After Joshua Jih Pan received his B.Arch. from National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in 1963, he pursued studies in the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts at the architecture school and obtained a professional degree at Rice University. He then obtained a master’s degree in urban design at Columbia University under the tutelage of Professor Percival Goodman, whose social and environmental design he pursued studies in the humanities, social sciences had a profound impact on Pan. After cultivating professional experience at several U.S. firms, he returned to Taiwan in 1976 and in 1981 founded JJP Architects & Planners, setting a foundation for sustainable development and growth in the country.
The laureate of several lifetime honors—including the Taiwan-based National Culture and Arts Foundation’s National Award for Arts, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Global Views Leaders Forum, the NCKU Outstanding Alumnus Award, and the R.O.C. Outstanding Architect Award—Pan is notably also the first Taiwanese architect to be distinguished as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA).
Always bearing in mind a social perspective in his practice, Pan believes an architect must tackle with uncompromised honesty any challenges arising from either one’s inner world or the external environment. One must also strive to achieve timeless design that is friendly to both human beings and the environment and conveys social compassion and cultural sensitivity—all while addressing the client’s functional, budgetary, and scheduling limitations. Pan’s designs pursue a balance between form and function while featuring a refined aesthetics that reflects an abiding sensitivity toward technology, the environment, and society.
Pan’s forty-plus years of unwavering commitment to blending cultural reflection, social concern, and innovative design principles are a testament to his belief that architecture is not just about building structures but about shaping lives and communities. His legacy is defined not by buildings alone but by the enduring impact his work and philosophy will continue to have on the field of architecture and beyond.
The Rice Architecture Alumni Award, established in 2023 by Dean Igor Marjanović and the William Ward Watkin Council, recognizes graduates of the Rice School of Architecture who have made significant contributions to the field through innovative design practice, community engagement, and leadership. The award honors emerging or established alumni whose pursuit of excellence provides a lasting inspiration for faculty, students, and other alumni.