Ricardo Legorreta

(b. Mexico City, Mexico 1931; d. December 30, 2011)

Ricardo Legorreta was born in Mexico City in 1931. He graduated in 1953 from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico with a degree in architecture. While in school Legorreta worked as a draftsman. After graduating. Legorreta worked for Jose Villagran Garcia in Mexico City, becoming a partner in 1955. In 1960 Legorreta established his own practice and in 1964 he became the principal of Legorreta Arquitectos, Mexico City. In 1977 he became president of Legorreta Arquitectos Dienos, furniture and accessory design.

The international style of architecture thrived in post war Mexico. Ignoring the traditional native architecture based on thick wall systems, the buildings of this era incorporated the the column aesthetic. Legorreta brought back the "wall culture" of Mexico. Emphasizing the supremacy of solids over voids, the use of color to enclose wall space, and the South American preference for privacy, Legorreta designed regionally-appropriate modern architecture that avoided the stereotypical stylings — either high modern or neo-traditional — prevalent in many parts of Mexico and Southern California.

Legorreta designed a diverse group of buildings. Although different in scale they all achieve a supreme blending of space, light and color. Legorreta's architecture is consistently good, and it has evolved because he has never regarded architecture from the perspective of a businessman. Although he achieved what he did through extremely hard work, he always remained a dedicated artist.

References
Muriel Emmanuel. Contemporary Architects. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1980. ISBN 0-312-16635-4. NA 680-C625. p461-462.

Details

Winner of the AIA Gold Medal, 2000.
Winner of the Praemium Imperiale for Architecture, 2011.

Legorreta Arquitectos
Palacio de Versalles 285 'A'
11020 Mexico
vox 251-96-98
fax 596-61-62
email: legorret@lmasl.com.mx

Legorreta Arquitectos
3440 Motor Avenue
Floor 2
Los Angeles, California 90034
USA
vox (310) 391-9976
fax (310) 391-0976

"Ricardo Legorreta named 2011 laureate of the Praemium Imperiale", by ArchitectureWeek, ArchitectureWeek No. 523, 2011.0713, pN1.1.

"Pueblo Legoretta", by Michael J. Crosbie, ArchitectureWeek No. 122, 2002.1106, pD1.1.

Modernity and the Architecture of Mexico. Edward R. Burian (Editor), Ricardo Legorreta (Editor). Univ of Texas Press (June 1997). ISBN 029270853X. — Available at Amazon.com

Ricardo Legorreta, Architects. John V. Mutlow (Editor), Lourdes Legorreta (Photographer), Ricardo Legorreta. Rizzoli (June 1997). ISBN 0847820238. — Available at Amazon.com

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Legoretta & Legoretta — the firm's own web site

Visual Arts Center — A recent project by Legorreta, at The College of Santa Fe

Ricardo Legorreta at Archiplanet — Find, add, and edit info at the all-buildings collaboration

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