Kazuyo Sejima facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kazuyo Sejima
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Sejima in 2014
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| Born | 29 October 1956 Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
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| Nationality | Japanese |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Awards | Rolf Schock Prize 2005 Pritzker Prize 2010 |
| Practice | Kazuyo Sejima and Associates (1987–1995) SANAA (since 1995) |
Kazuyo Sejima (妹島 和世, Sejima Kazuyo, born 29 October 1956) is a famous Japanese architect. She leads her own architecture company, Kazuyo Sejima & Associates. In 1995, she also started another company called SANAA with her partner, Ryue Nishizawa.
In 2010, Sejima made history. She became only the second woman ever to win the Pritzker Prize. This award is like the Nobel Prize for architecture. She shared the prize with Nishizawa, making them only the second team to win it together.
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Kazuyo Sejima was born on October 29, 1956, in Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. She loved architecture from a young age. She studied at Japan Women's University, finishing her first degree in 1979. She then earned her Master's Degree in architecture in 1981. After school, she worked for a well-known architect, Toyo Ito, until 1987.
Building a Career
After learning from Toyo Ito, Sejima opened her own architecture firm in 1987. It was called Kazuyo Sejima & Associates. One of the first people she hired was Ryue Nishizawa, who had also worked with her before.
In 1995, Sejima asked Nishizawa to become her partner. Together, they started a new firm in Tokyo called SANAA. This name stands for Sejima and Nishizawa and Associates.
Sejima also became very important in the art world. In 2010, she was chosen to lead the architecture section for the Venice Biennale. This is a huge international art and architecture event. She was the first woman ever to get this special job. In the same year, she won the Pritzker Prize with Ryue Nishizawa.
Amazing Buildings and Projects
Kazuyo Sejima and SANAA have designed many unique buildings around the world. Their designs often use lots of glass and open spaces. Here are some of their most famous works:
- Saishunkan Seiyaku Women's Dormitory, Kumamoto, Japan (1990-1991)
- Gifu Kitagata Apartment, Gifu, Japan (1994)
- Multi Media Studio, Ōgaki, Gifu, Japan (1995)
- 'De Kunstlinie' Theatre and Cultural Centre, Almere, Netherlands (1998-2007)
- SANAA’s 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan (1999-2004)
- Glass Pavilion of the Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio, USA (2001-2006)
- DIOR Tokyo Omotesando Store, Tokyo, Japan (2003)
- Zollverein School of Management and Design, Essen, Germany (2003-2006)
- Naoshima Ferry Terminal, Naoshima, Kagawa, Japan (2003-2006)
- New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York City, USA (2003-2007)
- Towada Art Center, Towada, Japan (2005-2008)
- Rolex Learning Center, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland (2005-2009)
- Serpentine Pavilion at Serpentine Galleries, London, UK (2009)
- Louvre-Lens in Lens, France (2012)
- La Samaritaine in Paris, France (2020)
Awards and Special Recognitions
Kazuyo Sejima has received many awards for her amazing work in architecture. These awards show how much her designs are admired around the world:
- 1989 – Special Prize for Residential Architecture, Tokyo Architecture Association
- 1990 – SD Prize, SD Review
- 1992 – Second Prize, Commercial Space Design Award
- 2005 – Rolf Schock Prize in Visual Arts
- 2010 – Pritzker Prize
- 2019 – Prix Versailles World Judge
- 2022 – Praemium Imperiale award for architecture
- 2024 – Person of Cultural Merit
See also
In Spanish: Kazuyo Sejima para niños
