An 87-year-old Japanese designer just won the 'Nobel Prize of architecture.' Here are some of his most stunning masterpieces.

Isozaki told the New York Times that he "sensed" that Los Angeles wanted to build something that rivaled the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) in New York City. While the MoMa's dark rooms depend on artificial light, LA's Museum of Contemporary Art features natural light from glass skylights.

The tower opened in 1990 to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Japanese city of Mito. It's divided into three sections: a concert hall, theater, and contemporary art gallery.

The building held Olympic events like gymnastics, handball, and volleyball. It now serves as a sports arena and concert venue.

Isozaki designed the museum alongside Spanish architect César Portela, under the original name Casa del Hombre, or "House of Man." Isosaki recently told the New York Times that the tower is among his favorite designs.

Nara was the capitol of Japan more than 1,000 years ago, but it didn't become an official city until about the turn of the 20th century. Isozaki divided the city's commemorative building into a large concert hall, a smaller concert hall, and a gallery.

The concert hall consists of two buildings. Isozaki designed the second structure, which is more contemporary and opened in 2000.

The center includes a library and concert hall.

The branch-like columns on the building's facade resemble the Sidrat al-Muntaha, a holy Islamic tree that represents perseverance. Inside the building is an enormous spider sculpture that's meant to evoke the early stages of life.

The structure is part of a larger office development in an industrial area called Zona Franca. The floors in Isozaki's building are shaped either as a 'C' or 'L'.

The structure visited areas that were afflicted by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which killed more than 15,000 people.

The venue can be deflated to allow for easy transport.

At nearly 700 feet in height, the Allianz Tower is one of the tallest buildings in Italy. Isozaki designed the structure in tandem with Italian architect Andrea Maffei. Its facade was envisioned as a series of barrel-shaped modules.

Although the tower's sleek glass panels call to mind some of Isozaki's earlier works, their collective aesthetic is singular. For decades, Isozaki's designs have not only straddled the lines between time periods, aesthetic styles, and different cultures — they have suggested that no such barriers exist at all.