Yamamoto's postwar childhood in Japan shaped his interest in the interplay of architecture and community. The jury of the prestigious architecture award cited the intergenerational power of his work.

The British architect is known for his crisp, understated, elegant work. "He enhances the quality of people's lives through a poetic sensation that always flows from his buildings," the jury said.

The Japanese architect was known as a post-modern giant who blended culture and history of the East and the West in his designs. He won the Pritzker Prize, the highest honor in the field, in 2019.

Often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of Architecture," this year's Pritzker was awarded to Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal, a design pair who emphasize reuse and equitable housing.

"There are two things we worry about when entering a public restroom," an architect's firm says of the jewel-like toilets. "The first is cleanliness, and the second is whether anyone is inside."