Tadao Ando

In this Japanese name, the family name is Ando.

Tadao Ando
Tadao Ando (2004)
Born	(1941-09-13) September 13, 1941 Minato-ku, Osaka, Japan
Nationality	Japanese
Occupation	Architect
Awards	Alvar Aalto Medal, 1985 Pritzker Prize, 1995 RIBA Royal Gold Medal, 1997 AIA Gold Medal, 2002
Practice	Tadao Ando Architects & Associates
Buildings	Row House, Sumiyoshi, 1979 Church of the Light, Osaka, 1989 Water Temple, Awaji, 1991
Projects	Rokko Housing I, II, III, Kobe, 1983-1999

Tadao Ando is a Japanese architect. He was born in Osaka in 1941. Before he designed buildings, he had many other important experiences in his life. He became a professional boxer as a teenager and spent time in Thailand fighting. He then traveled around the world to learn about buildings. Ando became successful in the 1970s and has built buildings all over the world.

Ando often uses smooth reinforced concrete and simple shapes such as squares and circles. Openings, courts and walls control how light, wind and views enter a building. His best-known works include the Church of the Light, the Church on the Water and the museum buildings on Naoshima.

In 1995, Ando won the Pritzker Prize in 1995.

Further reading

• Ando, (2006) Taschen Books, Masao Furuyama, ISBN 978-3-8228-4895-1.