Kengo Kuma to Receive Prestigious Andrée Putman Lifetime Achievement Award in 2027

Renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma is set to be honored with the Andrée Putman Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming Créateurs Design Awards, scheduled for January 16, 2027, at the Shangri-La Paris.

This accolade celebrates Kuma's three-decade journey, during which he has continuously explored the intersection of architecture, nature, and traditional Japanese elements. Since founding Kengo Kuma & Associates in Tokyo in 1990 and later establishing a Paris office in 2008, his innovative designs have garnered international acclaim.

Among his notable works are the V&A Dundee in Scotland and the recently completed Saint-Denis Pleyel station in Paris. Kuma, who has also been a professor at the University of Tokyo since 2009, emphasizes the importance of harmonizing human existence with the natural environment through his architectural philosophy. “I consider myself a long-distance runner,” he remarked, reflecting on his enduring commitment to this vision.

Yuri Xavier, Co-Founder of the Créateurs Design Awards, highlighted that the award recognizes not just individual projects, but the broader dialogue between tradition and modernity that Kuma embodies, mirroring the spirit of Andrée Putman herself.

Source: www.designboom.com