David Chipperfield, the British architect known for his contextual structures that blend into their surroundings, has been named the latest laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the highest honor in the field of architecture.
Founding his eponymous architecture firm in London in 1985, Chipperfield has always eschewed a conspicuous signature style. Indeed, the Pritzker Prize jury’s citation commended his “commitment to an architecture of understated but transformative civic presence.”
The architect’s projects, ranging from monumental museums (his specialty) and corporate headquarters to smaller residences and historic spaces, span the globe. Museo Jumex in Mexico City is a jagged chunk of stone that seems to take its cues from nearby pyramids; the Turner Contemporary is a pearl of tasteful modernity on England’s eastern shore; Berlin’s Neues Museum—which houses the famed Bust of Nefertiti—is a seamless reimagining of the mid-1800s institution that honors its history; and Chipperfield’s six-year renovation of the landmark Neue Nationalgalerie remains respectful of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s original vision.
Here are seven of Chipperfield’s most notable museum designs…
Neues Museum
Berlin, Germany
Neues Museum. Photo courtesy of SMB / Ute Zscharnt for David Chipperfield Architects.
Neues Museum. Photo courtesy of SMB / Ute Zscharnt for David Chipperfield Architects.
Turner Contemporary Margate, England
Turner Contemporary. Photo courtesy of Simon Menges.
Turner Contemporary. Photo courtesy of Simon Menges.
St. Louis Art Museum
St. Louis, Missouri
Saint Louis Art Museum. Photo courtesy of Simon Menges.
Saint Louis Art Museum. Photo courtesy of Simon Menges.
Hepworth Wakefield
Wakefield, England
Hepworth Wakefield. Photo courtesy of Iwan Baan.
Hepworth Wakefield. Photo courtesy of Iwan Baan.
Museo Jumex
Mexico City, Mexico
Museo Jumex. Photo courtesy of Simon Menges.
Museo Jumex. Photo courtesy of Simon Menges.
James Simon Galerie
Berlin, Germany
James Simon Galerie. Photo courtesy of Ute Zscharnt for David Chipperfield Architects.
James Simon Galerie. Photo courtesy of Ute Zscharnt for David Chipperfield Architects.
River and Rowing Museum
Henley-on-Thames, England
River and Rowing Museum. Photo courtesy of Richard Bryant / Arcaid.
River and Rowing Museum. Photo courtesy of Richard Bryant / Arcaid.