Japanese studio SANAA, which is led by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, has been awarded the 2025 Royal Gold Medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects.Described by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) as "unassuming yet impactful", SANAA was awarded the annual accolade in recognition of its contribution to the advancement of architecture.The prize, which is considered one of the world's highest in the field, expands the SANAA's existing collection of prestigious accolades, including the 2010 Pritzker Architecture Prize, the 2022 Praemium Imperiale for architecture and the 2025 Le Prix Charlotte Perriand.Top image: SANAA has won the 2025 RIBA Royal Gold Medal. Photo by Aiko Suzuki. Above: one of the studio's first major projects was the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa. Photo by SANAA"Exemplifying an unassuming yet impactful leadership in the evolving practice and theory of architecture, SANAA's designs demonstrate that architecture can balance functionality with profound elegance," said RIBA president Muyiwa Oki."True pioneers in the field, their unwavering commitment to sustainable, user-centred design has quietly blazed a trail for others, setting an inspiring standard for the future of our built environment," he continued."Showing remarkable clarity and consistency over the decades, their work serves as a lasting testament to the transformative power of architecture to inspire joy, create a sense of belonging, and connect us to the environments we inhabit."The studio completed the New Museum of Contemporary Art in 2007. Photo by Dean KaufmanSejima and Nishizawa were born in Japan in 1956 and 1966 respectively. While Sejima studied to become an architect at Japan Women's University, Nishizawa was a student at Yokohama National University.Nishizawa was originally an employee of Sejima, working at her former studio Kazuyo Sejima & Associates, which she founded in 1987 after working for Toyo Ito and Associates.They went on to establish the Tokyo studio SANAA in 1995 and, less than a decade after setting up, shot to stardom with projects including the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, designed in 2004.Read: Ten notable projects by 2025 Royal Gold Medal-winner SANAAReflecting on the announcement, the SANAA partners said the award was a "very happy moment" that serves as a reminder of the importance of teamwork."We have always believed that architecture can transform and repair environments, helping us to relate to our surroundings, nature and each other," said SANAA."Throughout our careers we have tried to make spaces that bring people together, inviting them to imagine new ways of living and learning collectively," the duo continued."Architecture is always teamwork, and weare very grateful to everyone that has given us opportunities to develop these ideas over the years, and to all those people that have worked tirelessly with us to realise them. This is a very happy moment for us, thank you."SANAA's more recent projects include Bocconi University in Italy. Photo by SANAASANAA's trademark style is light-filled minimalism, with its buildings often finished with white and transparent surfaces.The studio's other notable buildings include the New Museum of Contemporary Art in the US, completed in 2007, the 2009 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London and the Louvre-Lens Museum in France in 2012.More recently, it created the Bocconi University New Urban Campus in Italy in 2021 and the Sydney Modern extension to the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 2022.Sejima and Nishizawa are also designers in their own right, with Sejima having created projects including a commuter train with giant windows and Nishizawa designing House in Moriyama, which featuredonour list of the 25 most significant buildings of the 21st century.In 2022 the studio completed the Sydney Modern in Australia. Photo by Iwan BaanSANAA will receive the award at a public celebration taking place in London on 1 May 2025. Sejima is the eighth woman to win the award since it was established in 1848.The 2025 RIBA Honours Committee was chaired by RIBA president Oki and included BIG founder Bjarke Ingels, dRMM directorSadie Morgan and last year's Royal Gold Medal winner Lesley Lokko.Last year the award was given to architect and educator Lokko for "relentlessly pursuing inclusivity and equity in the field".Other recipients of the RIBA Royal Gold Medal include Norman Foster, Shelley McNamara and Yvonne Farrell, Frank Gehry, Yasmeen Lari, Frank Lloyd Wright and Balkrishna Doshi.Read the full jury citation below:Sejima and Nishizawa and Associates (SANAA) is the established collaborative practice of Japanese architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa. Spanning nearly three decades, their work has become a standard for creating meaningful, culturally insightful, and elegant architectural designs.Their work has reshaped the global design landscape, producing works that bring simplicity, light and elegance to the fore, establishing themselves as leaders in architecture's global discourse. The projects bring spaces to life with a simplicity that resonates deeply across cultures and generations.SANAA's extraordinary talent comes from the unusual nature of their practice. One which oscillates between the two partners as individual practitioners, but whose many collaborations always produce interesting and remarkable results.Balancing subtlety with strength, SANAA's landmark works speak for themselves. From the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa to the Rolex Learning Centre in Lausanne, these projects blend transparency with solidity, uniting public and private spaces. With simple, elegant materials and graceful lines, their designs invite interaction, creating a seamless flow of natural light a hallmark of their approach.Their work at the New Museum in New York and the Louvre-Lens in France reflects the innovative spirit and technical skill, bringing warmth and life to every space. Bold yet respectful of the local environment, SANAA has, since its founding, shaped a universal language of architecture that resonates with people everywhere.As pioneers in sustainable, user-centred design, SANAA exemplifies an unassuming yet impactful leadership in the evolving practice and theory of architecture. Their lasting commitment to minimalist, human-focused space speaks to a deep understanding of architecture's power to shape society. In an era where sustainability and accessibility are increasingly essential, SANAA's work continues to set a thoughtful, inspiring standard.This medal recognises a practice that has exemplified remarkable clarity and consistency over the decades. It is a testament to their contribution to architecture - intellectually rigorous yet playfully engaging. Their legacy is rooted in a shared vision where architecture prioritises the human experience and human interaction, alongside form and function. As pioneers, they demonstrate that architecture can be both functional and profoundly elegant, bringing a sense of calm to our increasingly complex and chaotic world. Their designs prove that good architecture is approachable, easy to use, and compelling, as it embodies a global language of design understood across culture and generations.The post SANAA wins 2025 RIBA Royal Gold Medal appeared first on Dezeen.