TOYO ITOONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST INNOVATIVE AND INFLUENTIAL ARCHITECTS

BIOGRAPHY

A 72 year old Japanese Architect

Born in Keijō, Japanese Korea(now Seoul, South Korea) on 1 June 1941

Moved to Japan with his mother and two sisters in 1943

His wife died in 2010. They had one daughter who is now 40

 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize 2013

EDUCATIONAL AND WORK BACKGROUND

Graduated from the University of Tokyo's department of architecture in 1965

Worked at Kiyonori Kikutake Architect and Associates from 1965 to 1969 (alongside Itsuko Hasegawa)

1971 Started his own studio, Urban Robot (URBOT) in Tokyo then changed its name to Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects in 1979

PHILOSOPHY/CONCEPT

Seeks to simultaneously express the physical and virtual worlds

A leading exponent of architecture that addresses the contemporary notion of a "simulated" city

His work is often said to have affinities with the ideas of philosophers such as Munesuke Mita and Gilles Deleuze

Ito has defined architecture as "clothing" for urban dwellers, particularly in the contemporary Japanese metropolis

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE

Knowned for striving to make flexible spaces that appeal to the human senses

He also draws most of his inspiration from the organic forms of nature and prioritizes fluidity between the natural world and the built form in his designs

Ito's work has never really stuck to one style "a creator of timeless buildings, who at the same time boldly charts new paths"

NOTABLE WORKS

Tama Art University Library (Hachiōji campus), 2004—2007, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, Japan

Tower of Winds, 1986, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa,Japan

Toyo Ito Towers, Barcelona, Plaza Europa. Located at the entrance of the Gran Via center of Fira de Barcelona

Sendai Mediatheque, 1995—2000, Sendai-shi, Miyagi, Japan

Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, 2006—2011, Imabari-shi, Ehime, Japan

In his acceptance speech(for Pritzker Price) Wednesday night, Ito explained that for him:

“The task of the architect is to release people from [conventional and] restrictive frameworks by creating spaces in which they feel at ease and in which they can attain some degree of freedom.”

“Architecture is bound by various social constraints. I have been designing architecture bearing in mind that it would be possible to realize more comfortable spaces if we are freed from all the restrictions even for a little bit. However, when one building is completed, I become painfully aware of my own inadequacy, and it turns into energy to challenge the next project. Probably this process must keep repeating itself in the future. Therefore, I will never fix my architectural style and never be satisfied with my works.” 

Thomas Pritzker, Toyo Ito, Lord Palumbo, Martha Thorn

Owari.