Sejima and Nishizawa received the Pritzker Prize bronze medallion and citation at a formal ceremony held on Ellis Island, New York Harbor.
On May 17, 2010, Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa traveled to Ellis Island in New York Harbor for the formal ceremony recognizing their 2010 Pritzker Architecture Prize win. Ellis Island, historically the gateway for millions of immigrants entering the United States, was chosen as a symbolically resonant site for celebrating architectural excellence and global cultural exchange.
At the ceremony, the pair received the prize's signature bronze medallion—inscribed with the words 'firmness, commodity and delight' drawn from the Vitruvian principles of architecture—along with an official citation from the Hyatt Foundation, the prize's sponsoring body.
The event drew architects, critics, and cultural dignitaries from around the world, marking a rare public celebration of a female architect's achievement at this level. Sejima used the occasion to speak about the value of collaborative practice and the evolving role of women in a profession that had long been dominated by men.
The ceremony cemented SANAA's status as one of the most influential architectural practices of the early 21st century and provided a highly visible platform for Sejima to become a role model for aspiring women architects worldwide.