The Architect Who Turned Humility into a Revolution

Liu Jiakun, the Soul of 21st-Century Architecture

What makes a man who builds museums among bamboo groves and structures that seem to grow from the earth the most influential architect of 2025? Liu Jiakun is not just a designer of spaces—he is a poet of stone, a philosopher of brick, and a silent rebel against the architecture of glittering skyscrapers. His work does not seek to impress height or luxury but with something much deeper: human connection.

Who is Liu Jiakun?

Born in 1956 in Chengdu, China, Liu Jiakun could have followed in his mother's footsteps as a doctor, but he chose blueprints over scalpels. After graduating in architecture in the 1980s, he stepped away from the profession to pursue literature until an exhibition by his colleague Tang Hua reignited his passion. In 1999, he founded Jiakun Architects, one of China’s first private firms, and since then, he has built fewer than forty projects—but each one is a masterpiece of discretion.

His Philosophy: When Architecture Whispers

Liu does not aim to impose a style but rather to listen to the place. His buildings are like conversations with nature:

• The Luyeyuan Sculpture Museum (2022) hides among bamboo groves as if it were a guardian of the forest, while West Village (2015) breaks away from enclosed shopping malls to create open spaces where residents can cultivate their own community.

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Key Aspects of His Approach:

✔ Memory and Tradition: Uses local materials and ancestral techniques, such as "reborn bricks" made from rubble after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

✔ Humanity Over Spectacle: His buildings are not monuments but witnesses to everyday life. The Clock Museum (2007) celebrates the modest history of a town, not grandiosity.

✔ Collaboration with Artisans: Before designing, he consults with local workers to ensure his ideas are viable and authentic.

Projects That Redefine Possibilities

Luyeyuan Sculpture Museum (2022):

A sanctuary of less than 1,400 square meters where art converses with bamboo and the river. There are no imposing walls—just the serenity of the essential.

West Village (2015):

An urban block that defies skyscrapers. Its inclined corridors and open spaces are a laboratory for coexistence, where cyclists and pedestrians share the spotlight.

Hu Huishan Memorial (2009):

After the Sichuan earthquake, Liu transformed rubble into a monument honoring a teenage girl who lost her life. A reminder that architecture can heal collective wounds.

Why the 2025 Pritzker Prize?

The jury highlighted his ability to "imagine new worlds free from preconceived styles." Liu does not seek fame but transforms people’s lives. His buildings are not just structures, they are catalysts for communities, bridges between past and present, and lessons in resilience.

A Vision That Resonates with Coronel Associates

Liu Jiakun’s emphasis on the relationship between architecture and its inhabitants finds an echo in firms like Coronel Associates, where design goes beyond aesthetics to address human needs. Operating in both Ecuador and the United States, Coronel Associates creates spaces that foster community and functionality, understanding that each environment has its own story and unique requirements.

One example of this approach is the Wine Cellar & Outdoor Lounge, a renovation project that transformed a historically rich space into a vibrant destination. Rumor has it that this property, located in a prime area of Florida, was once used by Al Capone, adding an aura of mystery to its identity. Instead of imposing a new character, the design respected and enhanced its existing elements with a subtle yet impactful intervention:

✔ Use of materials that converse with the past, maintaining warmth and authenticity

✔ Integration of outdoor and indoor spaces, fostering interaction between visitors and the surroundings.

✔ A design focused on experience, where every corner invite conversation and relaxation.

Just like Liu Jiakun, Coronel Associates believes that architecture is not just about building, it is about telling stories and evoking emotions.

Legacy: The Silent Revolution

Liu Jiakun is not an architect who follows trends—he is a visionary redefining what it means to build. In a world obsessed with the new and the grand, he reminds us that beauty lies in simplicity, in what endures, in what connects. His works are a call for architecture as a tool for social change, not just decoration.

And You?

Next time you see a building, ask yourself: What story does it hold? Whom does it honor? How does it make those who inhabit it feel? Liu Jiakun teaches us that architecture is not just stone and steel—it is a dialogue with the soul of a place. And at Coronel Associates, we embrace that philosophy: designing with purpose and collaboration. 🏗️✨