"And the Oscar goes to..."

Brazilian architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha, 78, was named the winner of the 2006 Pritzker Architecture Prize on April 9th. He got his start in architecture professionally in the 1950s and is known for designing bold, open structures that blend with their surroundings and often using water as a design theme. Over the last six decades he has built a variety of projects, everything from homes, apartment buildings, sports arenas, museums and even public areas all mainly in Brazil. He was picked by a jury of architects, critics and academics who recognized his work for its daring concepts, modern designs and construction ingenuity.

According to Paulo ''Construction is a transformation of space,'' ... ''When you build, you need to imagine the universe is something entirely new that didn't exist before.''

Other architects who have received this prestigious award sponsored by the Hyatt Foundation include Renzo Piano, Frank Gehry, Richard Meier, Ieoh Ming Pei, and Rafael Moneo. Through my current job I have had the pleasure of meeting two of these architects that are often referred to as Signature architects: Renzo and Moneo.