On December 30th, 2011, the architecture community (and the world) lost an icon of vernacular modernism, Ricardo Legorreta.

His prolific career started while working with Pritzker Prize winner Luis Barragan after studying architecture at Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México University. In the early 1960s, Legorreta went on to establish his own firm, Legorreta Arquitectos in Mexico City. He brought Mexican Modernism to the forefront of the global dialogue on design, and did so beautifully...

By applying a vernacular aesthetic to the principles of the International Style and taking a regional approach to post-war modernism, he created an unique architecture utilizing light, color and massing to create a sense of place. In fact, he brought this sensibility to downtown Los Angeles in the early 90's, incorporating bright hues and sculpture in the redesign of Pershing Square.

Though Legorreta had a diverse portfolio of projects that spanned the globe, much of his most famous work is in his home country of Mexico, including the well-known Hotel Camino Real, below.

View more images of his work at the website of Legorreta + Legorreta, renamed in 2000 to represent a new organizational approach with an international scope. Currently, the office is led by Ricardo's son, Víctor Legorreta, along with several principals, who continue to uphold Legorreta's guiding principles to 'design human and friendly environments, with atmospheres that convey peace, privacy and optimism' and 'create an architecture that meets the needs of society while contributing to building better cities'.