Ghost of a flea

Yesterday, the Hyatt Foundation announced Wang Shu as the 2012 laureate for the Pritzker Prize. If you’re first thought reading this is “Wait, who?!” then you’re not alone. His work is fantastic, even if it’s unfamiliar to nearly everyone outside of architecture, and unfamiliar to a sizable number of architects, too. I’ve been reading reactions to the news of his selection, trying to gauge if other folks are as surprised as I am by his recognition. It’s surprising not because his work doesn’t deserve the recognition, but because the committee selected the architectural equivalent of “a band so cool you haven’t even heard of them yet.”