Sejima and Nishizawa received the Kunstpreis Berlin (Art Prize Berlin) from the Akademie der Künste for their architectural work.
On March 18, 2007, Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa were awarded the Kunstpreis Berlin (Art Prize Berlin) by the Akademie der Künste, one of Germany's oldest and most prestigious cultural institutions, dating back to 1696.
This prize, awarded across various artistic disciplines including architecture, recognized SANAA's significant contribution to contemporary design and their innovative reimagining of spatial and material relationships in architecture. The award placed Sejima and Nishizawa in the company of distinguished artists, musicians, and architects recognized by the Academy over its centuries-long history.
By 2007, SANAA's international reputation had grown considerably, with major projects completed or underway across Japan, Europe, and the United States, including work that would soon culminate in their joint Pritzker Prize win in 2010. The Berlin prize represented continued affirmation of their standing among Europe's cultural elite.
The recognition from the Akademie der Künste also highlighted the increasing blurring of boundaries between architecture and fine art in critical discourse, positioning Sejima's work as part of a broader cultural conversation about space, form, and human experience.