Architecture News

Japanese architect Kengo Kuma is set to receive the distinguished Andrée Putman Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2027 Créateurs Design Awards (CDA). This prestigious honor celebrates his extensive career, which has significantly shaped architecture and the global built environment across various generations and geographical contexts. The ceremony recognizing Kuma's remarkable contributions will be held at the Shangri-La Paris on January 16, 2027.

Kuma, who established Kengo Kuma & Associates in Tokyo in 1990 and later expanded with a Paris office in 2008, has dedicated over thirty years to exploring the intricate relationship between architecture and nature. His distinctive approach often incorporates traditional Japanese architectural elements, reinterpreting them through innovative materials, construction techniques, and spatial arrangements. His portfolio includes notable international projects such as the V&A Dundee in Scotland, the FRAC Marseille, and the Cité des Arts et de la Culture in Besançon. His firm also played a crucial role in designing the Japan National Stadium for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the Saint-Denis Pleyel station in Paris, completed in 2024. His influence spans cultural, civic, transportation, and institutional projects both in Japan and worldwide.

Beyond his practical architectural work, Kuma has maintained a vibrant academic presence, serving as a professor at the University of Tokyo since 2009 and holding teaching positions at prestigious institutions like Keio University, Columbia University, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His innovative designs have garnered numerous international accolades, including the Wood Design Award and Global Award for Sustainable Architecture in 2016, the Japan Art Academy Prize and Imperial Prize in 2024, and the Prix Versailles for Best Museum and the 38th Louis I. Kahn Award in 2025. As Kuma himself expresses, his journey as an architect is akin to a long-distance run, driven by the singular objective of fostering harmony between humanity and nature, with writing serving as a vital medium for his evolving ideas.

The Andrée Putman Lifetime Achievement Award, named after the iconic French designer, is bestowed upon recipients through a selection process by the Créateurs Design Association members, rather than an open submission. Previous laureates include luminaries such as Norman Foster, Tadao Ando, and Christian de Portzamparc. Yuri Xavier, Co-Founder of the Créateurs Design Awards, noted that Kuma's selection highlights his continuous exploration of the dynamic interplay between architectural heritage and contemporary design. The announcement of Kuma's award also coincides with the opening of submissions for the 2027 Créateurs Design Awards, which will accept entries from September 1 to October 31, 2026, across fifteen categories encompassing architecture, interior design, product design, and art and culture.

The studio Atelier CRAFT, founded in 2016 and located in Saint-Ouen, Paris, centers its work on the dialogue between materials, human interaction, and the process of creation. They combine timber, manufactured substances, and salvaged items, aligning with a principle of adaptable construction. Their core philosophy, "Transform design through making," emphasizes how materials inherently convey stories, and how the visible human touch can intersect with industrialized production. This approach delves into the connection between artisans and the fabrication process, fostering a unique blend of creativity and practicality across various architectural, design, and scenography projects.

Atelier CRAFT's projects, such as AMBACTOS, Tomorrow's Embassy Kitchen (2025), exemplify their commitment to cultural transmission and valuing the creators behind the work. This particular project reframes diplomatic spaces by making the kitchen a hub for hospitality and French culinary arts. The studio reimagines traditional ornamentation through a modern lens, highlighting raw materials, skilled artisanship, technical proficiency, and ecological considerations as key elements of these spaces. For instance, a reception pavilion is constructed from salvaged oak from an old farm, and a vase mold from the Manufacture of Sèvres is ingeniously reinterpreted as a lighting fixture, demonstrating a harmonious blend of past and present.

The studio’s material sourcing prioritizes sustainability and reuse, including renting, borrowing, purchasing second-hand, utilizing workshop stock, and, when necessary, buying new, always with an emphasis on reversibility. This environmental dedication is not merely an end but a means to tell compelling stories, inspire imaginative concepts, and drive innovation. Existing objects offer historical links and serve as a boundless fount of inspiration, honoring traditional crafts and the artisans who created them, while adapting these elements for contemporary applications. This thoughtful integration of craft and industrial processes allows for optimized, context-specific solutions that bridge efficiency with adaptability, ensuring that the structural and functional aspects of each project contribute to its distinct character.

Atelier CRAFT envisions a future where design and fabrication are reconciled, fostering a greater interconnectedness between disciplines like craftsmanship, architecture, and design. They advocate for integrating craft-based education into architectural curricula to enable constant adaptation and creative experimentation, especially in the rehabilitation of older buildings. This approach, focused on process over mere outcome, encourages agility and innovation across all scales of building and design.