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Who Is Liu Jiakun? 10 Things to Know About the 2025 Pritzker Architecture LaureateSave this picture!Chengdu Museum of Contemporary Arts. Image Arch-ExistLiu Jiakun, the 2025 Pritzker Prize winner, has spent decades redefining Chinese architecture by combining utopia with function and social engagement with personal memory. His buildings are reflections of the everyday lives of ordinary people, crafted with an understanding of place, culture, and materiality. Rejecting the pursuit of a fixed architectural style, Jiakun believes in a strategy rather than a signature aesthetic, tailoring each project to its specific context and needs. His work integrates history with contemporary urban needs, collectivism with individual experience, and density with openness, offering timely solutions to the challenges of rapid urbanization.Jiakun's approach is deeply rooted in Chinese philosophy, common sense, and local craftsmanship, ensuring that architecture grows naturally from its surroundings rather than being imposed upon them. His buildings reflect an authenticity that speaks to both past and present, avoiding grand gestures in favor of spaces that foster interaction, spirituality, and human connection. Liu Jiakun has pioneered a new way of living together, where density is no longer the antithesis of openness. His designs embrace and reinforce the lifestyles of their users, creating buildings that are revitalized by the public. -- Alejandro Aravena, Jury Chair of the 2025 Pritzker Prize Related Article Chinese Architect Liu Jiakun Receives the 2025 Pritzker Architecture Prize 1. Early Life & Education: From Art and Literature to ArchitectureBorn in Chengdu, China, in 1956, Liu Jiakun did not set out to become an architect. He originally aspired to be a painter and writer, drawn to the expressive power of the arts. However, believing that architecture was closely related to drawing, he applied to the Chongqing Institute of Architecture and Engineering. After graduating in 1982, he worked briefly at the Chengdu Architectural Design Academy, which he found "unenjoyable". Disappointed with the rigid structure of the profession, he left architecture entirely, embarking on a self-exploratory journey that lasted over a decade. During this time, he lived in Tibet and Xinjiang, where he practiced meditation, painting, and writing while officially working at the Literature Academy as a writer. His artistic pursuits led him to publish several works of fiction, reinforcing his belief that creativity should be deeply personal and tied to human experience.Save this picture!In 1993, a turning point arrived when Jiakun attended an architectural exhibition organized by a former classmate. Seeing those projects rekindled his passion for the built environment, and he decided to give architecture another chance. In 1999, he founded Jiakun Architects in his hometown of Chengdu, marking the beginning of a career that would gain international recognition for its cultural depth and social consciousness. 2. Architectural Philosophy: Strategy Over Style Save this picture!Liu Jiakun's work is not defined by stylistic repetition but by a deep response to site, materials, and social needs. He believes architecture should emerge naturally from its context, responding to local traditions, climate, and human behavior, rather than following global trends. His designs prioritize common sense and wisdom over rigid theoretical frameworks, ensuring that his buildings are functional, poetic, and socially engaging. "I have always aspired to be like water, permeating local environments and sites, which over time will solidify and transform into architecture," Jiakun explains. His approach is influenced by Chinese philosophy and Heideggerian thought, particularly the idea that architecture should evoke a sense of poetry and atmosphere rather than just fulfill a practical function.3. Consulting with Local Craftsmen Before the Design Is FinalizedSave this picture!One of the most distinctive aspects of his process is his collaboration with local laborers, ensuring that his designs are buildable, practical, and rooted in vernacular craftsmanship. As he describes it, "Once I understand what the workers can do, then I can design my building." This philosophy allows his work to maintain a sense of honesty and human touch, avoiding unnecessary complexity while embracing the imperfections of handmade construction.4. Prioritizing Public Space in High-Density CitiesSave this picture!As urban centers become increasingly dense, Liu Jiakun challenges the traditional approach of zoning, which separates residential, commercial, and public spaces into isolated areas. Instead, he advocates for integrated environments where different functions coexist harmoniously, fostering community interaction and accessibility. His projects prioritize walkability, public gathering spaces, and shared resources, ensuring that urban density does not come at the expense of livability. One of the most notable examples of this approach is the Xicun Compound (Chengdu, 2015), a five-story mixed-use complex that defies the conventional high-rise model dominating many Chinese cities. Instead of a rigid structure with strictly defined zones, Xicun Compound functions as a fluid, interconnected space where private and public realms integrate. By rethinking how public and private spaces interact, Liu Jiakun presents an alternative vision for sustainable and socially engaged city planning, one that prioritizes people over vehicles, interaction over isolation, and shared spaces over division.Save this picture!Liu Jiakun's West Village project introduces a new urban typology that blurs the lines between architecture, public space, and landscape. Conceived as a "maxi-courtyard," this development transforms an entire city block into a multi-layered, socially vibrant environment, aiming to redefine how public and private spaces interact in modern Chinese cities. Unlike traditional high-rise residential complexes that prioritize individual living units over community spaces, West Village is designed to promote social interaction and shared experiences. The development features elevated walkways, green terraces, and interconnected courtyards, offering multiple visual connections and movement routes. By integrating parks, sports facilities, retail spaces, and cultural venues into a single architectural framework, Jiakun reintroduces the concept of communal living in a contemporary urban setting.5. Reinterpreting Chinese ArchitectureSave this picture!Liu Jiakun draws inspiration from traditional Chinese architecture but reinterprets it in a way that feels both innovative and deeply rooted in cultural memory. For example, the Suzhou Imperial Kiln Gold Brick Museum (2016) does not replicate ancient pavilion structures but reimagines their spatial qualities, using contemporary materials to create a sense of openness, transparency, and historical continuity. Similarly, the Luyeyuan Stone Sculpture Art Museum (2002) blends contemporary museum design with the philosophy of traditional Chinese gardens. Here, courtyards, pathways, and water features create a fluid interaction between architecture and nature, reinforcing the Chinese principle of harmony between human-made and natural environments. Jiakun's ability to honor tradition without nostalgia sets him apart. He is not interested in recreating the past, but rather in extracting its wisdom and applying it in ways that remain relevant in contemporary society.6.Pioneering the Use of "Rebirth Bricks" After the 2008 EarthquakeSave this picture!Following the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which devastated vast regions of China, Liu Jiakun responded by pioneering an innovative technique to recycle rubble into new construction materials. This method, which he called "rebirth bricks," allowed communities to rebuild using the remnants of their destroyed homes, transforming disaster into resilience. One of the most powerful applications of this method was the Hu Huishan Memorial (Chengdu, 2009), a small but deeply meaningful structure dedicated to a 15-year-old girl who lost her life in the earthquake. Jiakun's use of rebirth bricks extended beyond just post-earthquake reconstruction. He integrated these recycled materials into other projects, such as the Novartis Shanghai Campus, Shui Jing Fang Museum, and Xicun Compound, ensuring that the earthquake's legacy was not erased but rather embedded into new architecture.7. Balancing History and InnovationSave this picture!Liu Jiakun's architecture frequently engages in a dialogue between past and present. A key example is the Chengdu Shui Jing Street Wineworks Ruins Museum, which integrates archaeological remnants into an active public venue. Instead of preserving the site as a static historical artifact, Jiakun incorporates it into the daily lives of the community, allowing visitors to experience history as a living part of the urban fabric. Similarly, the Tianbao Cave Renovation (Luzhou, 2021) demonstrates how contemporary architecture can fit seamlessly into the natural landscapes. Through projects like these, Liu Jiakun proves that history is not something to be frozen in time but something that can evolve and adapt to new societal needs.8. A Leading Voice in Contemporary Chinese ArchitectureSave this picture!Liu Jiakun is frequently compared to other pioneering Chinese architects such as Wang Shu, Zhu Pei, and Yung Ho Chang, but his approach is uniquely his own. Unlike some of his contemporaries, who often use reclaimed traditional materials in their work, Jiakun chooses to reinterpret historical forms using contemporary construction methods. He sees himself as a "latecomer" to China's independent architectural scene, having spent over a decade outside the profession, pursuing literature and artistic exploration. However, this unconventional path has given him a distinct perspective on architecture, one that is free from rigid academic constraints. Rather than resisting globalization, Jiakun believes that architecture should embrace both local and global ideas, stating: "Ideas should be shared and multiplied. We should take what is quintessential about different cultures to enrich our own."9. Exhibiting at the Venice Biennale & Serpentine PavilionSave this picture!Liu Jiakun's work has been widely recognized on the global stage, with multiple appearances at the Venice Architecture Biennale. His projects have been exhibited in both the 11th (2008) and 15th (2016) editions of the Biennale, highlighting his deep engagement with themes of regional identity, vernacular traditions, and social responsibility in architecture. Beyond Venice, Jiakun's architectural philosophy and practice were the focus of a solo exhibition at Berlin's AEDES Gallery in 2017, one of the world's leading architecture galleries. In 2018, Liu Jiakun was invited to design the first-ever Serpentine Pavilion in Beijing, marking a major milestone in his global career. The Serpentine Pavilion, originally established in London in 2000, is one of the most influential architectural commissions in the world, featuring designs by figures such as Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, Bjarke Ingels, and Frida Escobedo. Jiakun's selection for the Beijing edition reflected his growing prominence beyond China, positioning him alongside the world's most innovative architects.10. A Writer, Philosopher, and EducatorSave this picture!Beyond his architectural practice, Liu Jiakun is deeply engaged in teaching, public discourse, and intellectual exploration, using these platforms to reflect on the philosophical, cultural, and social dimensions of architecture. His design philosophy prioritizes vernacular wisdom, resourcefulness, and low-tech strategies over high-tech, industrialized solutions. He believes in "appropriate technology"-an approach that values simplicity, accessibility, and long-term sustainability over architectural spectacle. This thinking is evident in his built works, where he frequently collaborates with local laborers, integrates salvaged materials, and adapts to real-world constraints with ingenuity.Save this picture!As an educator, Liu Jiakun has played a significant role in shaping architectural discourse. He is a visiting professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, one of China's most prestigious art and design institutions, where he encourages students to think critically about the role of architecture in contemporary society. Additionally, he has lectured at leading international institutions, including MIT, the Royal College of Art in London, and the City of Architecture and Heritage in Paris, engaging with global conversations about architecture's evolving role in culture, identity, and urban development. Through these platforms, he continues to influence the next generation of architects and challenge conventional narratives about modern design.We invite you to check out ArchDaily's comprehensive coverage of the Pritzker Prize. Related Article Chinese Architect Liu Jiakun Receives the 2025 Pritzker Architecture Prize Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorNour FakharanyAuthorCite: Nour Fakharany. "Who Is Liu Jiakun? 10 Things to Know About the 2025 Pritzker Architecture Laureate" 04 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. 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