For the first time in history, an African has won architecture’s prestigious award. Burkina Faso-born architect Diébédo Francis Kéré won 2022’s prestigious Pritzker Prize.
1 min read 16/03/2022
For the first time in history, an African has won architecture’s prestigious award.
Burkina Faso-born architect Diébédo Francis Kéré won 2022’s prestigious Pritzker Prize.
He becomes the first African to win the award in its over 40-year history.
The Pritzker is considered the highest honour in the architectural field.
His works include the national assemblies of Burkina Faso and Benin which have been commissioned.
According to Mr Kéré who is a duo citizen of Burkina Faso and Germany, he was the “happiest man on this planet” to become the 51st recipient of the.
The AFP news agency quoted him as saying in an interview that “I have a feeling of an overwhelming honour but also a sense of responsibility.”
The jury while announcing the winner for this year, observed that the architect “raises fundamental questions of the meaning of permanence and durability of construction in a context of constant technological changes”.
Members of the jury praised Kéré for combining his architectural works “with the traditions, needs and customs of his country”.
Follow us on social media