make space living in contemporary China.
So, what was it that set Liu apart in 2025? In this article, we are going to explore 10 defining reasons why Liu Jiakun is honored with the most prestigious award of architecture in the world.
Liu Jiakun’s philosophy revolves around a great understanding of the cultural, social, and historical context of each site. Unlike architects who relentlessly attach a single style to their work, Jiakun adapts an approach aligned with the unique conditions of a project. This inherent quality of sensitivity to context, when coupled with the use of local materials and craftsmanship, makes Liu Jiakun “visionary,” who creates spaces of cultural meaning.
Jiakun considers architecture as an extension of a place. His work draws inspiration from the historical and material narratives embedded in each location, ensuring that his buildings reflect their surroundings rather than disrupt them. Frequently, he engages traditional Chinese elements- like courtyards and gabled roofs in the context of contemporary needs. This approach results in designs that preserve cultural identity while remaining innovative architecture while bridging between past, present, and future.
Jiakun prioritizes the art of materials, designing architecture driven by necessity and emphasizing local elements over grandeur. He experiments with both traditional and modern materials. He selects them according to their environmental impact, relative ease of availability, and cultural relevance. From rammed earth and bamboo to industrial materials, his architecture acts as an experiment, chasing the limits of construction techniques while retaining a human touch.
Jiakun’s buildings prioritize the experience of the people who inhabit them. He focuses on how spaces shape everyday life while ensuring that his projects are comfortable, accessible, and intuitive. His designs often integrate public gathering spaces, shaded walkways, and community courtyards that foster interaction. His main priority is to offer good architecture that responds to human needs, from social connectivity to environmental comfort.
Liu Jiakun is a storyteller in architecture. Each project he does tells cultural, historical, and social narratives related to the site. For him, buildings are not isolated objects, they are a memory, capable of conveying the past while dealing with the present. From repurposing earthquake rubble into “Rebirth Bricks” to making a museum to uncover lost histories, Jiakun’s architecture imparts values connecting people to their legacy.
Public space plays a relevant role in Jiakun’s architecture. Open-air plazas, walkable urban environments, and flexible gathering spaces—his designs revolve around the idea of a communal interaction. He believes architecture should not isolate, it should invite engagement with others to experience culture together. The projects usually merge indoor with outdoor space by inserting many organic elements, such as courtyards and gardens, and by including water to make the communal areas more inviting.
Jiakun’s architecture often integrates seamlessly with its natural surroundings, creating what the Pritzker prize jury called “new landscapes within landscapes.” He does not treat buildings as separate entities but as extensions of their environments. This approach can be seen in projects such as the West Village, where architecture and landscape are intertwined through sloping terraces, green roofs, and public spaces that replicate natural topographies.
Jiakun advocates a philosophy of appropriate technology that champions local craftsmanship, traditional techniques, and regionally available materials over more high-tech solutions imported from abroad. By working intimately with local artisans, he ensures that construction techniques are within the capacity of local labor forces, easily repairable, and adaptive to the conditions of unique environments. He believes that real sustainability of architecture is not simply about energy efficiency but about enabling communities to use skills and materials that are part of their cultural heritage.
In the early 21st century, Chinese architecture is often attached to landmark structures and iconic work built by global architects. On the contrary, Jiakun prioritizes and values subtlety, consideration, and social responsibility. His work moves beyond the idea of architecture as a symbol of power or economic progress, instead prioritizing the needs of communities, the environment, and cultural heritage. He offers a new vision for Chinese architecture—one that embraces humility, craftsmanship, and everyday life.
Jiakun’s Pritzker prize win not only constitutes an acknowledgment of his past work but also an appreciation of the continuing influence he offers to the architectural profession. Moreover, his zeal for high social-conscious design has set new benchmarks for architects worldwide. The jury commended him for being apt at creating poetry with pragmatism in architecture, for being rooted locally yet open to universal interpretations.
The Pritzker Prize won by Liu Jiakun reaffirms that architecture is not only about aesthetics but also about context, culture, and community. His work exemplifies a philosophy that combines tradition with innovation, constructing spaces that glorify the past while addressing modern-day crises. Rethinking what architecture can mean, he rethought about sustainability, social engagement, and material experimentation. His work as a 2025 Pritzker Prize laureate inspires architects worldwide to treat the human-centered way of doing architecture.
Editors’ Note – This colonial house in Delhi carries an ambience of grandeur, infused with the elegance of Victorian-style colonialism. Expansive living, dining, and kitchen areas open into light-filled spaces framed by large glazing that connect seamlessly to the surrounding landscape. Inside, tropical interiors with bold geometry add a contemporary layer of comfort. The residence […]
“Hilltop House” is envisioned as a contemporary yet context-sensitive residential project that harmonizes architecture and interior design to create a sanctuary perched on a scenic elevation. The design will respond directly to the topography, climate, and panoramic views, while delivering a highly functional, comfortable, and aesthetically refined living environment. This Hilltop House in Indore Is […]
In the layered urban grain of Manjeri, the Timeless House reimagines a 1970s sloping roof residence through careful transformation. It’s a home that doesn’t shout for attention, but quietly repositions itself within its time and place, a sensitive reinterpretation of memory, material, and movement. Originally built in 1972, the house was structurally sound, featuring load-bearing […]
Editor’s Note: There’s something truly special about homes crafted with thought and care—where every corner and detail speaks to its users, becoming part of their memories. For siblings Akhila and Kaushik, Sona Reddy Studio brought this vision to life in One Summer House, a rustic farmhouse tucked within the vibrant city of Hyderabad. Designed with […]
This southwest-facing bungalow, with golden accents in its interiors, is a refined expression of contextual and climate-responsive modern architecture. The home embraces its orientation with an intelligent façade design that balances aesthetic appeal and environmental performance. With the sun’s harshest rays hitting the structure in the latter half of the day, the architects incorporated a […]
This North Facing villa opens towards the East to always soak in the cool and diffused light. Its orientation is mindful of the adjoining clubhouse and its expansive garden. The planning allows the villa’s private lawn to visually merge with it, creating a larger and cohesive space. With a connection to the open space at […]
An Urban Sanctuary Woven with Craft, Warmth, and Light Explicitly tucked into a quiet residential pocket, this home with a jaali facade is a thoughtfully layered expression of calm, character, and craftsmanship. Every surface and corner is rooted in intention — where light, material, and memory meet. The Jaali Design in this Layered Home Exudes […]
Set in the serene landscape of Nashik, the Dabholkar Residence by GDA is a home, embracing stone clad walls. Here, tradition and contemporary design exist in harmony. Designed to reflect the family’s deep connection to tradition and art while embracing the style of contemporary living, it is a space where architectural details, heritage furniture, artwork […]
The Indian farmhouse accommodation goes on to capitalize on a mature evolutionary synthesis of ancestral aesthetics and contemporary features. With this, the outside and the inside of farmhouses became places of comfort with nature. In this blog, we delve into 15 incredible farmhouse designs that entail a harmonious blending. While they exhibit different spaces in […]
Aangan is a modern residence that seamlessly integrates with the lush environment of Kerala, showcasing a tropical home design. Designed to embrace the region’s warm climate, the house features a striking sloped terracotta roof at varying levels, enhancing both its aesthetic appeal and functional efficiency. The structure is enveloped in a vibrant tropical landscape, adorned […]