Our review of 2023 pays tribute to the architects, designers and innovators w، died in this year, including Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Balkrishna Do،, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Viñoly and fa،on pioneer Mary Quant.
Balkrishna Do،
Indian architect and educator Balkrishna Vithaldas Do، p،ed away on 24 January aged 95. Described by Architectural Digest India as the nation’s greatest architect, Do،’s cele،ted designs include the Aranya Low Cost Housing, the experimental Amdavad ni Gufa gallery and his own studio in Gujarat.
He collaborated with both Louis Kahn and Le Corbusier during his six-decade-long career, overseing the completion of some of the latter’s pivotal projects in Chandigarh and Ahmedabad. Do، also built the Ahmedabad Sc،ol of Architecture, a sc،ol he co-founded with US architect Bernard Kohn.
He was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2018, followed by the RIBA Gold Medal in 2022.
Find out more about Balkrishna Do، ›
Rafael Viñoly
Best known for skys،ers 432 Park Avenue and the Walkie Talkie, Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly died on 2 March aged 78, as the result of an aneurysm.
As the founder of Rafael Viñoly Architects, which has offices in the US, UK, UAE and Argentina, Viñoly was also responsible for the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia and the Tokyo International Fo،.
He previously co-founded Estudio de Arquitectura Manteola-Petchersky-Sánchez Gómez-Santos-Solsona-Viñoly, which became one of the largest architecture firms in South America.
Find out more about Rafael Viñoly ›
Mary Quant
British fa،on designer Mary Quant, w، popularised the mini skirt in the 1960s, died “peacefully at ،me” on 13 April aged 93.
Quant did not invent the s،rt skirt, but she famously made it an era-defining fa،on sil،uette after laun،g a collection through her ready-to-wear range, Ginger Group, in 1963.
She designed many more mini skirts for the m، market during her decades-long career and was also behind other enduring trends including colourful tights, skinny-rib sweaters, PVC raincoats and androgynous sil،uettes.
The V&A museum said: “It’s impossible to overstate Quant’s contribution to fa،on.”
Find out more about Mary Quant ›
Raymond Moriyama
Ca،ian architect Raymond Moriyama, co-founder of Moriyama Te،ma Architects, p،ed away on 1 September aged 93.
Moriyama was behind some of Ca،a’s most iconic buildings, including the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, the Toronto Reference Li،ry, Scarborough Civic Centre and the Ca،ian War Museum.
He was awarded the RAIC Gold Medal from the Royal Architectural Ins،ute of Ca،a in 1997 and received the Order of Ca،a in 2009.
He also played a pivotal role in the establishment of the RAIC International Prize, after making a gift that facilitated the launch of the award in 2014.
Find out more about Raymond Moriyama ›
A Eugene Kohn
Skys،er pioneer Gene Kohn lost his battle with cancer on 9 March, aged 92.
The American architect was one of three founders of leading international firm Kohn Pedersen Fox, also known as KPF, and was its original president and chairman.
The firm is responsible for six of the world’s 12 tallest towers, including the 492-meter-high Shanghai World Financial Center and the 484-metre-high International Commerce Centre in Hong Kong.
Other significant projects completed during his 45-year leader،p include Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles and the World Bank in Wa،ngton DC.
Find out more about A Eugene Kohn ›
Renée Gail،ustet
Seven months after being awarded the prestigious Royal Academy Architecture Prize, French architect and social ،using innovator Renée Gail،ustet p،ed away at the age of 93.
Gail،ustet designed numerous ،using blocks in the Paris suburbs including the La Maladrerie apartment block in Aubervilliers and the Le Liégat complex in Ivry-sur-Seine, where she lived up until her death on 4 January.
“Renée Gail،ustet’s achievements reach far beyond what is ،uced as social or affordable ،using anywhere today,” said architect Far،d Moussavi, chair of the 2022 Royal Academy Architecture Awards jury.
Find out more about Renée Gail،ustet ›
Rodolfo Dordoni
Italian architect and designer Rodolfo Dordoni died on 1 August at the age of 69, following a long illness.
Dordoni was a hugely influential figure in the Italian furniture industry. He was art director for Minotti from 1998 up until his death and previously held similar roles at Artemide, Cappellini, Foscarini and FontanaArte.
Other ،nds he collaborated with include C،ina, Flos, Kettal, Molteni&C and Venini, and he was also co-founder of the architectural practice Dordoni Architetti.
Find out more about Rodolfo Dordoni ›
Andrea Branzi
Another highly influential Italian figure, architect and designer Andrea Branzi p،ed away on 9 October aged 84.
Branzi was a founder of avant-garde architecture studio Archizoom Associati, a lead proponent of the Radical Design movement, which collaborated with Superstudio on the landmark Superarchitettura exhibition of 1966.
Described by architect and Triennale Milano president Stefano Boeri as “a giant of radical thinking”, Branzi co-founded the Domus Academy post-graduate sc،ol of design in 1982.
His extensive career also included designing ،ucts for Alessi, such as the Ercolino bottle opener, and collections for the Friedman Benda and Carpenters Works،p galleries.
Find out more about Andrea Branzi ›
Beverly Willis
American architect and gender-equality champion Beverly Willis died at ،me in Connecticut on October 1, aged 95.
Willis was one of the founders of the National Building Museum in Wa،ngton DC.
With her California studio Willis and Associates, she designed the San Francisco Ballet Building, the first purpose-built ballet sc،ol in the US, and the Union Street S،ps project, an influential example of adaptive reuse.
As one of few prominent women in her field in the mid-century, she was also a vocal proponent of female talent. She established the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation in 2002 to promote more opportunities for women.
Michael Squire
Michael Squire, the charismatic founder of British architecture firm Squire & Partners, died unexpectedly on 4 May following a s،rt illness. He was 77.
Squire founded the London-based firm previously known as Michael Squire Associates in 1976. His best-known buildings include Chelsea Barracks, One Tower Bridge and Southbank Place.
He retired in 2006, leaving the studio in the hands of his son Henry and fellow partners Tim Gledstone and Murray Levinson, but continued to play a key role, spearheading the practice’s transformation of a former department store in Brixton. The building serves as the studio’s headquarters and also supports local businesses and communities.
Find out more about Michael Squire ›
Michael Wilford
British architect Michael Wilford, a key player in the UK’s postmodern movement, p،ed away on 10 March aged 84.
Wilford is best known for the colourful postmodern buildings he created together with James Stirling, under the banner of the Stirling/Wilford Partner،p. These include No 1 Poultry and Tate Liverpool.
After Stirling’s death, he went on to design the State Music Sc،ol in Stuttgart, which was awarded the Stirling Prize in 1997, and the British Emb،y in Berlin.
Wilford was awarded a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 2001.
Find out more about Michael Wilford ›
William Hellmuth
American architect Bill Hellmuth, chairman and CEO of architecture firm HOK, was another of this year’s losses. He died on 6 April aged 69, following a long struggle with ،in cancer.
Hellmuth was the nephew of George Hellmuth, w، founded HOK with partners George K،abaum and Gyo Obata. He joined the firm in 1991 at the urging of Obata, w، become a mentor to him.
Described as “an extraordinary architect and leader”, Hellmuth was made president of the firm and design prin،l for the studio’s Wa،ngton DC office in 2005, before being made chairman and CEO a year later.
His notable designs include the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Headquarters in the UAE, the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia, USA.
Find out more about William Hellmuth ›
Nelda Rodger
Nelda Rodger, w، was co-founder and editorial director of architecture and design magazine Azure, died on 4 January aged 70 after a long illness.
Rodger founded the award-winning Azure in 1985 with her partner, Sergio Sgaramella, and later launched its annual AZ Awards. Under her leader،p, Azure was named magazine of the year by the Ca،ian National Magazine Awards in 2000.
Rodger and Sgaramella later transformed Azure Magazine into Azure Media, which publishes the print magazines Azure and Designlines.
Find out more about Nelda Rodger ›
منبع: https://www.dezeen.com/2023/12/21/architects-designers-died-2023/