Kazuyo Sejima

Design approach

Sejima's work emphasizes transparency, simple geometries and careful attention to how people move through space. Her projects often use thin structural elements, broad glazing and open plans to blur the boundaries between inside and outside. Critics and colleagues describe her buildings as quietly rigorous: restrained in material palette but inventive in spatial sequence. For a general description of her profession see architect.

Career and teaching

Sejima trained and worked in Japan before co-founding the architecture practice SANAA with Ryue Nishizawa in the 1990s. The office became known internationally for public and cultural buildings that respond to context while maintaining a clean, modern aesthetic. Alongside practice she has held academic posts; she has taught at institutions including Tama Art University and Keio University, and her role as a teacher is noted in biographies and exhibition materials — see general faculty information at professor.

Notable projects

• 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (Kanazawa) — celebrated for its circular plan and open galleries.
• The New Museum (extension) in New York and other international cultural buildings that demonstrate her approach to light and circulation.
• Rolex Learning Center in Lausanne and museum pavilions that experiment with continuous floor plates and porous boundaries.

Recognition and legacy

Sejima has received international honors for her architecture; a landmark recognition was the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2010. That award highlighted her influence on contemporary architectural thinking and helped bring wider attention to her work. For the formal announcement and citation see the prize page at Pritzker Prize 2010. Her buildings continue to be studied for their subtle use of materials and the way they shape public experience.

Further notes

Sejima's practice is often discussed alongside collaborative work produced by SANAA, and her projects range from small pavilions to major cultural institutions. When researching her career, consult institutional pages, exhibition catalogues and architectural reviews for plans, photographs and critical essays. For a brief reference on names and biographical entries consult general resources tied to the profession and academic appointments.