Elitism in
architecture manifests in multiple forms: architects are positioned as arbiters
of built environment quality, recruitment predominantly favors individuals from
elite backgrounds, commissions are largely sourced from elite patrons, and
architectural practice often reflects the values and aesthetic preferences of
privileged groups. This elitism is further reinforced by prestigious global
architecture awards, which contribute to the emergence of starchitects—a select
group of architects whose careers are propelled by such recognition. Among
various evaluative frameworks, the Pritzker Prize (PP) stands as one of the
most esteemed. Within this context, it is hypothesized that the PP
disproportionately favors architects from nations classified as the ‘Core’ of
the capitalist world economy (CWE) over those from the ‘Semi-Periphery’ or
‘Periphery’, as defined by the World Systems Theory (WST). WST provides a
structural framework for analyzing global economic inequalities by
incorporating perspectives on colonialism and imperialism, emphasizing their
long-term impact on economic underdevelopment in certain world regions. This
theory underscores the importance of historical structural analysis in
understanding global disparities. Although WST has faced criticism for its
Eurocentric bias—which often overgeneralizes economic structures and diminishes
the agency of peripheral nations—it remains a valuable analytical tool for
examining architectural prestige distribution. While its economic determinism
has been challenged for neglecting cultural and ideological factors, WST offers
a more nuanced alternative to the simplistic binaries of ‘West vs. Non-West’ or
‘Global North vs. Global South’. By applying this framework, a more
comprehensive understanding of how architectural elitism intersects with global
economic divisions can be achieved.
Employing a qualitative research methodology with case
studies as its primary strategy, this research utilizes data from the PP’s
official website (pritzkerprize.com) to identify trends and cycles of
PP-winning starchitects across various nationalities worldwide. By tabulating
these findings and triangulating data with other extant sources, the study
applies the aforementioned theory to analyze these nationalities, situating
each within its corresponding country, and thus, C/SP/P division.
Conducted in February 2025, this research analyzes 46
PP award cycles and identifies that starchitects from 21 different
nationalities have received the prize over the years. Among these, ones
representing the Core have overwhelmingly secured the prize 36 times, followed
by counterparts from the Semi-Periphery with 9 wins, and Periphery with a
single win. Consequently, the hypothesis is affirmed, demonstrating that the PP
exhibits a preferential bias towards the Core.
