Shigeru Ban wins AIA Gold Medal for "pioneering use of humble, renewable materials"

Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, who designed the Cardboard Cathedral in New Zealand, has won the 2026 American Institute of Architects Gold Medal.

Ban becomes the fourth Japanese architect, following Fumihiko Maki, Tadao Ando and Kenzo Tange, to win the gold medal, which is the AIA's highest honour.

He was given the honour in recognition of his work developing the use of unusual materials such as cardboard, along with his work as an educator.

"Shigeru Ban revolutionized architecture with renewable materials like paper and timber, creating resilient, sustainable designs like disaster shelters and the Cardboard Cathedral," said the AIA.

"A hallmark of Ban's practice is his pioneering use of humble, renewable materials, particularly paper and timber," it continued.

"As an educator for over 30 years, he empowers students through hands-on projects, showcasing architecture's potential for sustainability and service."

One of the world's best-known architects, Ban was born in Tokyo in 1957, before moving to the US to study architecture at the Southern California Institute of Architecture and the Cooper Union School of Architecture.

He returned to Japan in 1985 to establish Shigeru Ban Architects and has since designed numerous landmark buildings around the world, including the Centre Pompidou-Metz in France and the Tamedia Office Building in Switzerland.

Early this year, Dezeen named the Cardboard Cathedral in New Zealand the most significant building of 2013.

Alongside permanent buildings, Ban is known for his contribution to disaster relief programmes, including establishing the non-profit organisation Voluntary Architects Network (VAN) in 1995.

With the organisation, he has created numerous structures from wood, paper and bamboo in response to emergencies, including the Paper Log House.

Ban has won many of architecture's top accolades, including the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2014 and the Praemium Imperiale award last year.

The 2025 AIA Gold Medal was awarded to New York-based architect and educator Deborah Berke, while the 2024 award was presented to Ted Flato and David Lake.

The photography is courtesy of The Japan Art Association / The Sankei Shimbun unless stated.

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