The first Pritzker Architecture Prize went to Philip Johnson in 1979. Kevin Roche, leoh Ming Pei, and Richard Meier complete the list of prior U.S. winners. Last year, Kenzo Tange of Japan received the prize, joining the list of international architects, Gottfried Böhm of the Federal Republic of Germany, Hans Hollein of Austria, James Stirling of Great Britain, and Luis Barragán of Mexico.
Bill Lacy, secretary to the jury, added, "With the addition of the names Bunshaft and Niemeyer to this list, the Pritzker Prize confirms that these two illustrious architects will have a place in the story something their outstanding buildings have already assured.