Celebrities are always obsessing over something, whether it's a dreamy destination or a home must-have. But as of late everyone from Kim Kardashian to Beyoncé has seemed to develop a collective admiration for another celebrity: the 81-year-old Japanese architect Tadao Ando. If you're not immersed in the world of architecture, you might be wondering: Who is Tadao Ando, and why are your favorite stars so enamored with his work? Dive into everything you should know about the iconic visionary below.
Who Is Tadao Ando?
Born in the Japanese city of Osaka in 1941, Tadao Ando is an award-winning contemporary architect who's best known for his minimalist concrete structures. He often uses concrete planes to play with light and space while harmonizing the building with its natural surroundings. As a self-taught architect, Ando established his own firm, Tadao Ando Architect & Associates, in 1969. He has taught as a visiting professor at several universities, including Yale and Harvard, and since 1997 he has been on the faculty of the University of Tokyo, where he's now a professor emeritus.
Before following his passion for architecture, Ando engaged in other careers. He was once a truck driver and professional boxer. "An architect's formative years are between the ages of 20 and 30," he told Tatler Asia in 2012. "It’s vital for one to take in a lot of scenery—traveling makes an architect. I became a boxer because the matches allowed me to travel overseas and experience different architectural styles."
What Are Some of Tadao Ando’s Famous Works?
While Tadao Ando has designed several residential homes, the architect has dreamed up various structures worldwide, many of which the public can visit. That portfolio includes the Pulitzer Arts Foundation museum in Missouri, The Art Institute of Chicago in Illinois, and the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. Some of his projects in Japan include the Ibaraki Kasugaoka Church (or the Church of the Light, which has currently suspended tours), Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, the Chichu Art Museum, the Osaka Culturarium at Tempozan, and the Benesse House Oval. Other incredible buildings by the architect exist in France, Spain, Italy, China, and Mexico.
See Projects by Tadao Ando:
Which Celebrities Love Tadao Ando's Work?
In May 2023, Beyoncé and Jay-Z purchased a $200 million Malibu home that now holds the record for the most expensive real estate deal to go down in California history. That home—which is comprised of roughly 42,000 square feet—was built by none other than Tadao Ando for art collectors Bill and Maria Bell. Maria Bell told The Wall Street Journal that they spent a dozen years constructing the bluffside home, which she described as a "sculpture as much as it is a building."
Other celebrities who have purchased Ando-designed properties include Kanye West, now known as Ye, who purchased a Malibu mansion for around $57 million in September 2021. (That home is now in disrepair as the rapper attempted to remodel it but didn't finish.) Fashion designer Tom Ford once lived in the Ando-designed New Mexico home known as Cerro Pelon Ranch, an incredible compound set on a sprawling 20,662 acres.
Ando has also worked with other high-profile clients to build a home from the ground up. One such celeb is Kim Kardashian. If you've seen any of her previous homes, you won't be shocked to learn that she's drawn to Ando's minimalist style. The reality star has been working with him to build a home on an undeveloped plot of land in La Quinta, California, that she originally purchased with Kanye West for $6.3 million circa 2019. In April 2023, she shared on Instagram: "Met with the master himself, Tadao Ando to review and discuss a dream project we have been working on for the past two years. I visited his office in Japan so that we could make the finishing touches before we break ground. So deeply honored and incredibly humbled to have the opportunity to work with him and finally see this special project come to life."
Should you have the impression that Ando will work with any billionaire, think again. Money doesn't come first for the architect. "A considerable range of people come to my firm to request my design services," he said in the book Tadao Ando: Living with Light, by Philip Jodidio. "My decision to accept their projects depends mainly on their personality and aura."
Many industry experts have confirmed this philosophy. One Los Angeles–based real estate agent and developer who has worked with Ando told The Wall Street Journal, "It has to be close to his heart for him to work with you."
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