Daniel Libeskind. Image courtesy of The Japan Art Association.
Daniel Libeskind has been named the 2026 Praemium Imperiale laureate for Architecture. The Polish-American architect, born in 1946, is being recognized for his contributions to architecture and urban design spanning more than four decades.
Libeskind, who founded Studio Libeskind in Berlin in 1989 (relocated to New York City in 2003), has built a practice around architecture’s ability to carry cultural and emotional meaning, with his work often characterized by angular geometries and dramatic circulation. Notable projects include the Jewish Museum Berlin, Imperial War Museum North, and Denver Art Museum’s Hamilton Building.
Jewish Museum Berlin by Studio Libeskind. Image credit: Lovie Tey/Unsplash.
The award places Libeskind among a particularly heavyweight group of previous Architecture laureates, including Frank Gehry, Kenzo Tange, Renzo Piano, Tadao Ando, Norman Foster, Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid, Peter Zumthor, SANAA, Shigeru Ban, Diébédo Francis Kéré, and last year’s recipient Eduardo Souto de Moura.
Canadian National Holocaust Monument by Studio Libeskind. Image credit: Studio Libeskind.
The other 2026 Praemium Imperiale recipients are Cate Blanchett for Theater/Film, Jenny Holzer for Painting, Andy Goldsworthy for Sculpture, and Herbert Blomstedt for Music. Now in its 37th year, the prize recognizes lifetime achievement across five artistic disciplines.
Michael Lee-Chin Crystal at the Royal Ontario Museum by Studio Libeskind. Image courtesy Raysonho/Wikimedia Commons
Each laureate will receive a 15 million yen honorarium (nearly $100,000 USD), a testimonial letter, and a medal at an awards ceremony in Tokyo this fall.
The Japan Art Association also announced this year’s grant to La Source Garouste in France, which supports arts education and the development of young creative talent.
Video courtesy of The Japan Art Association.
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