SANAA to receive 2025 Royal Gold Medal for Architecture

By Editorial Staff - 11 February 2025

The 2025 Royal Gold Medal has been awarded to the Japanese firm SANAA, led by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa. Awarded annually by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) on behalf of His Majesty The King, the Royal Gold Medal is one of the highest honors in the world of architecture.

This year, the medal was awarded to Sejima and Nishizawa, who have pioneered sustainable and user-centered design for three decades, recognising their commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. The award ceremony will take place on May 1 in London. New Museum, New York, USA © Dean Kaufman, courtesy of RIBA

New Museum, New York, USA. © Dean Kaufman

"Showing remarkable clarity and consistency over the decades, their work serves as a lasting testament to the transformative power of architecture - to inspire joy, to create a sense of belonging, and to connect us to the environments we inhabit. Rooted in a shared vision where architecture priorities the human experience and interaction alongside form and function, SANAA's legacy will continue to resonate across cultures and generations to come".

RIBA President and Chair of the 2025 RIBA Honours Committee, Muyiwa Oki

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan. © SANAA

SANAA’s Work, a Global Design Language

Tokyo-based design practice SANAA was founded in 1995 by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, who were awarded the 2010 Pritzker Prize. Over the past three decades, the two Japanese architects have demonstrated that great architecture is accessible, user-friendly and compelling, embodying a global design language that transcends cultural and generational differences. Rolex Learning Center, Lausanne, Switzerland © Alain Herzog, courtesy of RIBA

Rolex Learning Center, Lausanne, Switzerland. © Alain Herzog

The studio’s projects, from the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, Japan (2003) to the Rolex Learning Centre in Lausanne, Switzerland (2010), blend transparency and solidity, public and private spaces. With simple materials and elegant lines, their spaces invite interaction, creating the continuous flow of natural light that is a hallmark of their work. Their interventions at the New Museum in New York (2007) and the Louvre-Lens in France (2012) reflect their innovative spirit and technical expertise.

The studio’s work also includes, among other projects, the Dior Omotesando Store in Japan (2003), the Zollverein School of Design in Germany (2006), the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London (2009), the Grace Farms in Connecticut (2015), and the Sydney Modern in Australia (2022).

>>> In 2024, the Royal Gold Medal was awarded to Leslie Lokko

La Samaritaine, Paris, France © SANAA, courtesy of RIBA