SANAA facts for kids
SANAA stands for Sejima and Nishizawa and Associates. It is a well-known architecture company based in Tokyo, Japan. Two talented architects, Kazuyo Sejima (born in 1956) and Ryue Nishizawa (born in 1966), started the company in 1995. They are famous for designing buildings that look light and open, often using lots of glass.
In 2010, Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa won the Pritzker Prize. This is one of the highest awards an architect can receive. Some of their most famous buildings include the Glass Pavilion at the Toledo Museum of Art in Toledo, Ohio, and the Rolex Learning Center in Lausanne, Switzerland. They also designed the Christian Dior Building in Tokyo and the Louvre-Lens Museum in France.
History of SANAA
Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa created SANAA in 1995. Their unique designs quickly gained attention. In 2004, they won the Golden Lion award at the Venice Biennale. This award recognized their important work in architecture.
Six years later, in 2010, they received the prestigious Pritzker Prize. This was a very special moment because Kazuyo Sejima became only the second woman ever to win this award. More recently, in 2025, they were honored with the Royal Institute of British Architects' Royal Gold Medal. This award celebrated their long-term dedication to creating buildings that are welcoming and easy for everyone to use.
Cool Projects by SANAA
SANAA has designed many interesting buildings around the world. Here are some of their notable projects:
Projects in Australia
- Art Gallery of New South Wales, North Building – This art gallery was finished in 2022.
- Museum of Contemporary Art – This project in Sydney was planned between 1997 and 1999, but it was not built.
Projects in China
- House for the CIPEA – This house project in Nanjing started in 2004 and is still ongoing.
Projects in England
- Serpentine Gallery Pavilion – This temporary building in London was designed in 2009.
Projects in France
- Louvre-Lens – This museum in Lens, Pas-de-Calais was built between 2005 and 2012.
Projects in Germany
- Zollverein School of Design – This school in Essen was completed between 2003 and 2006.
Projects in Japan
- 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art – This museum in Kanazawa, Ishikawa was built from 1999 to 2004.
- Dior Omotesando Store – This stylish store in Tokyo was finished between 2001 and 2003.
- Naoshima Ferry Terminal – This ferry terminal in Kagawa District, Kagawa was built from 2003 to 2006.
Projects in the Netherlands
- De Kunstlinie Theater & Cultural Center – This theater and cultural center in Almere was completed between 1998 and 2006.
Projects in Israel
- The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Campus of the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design – This campus in Jerusalem was completed in 2023.
Projects in Italy
- Bocconi New Campus – This university campus in Milan was finished in 2019.
Projects in Switzerland
- Rolex Learning Center – This learning center at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Lausanne was built from 2004 to 2010.
Projects in Taiwan
- Taichung Green Museumbrary – This unique building in Taichung was completed in 2022.
Projects in the United States
- Grace Farms – This special place in New Canaan, Connecticut, was completed in 2015.
- The Glass Pavilion at the Toledo Museum of Art – This beautiful glass building in Toledo, Ohio was finished between 2001 and 2006.
- The New Museum of Contemporary Art – This museum in New York City was built from 2003 to 2007.
Awards and Recognition
SANAA's work has been shown in many exhibitions around the world. Their designs were featured in the Japanese Pavilion at the 2000 Venice Biennale. They also had their work displayed in places like Vienna, Austria, and New York City.
In 2004, SANAA won the Golden Lion award at the 9th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice. They also received the 46th Mainichi Shinbun Arts Award in 2005. That same year, they were given the Schock Prize for visual arts. The biggest honor came in 2010 when Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa were awarded the Pritzker Prize. This is known as the highest award in architecture.
See also
In Spanish: SANAA para niños
