Pritzker Architecture Prize has been awarded to Liu Jiakun of China, who earned the field’s highest honor for “affirming architecture that celebrates the lives of ordinary citizens.”

Speaking to CNN ahead of Tuesday’s announcement, the founder of one of China’s first private architecture firms reflects on a career designing unpretentious buildings in an era of excess.

Liu, known for understated structures that respond to their surroundings, has been awarded the profession’s highest honor.

Liu Jiakun, an architect based in his native Chengdu, China, has won the 2025 Pritzker Prize, the field's highest honor.

Today, the 2025 Pritzker Architecture Prize was awarded to Chinese architect Liu Jiakun, a Chengdu-based talent whose human-centered designs aim to elevate everyday life. The 69-year-old architect and founder of Jiakun Architects has created over 30 projects,

Pritzker Architecture Prize has been awarded to Liu Jiakun of China, who earned the field's highest honor for "affirming architecture that celebrates the lives of ordinary citizens," organizers announced Tuesday.

The Chinese architect just won the highest honor in architecture for his thoughtful approach to density and public spaces. Across the city of Chengdu, China, the quiet but remarkable buildings of Liu Jiakun have slowly pierced through the dominant stereotype of bombastic Chinese architecture.

Jiakun's notable works include the West Village in Chengdu, a five-story urban hub blending culture and commerce, and the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in Chongqing. View on euronews