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NEWS AWARD


Japanese practice SANAA receives RIBA Royal Gold Medal


On Thursday 1 May at a celebration at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) London headquarters, SANAA, the collaborative practice of Japanese architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, were honoured as the winners of the 2025 Royal Gold Medal.


RIBA President, Muyiwa Oki, presented the ceremonial medal to Sejima and Nishizawa ahead of His Majesty, King Charles III offi cially presenting them with the medal at a private ceremony later this year.


For nearly three decades, SANAA’s work has pioneered sustainable, user-centred design and was praised by the 2025 RIBA Honours Committee for shaping “a universal language of architecture that resonates with people everywhere.” Balancing boldness with sensitivity to the local environment, their works “demonstrate that architecture can be both functional and profoundly elegant, offering a sense of calm amidst an increasingly complex and chaotic world.” SANAA are the 46th recipient of the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture, which has been awarded since 1848. Acknowledging the achievement, RIBA President, Muyiwa Oki, said: “Congratulations to SANAA, who have exemplifi ed remarkable clarity and consistency over the decades. It was an honour to celebrate at our headquarters not only their achievements, but their shared vision – one where architecture prioritises the human experience and human interaction, alongside form and function. Their work has become a standard for creating meaningful, culturally insightful designs and will continue to raise the bar for future generations.” On receiving the award, SANAA said:


“We are delighted to receive the Royal Gold Medal and honoured to be invited to receive the medal from His Majesty, King Charles III.


As architects, we fi nd joy in many forms.


It’s not about the scale or level of the project, sometimes those moments come from working on grand buildings, other


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times from small, intimate ones. What matters most to us is creating architecture that brings us joy.”


Sejima and Nishizawa and Associates (the combined names making up the SANAA acronym) spans nearly three decades, and their designs have become famous for creating meaningful, culturally insightful, and elegant architectural results. Their work, RIBA said, has “reshaped the global design landscape, producing works that bring simplicity, light and elegance to the fore, establishing themselves as leaders in architecture’s global discourse. The projects bring spaces to life with a simplicity that resonates deeply across cultures and generations.” RIBA added: “SANAA’s extraordinary talent comes from the unusual nature of their practice – which oscillates between the two partners as individual practitioners, but whose many collaborations always produce interesting and remarkable results.” Balancing subtlety with strength,


SANAA’s landmark works speak for themselves. Ranging from the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa to the Rolex Learning Centre in Lausanne, these projects “blend transparency with solidity, uniting public and private spaces.” With simple, elegant materials and graceful lines, their designs invite interaction, creating a seamless fl ow of natural light – a hallmark of their approach. Their work at the New Museum in New York and the Louvre-Lens in France “refl ects the innovative spirit and technical skill, bringing warmth and life to every space.” Bold yet respectful of the local environment, SANAA has, since its founding, “shaped a universal language of architecture that resonates with people everywhere,” said RIBA. As pioneers in sustainable, user- centred design, SANAA exemplifi es an unassuming yet impactful leadership in the evolving practice and theory of architecture. Their “lasting commitment to minimalist, human-focused space speaks to a deep understanding of architecture’s power to shape society.” In an era where


Left to Right: Ryue Nishizawa and Kazuyo Sejima © Morley von Sternberg


sustainability and accessibility are increasingly essential, SANAA’s work “continues to set a thoughtful, inspiring standard.”


This medal recognises a practice that has exemplifi ed “remarkable clarity and consistency over the decades.” It is a testament to their contribution to architecture – “intellectually rigorous yet playfully engaging.” Their legacy is rooted in a shared vision where architecture prioritises the human experience and human interaction, alongside form and function. As pioneers, they demonstrate that architecture can be both functional and profoundly elegant, bringing a sense of calm to our increasingly complex and chaotic world. Their designs, said RIBA, “prove that good architecture is approachable, easy to use, and compelling, as it embodies a global language of design understood across culture and generations.”


ADF MAY 2025


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