Complimenting Ando's "minimalist approach, sensitivity to light, and incorporation of natural elements," the judges believe the self-taught Japanese architect's "unparalleled work with concrete" embodies many of the principles embraced by Noguchi.
"Like Noguchi’s sculpture, which gave equal importance to the object and the space it inhabited, Ando’s work harmoniously integrates edifice and environment, while interior and exterior are intimately connected through his incorporation of water, light, wind, sky, and landscape into his building designs," the museum described in a press release.
"Ando learned his first lessons by studying traditional Japanese architecture before learning about modern Western architecture, including the buildings of Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Louis Kahn. The inspiration he drew from these experiences is evident throughout his work which, much like the museum that Noguchi designed, often provide sanctuary from the clamor of daily life."
Zimmerman is known for her site-specific stone installations that play on water and light. Her public commissions include the Sculpture Garden at the Birmingham Museum of Art in Birmingham, Alabama (1993), a pool and granite sculpture, for the National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C. (1980), as well as Suspended Arcs, a commission for the Beijing Olympics (2008).
The awards will be presented during the Noguchi Museum’s Spring Benefit in May.
