About Tadao Ando
Tadao Ando (安藤 忠雄, Andō Tadao; born September 13, 1941) is a Japanese architect. Self-taught, he is known for his unique integration of architecture and landscape. Architectural historian Francesco Dal Co described his work as an example of "critical regionalism". Ando was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 1995. == Early life == Tadao Ando was born in 1941 in Minato-ku, Osaka, Japan, just a few minutes before his twin brother. At the age of two, he was separated from his sibling and raised by his great-grandmother. As a child, Ando would explore construction sites and took inspiration from workers who crafted their buildings to last "for 100 years". He cites his childhood home as an influence on his architectural work, saying that living in a nagaya row house taught him how limited use of light affects interior spaces. When he was 15 years old, Ando participated in renovating the house by helping the construction workers. Before becoming an architect, Ando worked as a boxer and fighter.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.