Toyo Ito

Japanese architect (Seoul, June 1, 1941)

Toyoo Itō (伊東豊雄 Itō Toyoo?, often transliterated Toyo Ito; June 1, 1941, Seoul) is a Japanese architect.

He is considered "one of the most innovative and influential architects in the world" and is particularly appreciated for the creation and development of extreme architectural concepts, in which he combines the physical world with the virtual one. He is one of the most significant exponents of that architectural trend that advocates the contemporary notion of the simulated city.

In 2013, Itō was awarded the prestigious Pritzker prize.

"Architecture possible here? Home-for-All", the Japanese Pavilion designed by Itō for the 2012 Venice Biennale, won the Golden Lion for Best National Participation. The jury wrote in its motivation, "Toyo Ito has collaborated with younger architects and the local community to approach in a practical and inventive way the design of a new center for a region devastated by a national catastrophe."

Itō graduated from the University of Tokyo's School of Architecture in 1965. After working with Kiyonori Kikutake Architect & Associates from 1965 to 1969, he opened his own studio, Urban Robot (urbot), in Tokyo in 1971. The studio changed its name to Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects in 1979.

Toyoo Itō holds a chair at Tokyo Women's University and is professor emeritus at the University of North London and a visiting professor at Columbia University. Source: Wikipedia…>>