LONDON (Kyodo) Toyo Ito received one of architecture's most prestigious prizes, the Royal Gold Medal, at a Wednesday ceremony at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London.

"Toyo Ito has been an inspiration for generations of architects worldwide since his work started to receive international acclaim in the 1970s," RIBA President Jack Pringle said in presenting the award. "For 30 years, he has been a leading figure in architecture and I am delighted that he has accepted the Royal Gold Medal."

The Gold Medal is in recognition of a lifetime of work and is handed out annually to a person or group whose influence on architecture has been international. The winners are approved by Queen Elizabeth.