As in previous years, in 2014 five cultural figures received the award from the Japan Art Association: in addition to Hall, among them were the Estonian composer Arve Pärt, the French artist Martial Rice, the playwright from South Africa Atol Fugard and the Italian sculptor Giuseppe Penone. Each of them, during a ceremony in Tokyo on October 16, 2014, will become the owner of a commemorative diploma, medal and the amount of 15 million yen (about 110 thousand euros).
The organizers of the award commended Hall for his philosophy, manifested in all his works: he seeks to combine the experience of space (manifested through light, color, texture) with the context - physical, cultural, social, etc. Among the influences on the method of the architect of buildings - the Pantheon: when Stephen Hall studied in Rome, he went to the "temple of all gods" every day to observe how each time different natural light changes the perception of space.
Hall was also influenced by Kazimir Malevich when he became closely acquainted with the work of the avant-garde artist while studying at the London School of the Architectural Association. Seeing a synthesis of architecture and painting in Malevich's works, Hall began to make extensive use of watercolor sketches in the course of design. According to him, in some way he feels more like an artist than an architect, because he begins work on another object with painting. Now Hall every morning for at least two hours works in watercolor technique - "is engaged in the synthesis of arts."
