As the year comes to an end, we take a moment to honor the careers and contributions of celebrated architects, designers, and artists who passed away in 2024. These influential figures have left a lasting legacy in the built environment, prompting deeper thought about the role of their disciplines in society and their ability to evolve over time.
Whether through their work in academia, professional practice, or the arts, each of these individuals stood out for their dedication to advancing the fields of architecture, landscapes, design, materiality, and more. From Pritzker Prize-winning architect Fumihiko Maki to renowned sculptor Richard Serra, each showcased a unique vision and approach to design, leaving behind a wealth of knowledge to explore.
Read on to discover the works and ideas of these admired architects, designers, and artists who shaped their fields and whose influence endures beyond this year.
Antoine Predock (1936-2024)
The mission of any architect is to have his deepest inner content made visible through work. The role of an architect is to be true to his mission. - Antoine Predock
Architect, writer, and educator Antoine Predock developed a distinctive style by working beyond urban centers and finding a connection between landscapes and the human experience of space. Alongside his long-standing role as a faculty member at the University of New Mexico, Predock completed renowned projects such as the Nelson Fine Arts Center, the Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College, and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Inspired by nature and geology, he worked at the intersection of architecture and landscape. With a portfolio spanning over 230 projects worldwide, his bold and poetic designs continue to inspire and provoke thought. From the Center for Communication and Journalism to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, his architectural language, deeply rooted in his spiritual connection to New Mexico, has left an indelible mark on the built environment.
Richard Serra (1938-2024)
I wanted the viewer to become the subject of his own experience. - Richard Serra
Sculptor Richard Serra, recognized for monumental steel structures that transformed contemporary art, explored space, materiality, and site in his works. Characterized by massive inclined corridors and spirals of steel, Serra's sculptures invite viewers to navigate and experience their forms deeply. Awarded with the Architectural League of New York President's Medal in 2014—the first artist to receive the honor—his career evolved from early experiments to large-scale steel installations that redefined spatial perception. Showcased globally, Serra's works challenged conventional artistic boundaries and required specialized handling and installation, engaging in a dialogue with space and materiality. Often placed in urban or natural settings, his sculptures prompted reflection on the relationship between human intervention and the built environment. Serra's legacy as an artist with architectural sensibilities extends beyond his artistic achievements, encompassing a deep understanding of spatial dynamics and a commitment to challenging artistic boundaries.
Gaetano Pesce (1939-2024)
You cannot bring a style of architecture to a place without considering the environment. You must consider geography, tradition, and climate. A place is like a person. You can't assume it functions like anyone else. You must spend time and get to know it, because people are unique. Places and people depend and survive on healthy relationships. – Gaetano Pesce, in an interview for PIN-UP
Italian architect and industrial designer Gaetano Pesce devoted over six decades to his multifaceted work in architecture, product design, and art. Driven by the desire to create new forms and expose people to diverse materials, Pesce explored color, texture, materials, and storytelling as they relate to their time. Best known for the UP5 chair for B&B Italia (2000) and the Organic Building in Osaka, Japan (1993), he studied architecture at the University of Venice under Carlo Scarpa and Ernesto Rogers. Since the 1960s, Pesce investigated the function and form of utilitarian objects, producing pieces for B&B Italia, Vitra, and Cassina. His works, models, and drawings are part of over 30 permanent collections in prestigious museums, including MoMA in New York and San Francisco, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Vitra Museum in Germany, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Notable architectural works include the Organic Building in Osaka, Les Halles ACIH (1979), and Parc de la Villette (1985) in Paris, France.
Italo Rota (1953-2024)
Everything turns around the passion: you need to be happy with what you're doing because without this positive sensation, you're not going to do much. – Italo Rota, in an interview for Klat
Innovative Italian architect and designer Italo Rota sought to weave his ideas inviting to reflect and challenge dominant conventions with avant-garde visions. Through his studio, Italo Rota Building Office, often collaborating with CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, he worked on projects like the Italian Pavilion for Expo Dubai 2020 and the master plan for Rome's bid to host the 2030 World Expo. A graduate of the Polytechnic University of Milan, Rota co-founded Lotus International, demonstrating his fascination for architecture's intersection with culture and print media. Expanding its field of action, he proposed embracing new visions for the design of the urban and cultural fabric of the 20th century. Throughout his career, he shared his expertise as a professor at institutions such as UP8 Paris-Belleville and the New Academy of Fine Arts in Milan. His architectural legacy includes projects like the Museo del Novecento in Milan and the Foro Italico Promenade in Palermo, which earned the Italian Gold Medal for Public Space in 2006. Rota's designs reflect innovative thinking, meticulous attention to detail, and a deep connection to Italian culture and heritage.
Fumihiko Maki (1928-2024)
Architectural design is perhaps the strangest activity undertaken by the many professions, and a group that engages in architectural design is likewise a curious organization. Architecture is a highly ambiguous field - Fumihiko Maki
Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki made significant contributions to modernist architecture, blending Japanese heritage with contemporary design principles. Notable works include the 4 World Trade Center, a skyscraper on the site of the former World Trade Center in New York. With a consistent focus on integrating new technologies, Maki sought to capture the essence of place and time, ensuring his buildings could adapt to human interactions. His academic journey began at the University of Tokyo and continued at Harvard Graduate School of Design. His portfolio includes iconic projects such as the Spiral Cultural Complex in Tokyo's Aoyama district, the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba Prefecture, and the Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art. Winner of the 67th AIA Gold Medal, Maki's work envelops a distinctive taste that combines Japanese heritage with modernist principles and bridges Eastern and Western cultures by prioritizing innovation in construction.
Colin Fournier (1944-2024)
Fundamentally, I believe it doesn't really matter how creative, innovative or experimental a single building is, it's really the city as a whole that should change. I have always had this psychological swing, so when I am doing architecture, I think I should do more on the city scale, but when I am working on a city, I feel it would really be nice to work out some details. I've always been torn between the two. - Colin Fournier
British architect and urban planner Colin Fournier co-founded the visionary architectural collective Archigram and served as a professor of Architecture and Urbanism at the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London. Renowned for co-designing the Kunsthaus Graz in Austria—one of the most iconic cultural landmarks of its era—Fournier received Austria's Goldener Ehrenzeichen Medal in 2005 for his contributions to the architectural landscape. Trained at the Architectural Association in London, Fournier was an associate member of Archigram, which reimagined the future of urban living. Dedicated to fostering experimental approaches in design, he mentored countless students at institutions worldwide, from Hong Kong to Paris. His academic and professional contributions have left an enduring impact on architectural thought and practice.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Year in Review, presented by Gira.
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