DATE

17.03.2026

Kuma’s presence in this process is, in itself, already significant news. Over the past decades, he has established himself as one of the most influential figures in contemporary architecture, with works across Europe, Asia, and America. His work is characterized by a close relationship between architecture, landscape, and natural materials—especially wood—combining tradition and technology in buildings that often become landmarks in the cities where they are built.

Among his most well-known projects is the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo, built for the 2020 Olympic Games—a large-scale work that has become one of the recent architectural symbols of the Japanese capital. He is also the author of V&A Dundee, the design museum located on the waterfront of the Scottish city of Dundee, a building that has transformed the port area into a new cultural and urban focal point.

Kuma’s career includes museums, stations, cultural buildings, and public spaces across different countries. His studio has worked on projects that aim to create recognizable places open to the public, with an architecture that seeks to engage in dialogue with its surroundings and with urban life. He also teaches at the University of Tokyo and contributes as a lecturer in the MArch Valencia programs.

For this reason, having an architect of such international stature among the candidates to design the new Central Station represents a great opportunity for Valencia. Beyond constructing a railway infrastructure, it is about envisioning a new urban landmark that will accompany the city’s growth and its global projection.

If the project were ultimately to bear his signature, Valencia could incorporate into its urban landscape a work conceived by one of the most influential architects on the international stage, adding a top-tier contemporary piece to a city that already has a strong architectural tradition

MARCH VALENCIA | ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO

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