pritzker prize honors frei otto with reconstructed pavilion by shigeru ban

pritzker prize honors frei otto with reconstructed pavilion by shigeru ban
image courtesy of john parra / getty images for pritzker architecture prize

the pritzker architecture prize has celebrated the life and career of the late frei otto with a new installation implemented by the award’s 2014 laureate shigeru ban. commemorating otto were a host of acclaimed architects including norman foster, zaha hadid, jean nouvel and david adjaye.

upon arrival at the ceremony, held in miami beach, guests entered a four-point tensile tent first designed by frei otto as a music pavilion for the 1955 federal garden exhibition. the design, which has been reconstructed by close friend and longtime collaborator shigeru ban, serves as an example of otto’s pioneering message of technology for the sake of society.

the four-point tensile tent was first designed by frei otto as a music pavilion
image courtesy of john parra / getty images for pritzker architecture prize

lord peter palumbo, chair of the pritzker prize jury, spoke of otto and his work to represent ‘an architecture that celebrated the human sprit and the human condition. an architecture that exuded spiritual generosity. this free spirit was able to imbue and inform his architecture with the literature of life in the way that people feel sublimating the self in the interest and for the good of humanity and most especially for the poor and defenseless.’

during the ceremony, frei otto’s daughter, architect christine otto-kanstinger, accepted the pritzker medallion on behalf of her father. the tented pavilion will remain as a public installation at the new world center in miami beach, before being permanently relocated to the miami design district.

guests sat beneath the reconstructed installation
image courtesy of john parra / getty images for pritzker architecture prize

(left to right) lord peter palumbo, shigeru ban and lord norman foster
image courtesy of john parra / getty images for pritzker architecture prize

patrik schumacher and zaha hadid were present at the prestigious event
image courtesy of john parra / getty images for pritzker architecture prize

jean nouvel and lida guan were also in attendance
image courtesy of john parra / getty images for pritzker architecture prize

chilean architect alejandro aravena and british architect david adjaye
image courtesy of john parra / getty images for pritzker architecture prize

inside the event, which took place at the new world center in miami beach
image courtesy of john parra / getty images for pritzker architecture prize

the ceremony honored the life and work of 2015 laureate frei otto
image courtesy of john parra / getty images for pritzker architecture prize