Acclaimed Brazilian architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha has been named the architecture laureate of the 2016 of the 28th Praemium Imperiale Arts Prize, which were announced in Tokyo, New York, London, Paris, Rome and Berlin.

Although nearly 90, Brazilian Architect, Paulo Mendes da Rocha does not look his age – he looks much younger – and his creativity and energy show no signs of waning. Paulo Mendes da Rocha is a well-known Brazilian architect with his emblematic, modest but sculptural buildings in in São Paolo, Brazil including the Gymnasium in the Paulistano Athletic Club, the renovation of the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, the Brazilian Museum of Sculpture, and the Patriarch Plaza redevelopment project, which have helped define São Paulo’s character as a city. 

Casa Butanta in São Paolo, 1964. Image (via tiaint.blogspot.com) 

Many of these projects of the architect highlight the innate appeal of simple materials such as concrete and steel, and are structured to utilize spaces to maximum effect. At the heart of da Rocha’s architecture is the pursuit of an “ideal harmony between the internal and the external.” 

The renovation of Sao Paulo's oldest fine arts museum, the Pinacoteca do Estado, 1990s. Image © Leonardo Finotti

While comprehensively taking into account locality, history and landscape, Mendes da Rocha notes that ''an architect doesn’t design for himself. He designs for society. So it’s society that is in charge. And these desires are very complex, and are necessarily addressed by us in a total complexity and all at the same time.'' 

Furthermore, he continues, ''I think the charm of architecture is that there aren’t any pre-established rules. It is subject to the human imagination. You must be very free in order to be an architect.''

Brazilian Sculpture Museum (MuBE), São Paulo 1988, completed with Burle Marx. Image © Leonardo Finotti

Paulo Mendes da Rocha also received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Venice Architecture Biennale 2016 earlier this year and he was awarded with the Pritzker Prize in 2006.

For the 28th Praemium Imperiale Art Prize, the artists Cindy Sherman in painting, Annette Messager in sculpture, Gidon Kremer in music and Martin Scorsese in theatre/film are recognized and awarded for their achievements, for the impact they have had internationally on the arts, and for their role in enriching the global community. 

Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, 1993, São Paulo, Brazil. Courtesy of Japan Art Association

Most of da Rocha’s works are concentrated in São Paulo, where he still resides, but in 1970 he designed the Brazilian Pavilion for the 1970 World Exposition in Osaka, Japan. He remembers his month in Osaka fondly, “It was one of the greatest adventures of my life.” More recently, he has come to international notice with his first large scale overseas project, the National Coach Museum (2015) in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal.

Cais das Artes Project, Brazil Paulo Mendes da Rocha + Metro Arquitetos

Over the years, he has taught at the University of São Paulo and served as President of the Brazilian Institute of Architects and remains as one of Brazil’s most prominent and active architects working today.

Casa King, São Paulo, 1972. Image © Leonardo Finotti

Each laureate receives an honorarium of 15 million yen and a testimonial letter. A medal will be presented by honorary patron of the Japan Art Association, Prince Hitachi in an awards ceremony held in Tokyo on October 18, 2016. Besides, the Japan Art Association will host a commemorative architecture lecture on October 19, at 16:00 in Tokyo.

Top image: Paulo Mendes da Rocha. Courtesy of Japan Art Association

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