Ricardo Legorreta Vilchis
Ricardo Legorreta Vilchis (Mexico City, May 7, 1931 - Ibidem, December 30, 2011) was a Mexican architect.
Recipient of the UIA Gold Medal in 1999, AIA Gold Medal in 2000 and the Praemium Imperiale in 2011.
Biographical sketch
From 1948 to 1952 he studied Architecture at the National School of Architecture of the National Autonomous University of Mexico and worked in the workshop of José Villagrán García until 1960, the year in which he founded his office in partnership with Noé Castro and Carlos Vargas. His style is characterized by the application of contemporary themes to the traditional architecture of his country.
He became one of the most internationally recognized Mexican architects. His work is recognized by broad sectors of society due to the constancy of his work, the consistency of his ideas and the permanence of universal values in architecture.
Legorreta's work is based on the handling of proportions, on the creation of elemental spaces, on intense color and the forcefulness of structural and architectural elements, which are integrated with scarce materials and a monumental scale. His architecture is regional and responds to the needs of its cultural environment. Throughout his career he received criticism that denote the architectural reference of Luis Barragán Morfín.
In the long list of buildings that make up his career, he always incorporates artistic pieces by talented painters and sculptors, whether Mexican or international, among which are: Rufino Tamayo, Mathías Goeritz, Alexander Calder, Isamu Noguchi, Rodolfo Morales, Juan Soriano, Pedro Coronel, Pedro Friedeberg, José Luis Covarrubias, Vicente Rojo, Sebastián and Javier Marín among others.
The Camino Real Hotel in Mexico City in Polanco is perhaps the quintessential classic work of this architect, and it is the first of a series of hotels that he projects for this hotel chain. In the project of this hotel he has the collaboration of the architect Luis Barragán Morfín. This place is a repository of valuable artistic works from the 20th century such as: in the entrance courtyard, Isamu Noguchi captivates the attention of locals and strangers alike with its fountain of eternal movement, the monumental latticework and symbol of this hotel chain is the work of the sculptor and painter Mathías Goeritz, also author of the large golden painting in the form of a baroque altarpiece, in the hotel lobby the large steel sculpture by the American Alexander Calder, Rufino Tamayo participates with a mural of more than 60 square meters in shades of gray and violet, as well The Oaxacan painter Rodolfo Morales himself creates two Naïf works for this site, the Zacatecan artist Pedro Coronel belonging to the painters called La Ruptura presents an abstract work of bright circles and the great traveler José Luis Covarrubias paints a still life for the restaurant.
The architect's first project outside his country was carried out in Los Angeles for movie star Ricardo Montalbán and his wife Georgiana, who had asked him for an architectural project that would represent Mexico without being ostentatious. Built on a hill in Hollywood, the house is like a sculpture. It is from the success of this project that his career is internationalized and he founds an architecture firm in this city. His most recent work is the Tower BBVA Bancomer in collaboration with the London law firm Rogers Stirk Harbor + Partners founded by the 2007 Pritzker Prize winner, Sir Richard Rogers, this skyscraper is located on Paseo de la Reforma and Liège, said skyscraper has a height of 225 m.
In 2001, he received the Life and Work Award, an award granted by the Cemex Works Award. He was an honorary member of the Seminario de Cultura Mexicana He passed away on December 30, 2011 in Mexico City.
Awards
- 1991 National Prize for Science and Arts in the area of Fine Arts by the Mexican government
- 1992 Gold Medal, Mexican Architecture Biennial
- 1999 Gold Medal. International Union of Architects
- 2000 Gold Medal. American Institute of Architects
- 2002 Knight of the Order of Isabel the Catholic, by the Spanish government
- 2011 Japan Imperial Art Association Award
Exhibitions
- 2005 Legorreta: Mexican poet of walls and color. Former College of San Ildefonso, UNAM.
Main works
In Mexico
- 1964, Laboratories Smith Kline & Frenchin collaboration with Mathias Goeritz, today Headquarters of the Human Rights Commission of the Federal DistrictAv. University 1449, Mexico City.
- 1967, Colegio Cedros and Universidad Panamericana Preparatoria, Tecoyotitla 364 and 366, Chimalistac, San Angel, Mexico City, highly modified yet recognizable.
- 1967, Factory Chrysler In Toluca.
- 1967, Casa Lomas Altas, Lomas Altas, Mexico City.
- 1968, Hotel Camino Real, in collaboration with Luis Barragán, Av. Mariano Escobedo 700, Polanco, Mexico City.
- 1968, Offices Celanese MexicanaToday SEMARNATAv. Revolution 1425, Tlacopac, San Angel, Mexico City.
- 1972, Restoration of the Ancient Iturbide Palace, Madero 17, Centro Histórico, Ciudad de México.
- 1975, Factory IBM in Guadalajara.
- 1975, Hotel Camino RealCancun.
- 1976, Offices Insurance America today Federal Court of JusticeAv. Revolution 1508, San Angel, Mexico City.
- 1981, Hotel Camino Real IxtapaToday Ixtapa BrisasIxtapa, Guerrero.
- 1985, Factory Renault Gomez Palace, Durango.
- 1985, Factory Kodak in Xochimilco, Mexico City.
- 1989, Master Plan for Huatulco, Huatulco, Oaxaca.
- 1990 Hotel Las BrisasHuatulco.
- 1991, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Monterrey.
- 1993, Restoration Former College of San Ildefonso, UNAM. Just Sierra 16, Centro Histórico, Mexico City.
- 1993, Papalote - Museo del Niño, Bosque de Chapultepec 2a. Section, Mexico City.
- 1994, Restoration of Club de Banqueros, Av. 16 de Septiembre 27, Centro Histórico, Ciudad de México.
- 1994, Remodeling of the Chapultepec Zoo, Mexico City.
- 1994, National Arts Centre Master Plan, Administration and Research Building, Central Building and National School of Plastic Arts The EmeraldMexico City.
- 1998, Televisa Santa FeMexico City.
- 2001, ITESM Campus Santa Fe, Mexico City.
- 2001, EGADE Escuela de Graduados en Administración y Dirección de Empresas del ITESM en Monterrey.
- 2005, Conjunto Juárez and Plaza Juárez. Building for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Torre Tlatelolco and building for the High Court of Justice of the Federal District, Mexico City.
- 2007, Hotel La Purificadora, Callejón de la 10 Norte 802, Puebla.
- 2007, EGAP ITESM School of Graduates in Public Administration and Public Policy in Monterrey.
- 2008, Labyrinth Interactive Museum of Science and ArtsSan Luis Potosí.
- 2008, The Tides Playa del Carmen Riviera Maya.
- Hotel Casa Reyna, Private 2 East 1007, Centro, Puebla.
- 2010, BBVA Bancomer Tower, in collaboration with the office Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners London. Paseo de la Reforma y Lieja, Mexico City.
- 2010, Division of Postgraduate Studies and Specializations in Economics, UNAM. Centro Cultural Universitario, Mexico City.
- 2011, Centro Médico Zambrano Hellion del ITESM en Monterrey.
In other countries
- 1983-1985, Casa Montalbán, Los Angeles, California
- 1993, New Cathedral of Managua, Nicaragua
- 1994, The Restoration of Pershing Square in Los Angeles, California
- 1995, Municipal Library, San Antonio, Texas
- 1997 Schwab Residential Centre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
- 1998, The Tech Museum of Innovation, (San José, California, United States)
- Solana Complex in Dallas, Texas
- 1999, Casa Cabernet, Napa Valley, California
- 2000, Mexico Pavilion at Expo 2000 Hannover
- 2001, Zandra Rhodes Museum, London
- 2001, Max Palevsky Residence Hall, University of Chicago
- 2004, Housing in the Las Águilas neighbourhood, Madrid, Spain
- 2005, Hotel Sheraton Bilbao, Bilbao, Spain
- 2005, Centro Comercial Multiplaza Panamericana, in Antiguo Cuscatlan, El Salvador
- 2005, New Campus of the Escuela Superior de Economía y Negocios, ESEN, Santa Tecla, El Salvador
- 2007-2009, Casa Margarita, Guatemala City
- 2009, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
- 2012-2014, Terra Esperanza, Guatemala City
Magazines and Newspapers
- Architectural Digest, Volume 44 / Ricardo Montalbán's Home. USA: Count Nast Publications, 1987.
- Ricardo Montalban's Home Represents a Fusion of Cultures, Architecture - Echoes of Mexico . Los Angeles: Los Angeles Times, June 26, 1988.
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