The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced that SANAA, the Japanese architectural practice led by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, will receive the 2025 Royal Gold Medal. RIBA states that SANAA has reshaped the global design landscape by creating spaces that prioritize simplicity, light, and elegance.
Over nearly three decades, SANAA has pioneered sustainable, user-centred design, emphasizing inclusivity and accessibility. The 2025 RIBA Honours Committee praised the firm for establishing “a universal language of architecture” that balances functionality with profound elegance, noting its intellectually rigorous approach.
Their hallmark lies in balancing minimalistic facades with quiet interior complexity, creating environments that connect people to each other and to their surroundings. Notable projects include the New Museum in New York, Rolex Learning Centre in Lausanne, and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa. Photo of Bocconi University, Italy (2019) © SANAA. RIBA
