Kengo Kuma, awarded the Andrée Putman Prize

DATE

11.09.2026

The architect has received the 2027 Professional Achievement Award, granted by the CDA (Créateurs Design Association & Awards).

Founder of the Japanese studio Kengo Kuma & Associates (1990), Kuma has been selected for a philosophy centered on respect and the return of the human being to nature.

This view of the world characterizes his projects since he started his career in the late 1970s: a career of more than three decades full of achievements and with an extensive portfolio of works worldwide.

Among its most notable creations are the National Stadium of Japan in Tokyo and the V&A Dundee in Scotland. Its projects challenge conventional boundaries between the natural and the built, marked by a constant reinvention of Japanese tradition through contemporary techniques and materials.

Recognition also includes his academic and research work. Kuma has taught as a professor at the University of Tokyo and institutions such as the University of Keio, the University of Columbia, and the University of Illinois. He has also given teaching lectures, such as the one he gave at the MArch school in Valencia. Additionally, from his research, he promotes the continuous search for new materials, construction systems, environmental strategies, and contemporary design approaches.

The award, created by the CDA in honor of the career and legacy of the French designer Andrée Putman, will be presented in person during a ceremony organized by the entity at the Shangri-La Paris hotel. Among the previous honorees are names such as Norman Foster, Tadao Ando and Christian de Portzamparc.

After learning about the award, Kuma reflected: “In my practice of design, I consider myself a marathon runner. I believe the most important thing is to keep running long-term with a single goal in mind: achieving harmony between humans and nature.”