Architect Richard Rogers together with colleagues from his practice, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, were among those attending a special reception with Prime Minister Tony Blair MP at 10 Downing Street in advance of a dinner at Banqueting House on 4 June 2007 to celebrate Rogers being named the 2007 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate. The Pritzker Architecture Prize was established by The Hyatt Foundation in 1979 to honour annually a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision, and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture. It has often been described as 'architecture’s most prestigious award' or as 'the Nobel of architecture'.
At the dinner which followed, speeches in praise of Rogers' work and his contribution to architecture were given by Lord Palumbo, Chairman of the Pritzker Prize jury, Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London and Tom Pritzker, Chairman Hyatt International and Hyatt Corp. In his acceptance speech, Rogers said: "I have always believed that a humane and progressive architecture is one that creates beauty out of function. Not just for the sake of beauty in itself, but because beautiful buildings and public spaces help people achieve their potential, as citizens as well as individuals. Architects cannot be apolitical - we have a duty to engage."