TADAO ANDO

Architect

Born in 1941. One of Tadao Ando’s major achievements was establishing concrete not just as a ubiquitous and versatile construction material, but also as an object of beauty, like marble. Through his clever introduction of natural light, he manages to give his concrete structures, including even residential blocks, a temple-like air of dignity and beauty.

Many of his clients have become smitten with both his personality and his craft, choosing to work with him on multiple projects over decades. For example, his work with Benesse’s Soichiro Fukutake at the Naoshima art island in the Seto Inland Sea began with Benesse House Museum in 1992 and continues more than 30 years later, with a new museum scheduled to open next year. Overseas, he is known for his collaborations with Francois Pinault of the Kering Group. Their work together includes an unfinished museum project on Ile Seguin in Paris (2001), the Palazzo Grassi (2006) and the Punta della Dogana (2009) in Venice, and also the Bourse de Commerce in Paris (2021).