The Pritzker Prize, often referred to as the 'Nobel Prize of Architecture', has been awarded to Chilean architect Smiljan Radic this year. The Hyatt Foundation, which administers the award, announced Radic as the recipient on December 12th (local time). Established in 1979 by the Pritzker family, the prize is recognized as the highest honor in architecture, given to architects who have made significant contributions to humanity and the built environment, along with a cash reward of $100,000 and a medal.

Radic is the second Chilean architect to receive the award since Alejandro Aravena, known for his socially conscious architecture, won it in 2016. Born to a Croatian father and an English mother, Radic grew up as part of an immigrant family. He studied at the Catholic University of Chile and the University of Venice in Italy, establishing his architectural firm, Smiljan Radic Clarc, in Santiago in 1995. His works are characterized by fragile surfaces and precise structures, with notable projects including the 'Coal House' (1998), designed as temporary housing, and 'Mestizo Restaurant' (2006), which uses quarry rocks as structural supports, as well as the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London (2014) featuring fiberglass sculptures.

The jury stated that Radic's buildings, while appearing temporary and unstable, offer a serene refuge and embrace vulnerability as a condition of life experiences. They expressed that his work facilitates lively interactions among users through often invisible connections. Radic himself noted that architecture exists between monumental and grand permanent forms and small, fragile, ephemeral structures, emphasizing the delicate balance involved in architectural design.