Chengdu-based Liu Jiakun is the winner of this year’s Pritzker Architecture Prize. Since its inception in 1979, the annual award has been a barometer of where the architecture industry is heading. Naturally, designers worldwide are poring over the Chinese architect’s work. For many, it will be the first time that his work comes under their scrutiny. Liu tends to stay out of the limelight, mostly creating public works in his native Sichuan province.

His commissions are focused on his community, reflecting its traditions and responding to its needs. It’s a theme that the prize’s jury, chaired by 2016 Pritzker Prize laureate Alejandro Aravena, picked up on. “Architecture should reveal something; it should distil and make visible the inherent qualities of local people,” says the jury’s citation. Here, Liu tells us about how his start in architecture is rooted in literature and how his hometown influences his work.

Why did you spend your first two decades after graduation writing novels?
During the 1980s and 1990s I was unsure which facets of architecture I wanted to pursue. Though I had completed a degree in architecture, I didn’t really understand the profession but I had always loved literature. Studying architecture actually helped me to write novels. It’s like riding a bicycle – it’s not something that you can forget.

Given your buildings’ varying styles, is there such a thing as a typical Jiakun design?     
It’s not my intention to change my style with every project but I also don’t want to limit myself. What I usually try to do is offer a creative approach to the problem presented to me with all the resources that I have available. I pride myself in my attention to detail and believe that there are distinct characteristics in my architecture.

Can you give us an example of this approach?     
Nature and architecture are always closely related in my projects. I like to limit the appearance of technology as much as possible and my work tends to have more of a meaning within society. Finding an ecological balance between a project and the buildings surrounding it is another one of my priorities. I want my work to assimilate to the space that it’s in. I also have a great respect for Chinese history, specifically in architecture. I want to preserve these traditions in our contemporary world.

Has Chengdu influenced your architectural approach?     
Definitely. It has somewhat of a subconscious influence on me and my work as I was born and raised in the city and I currently work here. Chengdu residents really enjoy recreation and leisure, and that certainly seeps into my work. 

Which of your buildings in Chengdu express the city’s character?
West Village Basis Yard is surrounded by a lot of residential communities. The previous space wasn’t living up to its potential in terms of its interaction with residents. I wanted to turn it into a hub for the area, where people could congregate. As the site was a former green space, we had to incorporate recreational areas into the design. But we also wanted there to be commercial spaces that fed off the energy from the street. We created what the Chinese would call “a yard within a yard”. The rooftop running path was designed to bring people together, as well as fulfil recreational requirements. Back in the day, all you needed to have fun was space and maybe some trees. The village has elements of that naivety. I have heard people say, “This is very Chengdu.”