Death at Age 78 Claims the Life of Rafael Viñoly, Renowned Uruguayan Architect

Rafael Viñoly, a prominent Uruguayan architect who worked on numerous high-rise buildings, including the Walkie-Talkie and 432 Park Avenue, has died at age 78. Elisa Carrió, an Argentine politician and a friend of Viñoly’s, made the news that he had passed away yesterday in New York City.

Viñoly won several prestigious honors and accolades throughout his career, such as the Medal of Honor from the New York City Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the National Design Award from the Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum.

“His unique position and influence in architecture were significant. He blazed a trail for other South American architects who emigrated to the United States and went on to win high-profile commissions and awards.” Amir Kripper, an Uruguayan-American architect, made a statement

Rafael Viñoly: The Master

Rafael Viñoly was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1944. He attended the University of Buenos Aires Faculty of Architecture & urbanism. He earned a degree in design from the university in 1969. He later worked for MSGSSV, contributing to projects like the Terraces of Manantiales and ATC Argentine Televisora Color.

After moving to the United States in 1978, he founded Rafael Viñoly Architects, which has since expanded to include offices in the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Argentina. His firm was accountable for the building of many notable structures around the world, including New York’s ultra-slender 432 Park Avenue skyscraper.

While in the United Kingdom, he was responsible for designing the concept for Battersea Power Station, the Firstsite visual arts center in Colchester, and the distinctively shaped London office building 20 Fenchurch Street, also known as the Walkie Talkie. Viñoly also created the 60-meter-tall curtain wall at the Tokyo International Forum in 1989.

As his son Román wrote on the firm’s website, “the firm’s associates and executives, many of whom have worked with him for generations, will continue his architectural heritage in work we will continue to perform every day.”

Rafael Viñoly oversaw several major public works projects in Buenos Aires while still in South America. These included the city’s Chamber of Deputies, the bridge-filled Rioja Housing Project, and Argentina Televisora Color, the headquarters for the Argentinean color television industry, which the architect described as a characterizing endeavor in a 2008 interview. He also planned New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Illinois buildings and was responsible for several others in New York City, such as the Bronx County Hall of Justice.

Rafael Viñoly | Works Archive

Below are a few of his most notable works that have left an indelible impression on us. “Some of the world’s most recognizable and iconic buildings are the result of his rich legacy of recognizable and everlasting designs,” Roman Viñoly said.