The winner of this years RIBA Royal Gold Medal is SANAA. The firm, founded by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa in 1995, was announced by the Royal Institute of British Architectsas the 173rd winner of the prestigious honor that was first bestowed to architects beginning in 1848. The RIBA Honours Committee selected the Japanese duo for a steady and pioneering pursuit of "sustainable, user-centered" design that encapsulates a "universal language of architecture that resonates with people everywhere," as expressed by projects such as NYC's New Museum and Rolex Learning Centre in Switzerland.New Museum. Photo: courtesy Dean KaufmanOthers mentioned in their citation include the Grace Farms Foundation library/campus in Connecticut and the new Sydney Modern Project for the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Australia. SANAA, which is mentioned as maintaining a "remarkable clarity and consistency" throughout their work, is now the fifth Japanese Royal Gold Medal winner. They were selecte...