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.

©Tobias Everke

“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.

©Elizabeth Lippman, the Wall Street Journal

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.

432 Park Avenue skyscraper ©DBOX for CIM Group/Macklowe Properties

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.

Bronx County Hall of Justice. ©Rafael Viñoly Architects

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.

Laguna Garzón Bridge – Maldonado, Uruguay

©Rafael Viñoly Architects

Because of the bridge’s unique circular road deck, motorists, walkers, and bicyclists can take in breathtaking views of Uruguay’s pristine coastline in peace.

Mahler 4 Office Tower – Amsterdam

©Rafael Viñoly Architects

Moving a fire escape stair from the building’s interior to its exterior increases its usable square footage and provides residents with a popular outdoor vertical circulation route.

Samsung Jong-no Tower, Seoul, South Korea

©Rafael Viñoly Architects

The Samsung Jong-no Tower is a mixed-use building that features workplaces, amusement, and a suspended restaurant volume that has become an immediately recognized icon in the city thanks to a reimagining of the program and the creation of three distinct but interconnected building volumes.

One River Point – Miami

©Rafael Viñoly Architects

This waterfront luxury residential development in Miami features two towers connected by a podium with a small footprint that maximizes public space and houses parking and amenities. At the complex’s apex are a private club and expansive sky villas. The towers are arranged in an offset configuration to ensure every unit has a breathtaking view of the Miami River.

Bonds Cay, Bahamas

©Rafael Viñoly Architects

An innovative master plan for a vacation community opens all year round, featuring an artistic and cultural program at its core and laying the groundwork for constructing three residential neighborhoods and numerous vacant lots.

firstsite:newsite, Visual Arts Facility, Colchester, United Kingdom

©Rafael Viñoly Architects

The rehabilitation of one of Colchester’s most historic neighborhoods is anchored by a striking, vibrant crescent-shaped structure that emerges from an inventive, simplistic foundation system designed to preserve the early Roman ruins on which it is constructed.

Amaris, Washington D.C., United States

Located on the banks of the Potomac River, this mixed-use structure stands out thanks to its distinctive curvilinear building form, which distinguishes residential unit arrangements and opens up public areas.

Cipriani Ocean Resort and Club Residences, Punta del Este, Uruguay

Rafael Viñoly brought the original vision of the iconic San Rafael hotel back to life. He did so while revitalizing the Cipriani Ocean Resort complex with new luxury hotel rooms, eateries, spas, pools, a casino, shops, and a serviced beach club.

The passing of Rafael Viñoly has left an enormous hole in the world of architecture and has caused us to ponder his lasting impact. His unique aesthetic and dedication to sustainability and practicality in building design will continue influencing future architects to press the envelope through their work.