Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas has been awarded the "Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement" at the opening ceremony of the 12th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, on August 28th. The decision was taken by the Board of the Biennale, upon the proposal of the Director of this year's exhibition, Kazuyo Sejima. The Board stated that "Rem Koolhaas has expanded the possibilities of architecture. He has focused on the exchanges between people in space. He creates buildings that bring people together and in this way forms ambitious goals for architecture. His influence on the world has come well beyond architecture." The Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima, who won this year's Pritzker Prize is the Biennale's first female director. 
Rem Koolhaas is renown as one of the founders of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) in 1975, and author of  Delirious New York (1978) and S,M,L,XL (1995). Among his most important buildings are the Netherlands Dance Theatre at The Hague, the Nexus Housing at Fukuoka in Japan, the Kunsthal in Rotterdam, the Grand Palais of Euralille in Lille, the Villa dall’Ava in Paris, and the Seattle Public Library. One of his most recent projects is the China Central Television (CCTV) headquarters building in Beijing. 
The Board also awarded a special Golden Lion in memory of the Japanese architect, Kazuo Shinohara, who died in 2006. The Golden Lion for the best National Participation was this year awarded to the Kingdom of Bahrain. Located in Venice's Arsenal and Giardini, the Biennale will be open until November 21.

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Rem Koolhaas wins Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement