Joseph Rykwert, the prominent architectural critic, historian and 2014 recipient of the Royal British Institute of Architects (RIBA) Royal Gold Medal, has died aged 98.
He is among the very few non-practicing architects to be awarded a RIBA Royal Gold Medal.
Born in Warsaw in 1926, Rykwert and his family fled to London following the Nazi invasion of Poland in September 1939. It was in London that Rykwert embarked on his architectural studies, beginning his education at the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London, and later enrolling at the Architectural Association School of Architecture.
Upon concluding his studies, Rykwert briefly worked in practice, however found himself continually drawn back to the field of architectural academia. He began accepting academic teaching positions at various institutions across the UK, such as the Royal College of Art. Since then, he has lectured at some of the most esteemed architecture schools in the world, including Cooper Union (US), Harvard Graduate School of Design (US), the University of Sydney (Australia) and the Institut d’Urbanisme (France).
Over the course of his career, Rykwert authored several influential texts – such as The Necessity of Artifice (1982) and The Seduction of Place (2002) – that are recognised as significantly shaping the way architects and planners perceive and approach urban design. However, it was his 1963 book, The Idea of a Town: The Anthropology of Urban Form in Rome, Italy and the Ancient World, that was regarded as his most pivotal text on city design.
RIBA president Muyiwa Oki said Rykwert “reframed the conversation about our environment, sense of place, and society not just once, but throughout his many decades of work.”
“He received the 2014 RIBA Royal Gold Medal in recognition of the enormous and lasting impact of his groundbreaking ideas on architecture and design. As one of few non-practicing architects to receive the honour, it demonstrates the exceptional influence of these ideas, particularly on the role of architects, buildings and cities. I have no doubt they will remain relevant well into the future,” Oki added.
“My thoughts are with his family and friends, and all those whose lives he enriched.”
Source: Architecture - architectureau
