ARCHITECTURE:Pritzker Prize,Zaha Hadid-Shigeru Ban

The Pritzker Prize is considered the Nobel of Architecture and is the highest honor and recognition for every Architect. In 2004, for the first time in history of the institution awarded to woman, the Iraqi Architect Zaha Hadid, which has won many architectural competitions, as this year she won the Award of the Design Museum of London for the design of the respective Museum in Azerbaijan (see Photo). Ten years later (2014) awarded to the Japanese Architect Shigeru Ban, who for the “Architecture community” and to those that who are closely interested with architecture, became known with perhaps the most innovative project in the history of contemporary architecture, the house where on one of its sides, instead of a wall has a curtain. The similarities the above two Architects, with their work we will deal extensively in the coming days, in addition that they originate from the East, but with different references and cultures, are innovation, inventiveness and the common love for the curve, but in quite a different way. Zaha Hadid, is moving away from existing typology and by using high technology has shifted the geometry of buildings, through the full deconstruction of the existing rules so far, with the curve to lead and stand out in the surrounding natural and architectural space. Contrary Shigeru Ban, is using all the natural materials, elements interrelated with the Japanese Culture and Architecture, in various ways, but with the help of technology, with sharpness, strength and sensibility, his approach, however is completely different and innovative. He places great emphasis on light and in the way that is diffusing in the interior but also how is reflected to the exterior too, in direct relation and relevance to the natural surroundings.-Efi Michalarou