Liu Jiakun
Liu Jiakun (born 1956) is a Chinese architect known for his focus on minimalism, humanism, and locally contextual design. In 2025, he won the Pritzker Prize. Liu's work emphasises local context and materials, and many of his buildings were constructed in his home city of Chengdu.
Also recorded as Jiakun Liu
Liu Jiakun
Remixia · CC0
- Born
- 1956. · Chengdu.
- Nationality
- People's Republic of China.
- Occupation
- architect and writer.
- Fields
- architecture.
- Honours
- Pritzker Architecture Prize.
- Languages
- Chinese.
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Documentary summary
Liu Jiakun (born 1956) is a Chinese architect known for his focus on minimalism, humanism, and locally contextual design. In 2025, he won the Pritzker Prize. Liu's work emphasises local context and materials, and many of his buildings were constructed in his home city of Chengdu.
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Authority files
getty · 500272393 · gnd · 130006815 · wikidata · Q132988850 · wikipedia · Liu Jiakun
In this article
Early life and education
Early life and education
Liu was born in Chengdu, in the Sichuan Province of China. His mother was an internist doctor at Chengdu Second People's Hospital. As a 17-year old during the Cultural Revolution, he was sent to the countryside to serve as a laborer, as part of the country's zhiqing (rusticated youth) program. Initially aspiring to be an artist, he was drawn to architecture due to its connection with drawing and design. He graduated in 1982 from the Chongqing Institute of Architecture and Engineering (now part of Chongqing University) with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Architecture.
Career
Career
After graduation, Liu worked at the state-owned Chengdu Architectural Design and Research Institute. He later spent time in the Tibet and Xinjiang autonomous regions of China, exploring art and literature. He returned to architecture in 1993 after being inspired by an exhibition by former classmate Tang Hua (Chinese: 汤桦). In 1999, he founded Jiakun Architects in Chengdu.
Exhibitions and international recognition
Exhibitions and international recognition
Liu's designs have been exhibited internationally, including at the Venice Architecture Biennale and a solo exhibition at Berlin's AEDES Gallery. In 2018, he was commissioned to design the Serpentine Pavilion in Beijing.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1956
Liu Jiakun was born in 1956 at Chengdu.
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority file
- Gemeinsame Normdatei 130006815, Liu, Jiakun.
General reference · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
- Getty Union List of Artist Names 500272393, Liu, Jiakun.
General reference · The Getty Research Institute
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q132988850: Liu Jiakun
Reputable secondary · Wikidata
- “Liu Jiakun”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Wainwright, Oliver. 'I aspire to be like water': the exquisite buildings of Liu Jiakun, winner of architecture's top prize. The Guardian. 4 March 2025.
- 2.Pogrebin, Robin. Chinese Architect Liu Jiakun Wins Pritzker Prize. The New York Times. 4 March 2025. 0362-4331.
- 3.普利兹克得主刘家琨，在赤水河畔郎酒庄园"用建筑写诗"-中宏网. 中宏网-今日新闻-财经新闻. 5 March 2025.
- 4.Ulaby, Neda. Chinese architect Liu Jiakun wins the 2025 Pritzker Prize. NPR. 4 March 2025.
- 5.The Hyatt Foundation. Biography of Liu Jiakun. www.pritzkerprize.com.
- 6.Holland, Oscar. Pritzker Prize 2025: China's Liu Jiakun awarded 'Nobel of architecture'. CNN. 4 March 2025.
- 7.Fakharany, Nour. International Exhibitions of Liu Jiakun. 4 March 2025.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority file
Gemeinsame Normdatei 130006815, Liu, Jiakun.Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Secondary witnessauthority file
Getty Union List of Artist Names 500272393, Liu, Jiakun.The Getty Research Institute
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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