Pedro Ramírez Vázquez (April 16, 1919 – April 16, 2013)Redacción. «Falleció el arquitecto Pedro Ramírez Vázquez», El Universal, 16 de abril de 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-16. was a Mexican architect. He was persuaded to study architecture by writer and poet Carlos Pellicer.
Ramírez Vázquez earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in 1943. He was responsible for the construction of some of Mexico's most emblematic buildings. He was a modern architect with influences from the European modern movement, Latin American modern architects and precolumbian cultures. Concrete is the material he used most often.
He developed a system to construct schools in rural areas, constructing thousands of schools in Mexico and abroad. The UNICEF has used such system. He was the president of the organizing committee of the Mexico City Olympics in 1968 and the World Cup in 1970. He was a member of the International Olympic Committee.
He won several awards including the National Arts Award in 1973, Cemex Award in 2003 and IDSA's Special Award in 1969 for notable results, creative and innovative concepts and long-term benefits to the industrial design profession, its educational functions and society at large. He was minister of public infrastructure and human settlements during president's José López Portillo government. He was founder and rector of the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana. He was part of the faculty of the UNAM and received various honorary degrees (doctor honoris causa) granted by several universities including the UNAM.
The Los Angeles Times wrote that "Ramirez Vazquez was known for stunningly original designs that blended a European modernist sensibility with pre-Columbia aesthetics."Los Angeles Times staff and wire reports. "Pedro Ramirez Vazquez dies at 94; architect changed the face of Mexico City." Los Angeles Times. April 18, 2013. Retrieved on April 5, 2014.
Most representative honours 1956 Honor Award from the International Festival of Architecture and Monumental Art in Paris, France, for the exhibition and book four thousand years of Mexican architecture 1958 Golden Star, World's Fair and Expo Brussels, Belgium. By the Mexico Pavilion 1960 Grand Prix XII Milan Triennale by the project Aula Bed prefabricated 1965 Grand Prize and Gold Medal VIII Bienal de Arte de São Paulo, Brazil, by the National Museum of Anthropology. 1969 Jean Tschumi Prize, for his career, awarded by the International Union of Architects 1969 Special Award from the Industrial Designers Society of America for excellence in the design of the identity of the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico 1973 National Prize for Arts granted by the government of Mexico 1983 First place and a gold medal for his work in favor of urban development in Mexico, awarded by the International Academy of Architecture in Sofia, Bulgaria 1985 Medal of Honor and Merit Officer of the Mexican Red Cross 1988 Athletic Sports Medal Government of China, Taiwan, with his background in pro sports 1988 Gold Medal by the FIFA for the Azteca Stadium 1989 Medal and Diploma Architecture Biennale for the project at the Universidad Iberoamericana, awarded by the International Academy of Architecture 1994 Emeritus Citizen Recognition granted by the Advisory H.Consejo Mexico City 1994 National Architecture Award by the Government of Mexico 1996 Grand Prix at the International Architecture Merit, awarded at the Fourth Biennial Boliviana de architecture in La Paz, Bolivia 1996 Recognition Architect of America, the Pan American Federation of Architects, Brasilia, Brazil 1996 Olimpiart Award by the International Olympic Committee 1996 Silver Tower, awarded by the cultural divide AC Torre paper, journalistic institution 1996 Honorary Member of the Association of Architects of the Nicaraguan Association of Engineers and Architects 1996 National Steel Award for the house that grows, awarded by the National Chamber of the Iron and Steel 1998 Honorary Member of the Higher Colleges of Architects of Spain Council 2001 AGHA Award for his contribution to KAN Muslim architecture with the project of the Museum of Nubia, Egypt 2003 CEMEX Life and Work Award in recognition of his career 2003 Honorary Life President of Mexico-Israel Cultural Institute 2008 Heberto Castillo Award, given by the Government of Mexico City in recognition of his merits in urbanism
Most relevant official awards
1953 Honorary Member of the AIA (American Institute of Architects) 1958 Award in degree of Knight of the Order of the Crown of King Leopold II of Belgium 1965 Academic Grade of the National Academy of History and Geography 1966 Emeritus Member of the Mexican Society of Architects and the College of Architects of Mexico 1968 Grand Officer of the Royal Order of Vassa, Sweden 1968 B'nai B'rith recognition for his outstanding work in the promotion of human rights 1968 Partner of Honor by the Association of Industrial and Graphic Designers of Mexico, AC 1968 Diploma of honor for outstanding services to sport by the International Shooting Union 1968 Honorary Member of the Club of Journalists of Mexico 1968 Recognition rank of Grand Chief of Ghana, Africa 1969 inscription of his name in the golden book of Israel 1969 Grand Officer of the Order of the White Rose of Finland 1970 Award capable of shining star of the Republic of China 1970 Commander of the Order of the Crown of Belgium 1974 Honorary Member of the Colombian Society of Architects 1974 Academic Advisor of the Mexican Academy of the Mexican Academy of Sports Law 1975 Commander of the Order of the Lion in Senegal, Africa 1976 Member of the College of Architects of Peru 1978 Gold Medal of the Academy of Architecture in France 1978 Commander of Arts and Letters by the French government 1978 Grand Gold Medal for European excellence, awarded by the European Union 1979 Grand Cross of Civil Merit awarded by the Kingdom of Spain 1980 Member of the Academy of Architects of France 1981 Order of Merit of the Italian Republic 1981 Grand Medal of the City of Paris (Echelon Vermeil) 1982 Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star, Sweden 1983 Honorary Member of the Society of Architects in Bulgaria 1994 Centennial Medal of the International Olympic Committee 1995 Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee 1996 Grand Cross of the Order of Merit by the government of Luxembourg
Honoris Causa
1969 Autonomous University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco 1969 Autonomous University of the Americas, Mexico City 1982 Pratt Institute, New York City, United States 1990 Autonomous University of Colima, Colima, Mexico 1995 Metropolitan Autonomous University, Mexico 1998 National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico 1999 Anahuac University, Mexico 2008 Autonomous University of the State of Morelos, Morelos, Mexico
Humanism
Pedro Ramirez Vazquez has focused his professional activity as a form of service that enriches the lives of its recipients with his architectural work, his dreams, or with his activity in other areas as organizer of the Olympic Games, as a public servant or person humanist conviction.
In the Olympics created the advertising program for peace and identity link between the cultures of young people participating countries. He thought it was more important to leave a legacy of peace in which young people would identify the traits that unite them and that they meet not only to compete, but to appreciate how every aspect and resources of their time are likely to be applied to keep hope alive for peace; for this reason, among others, Ramírez Vázquez promoted and managed that the International Olympic Committee withdrew the invitation for the Olympic Committee of South Africa to participate in the games in solidarity with the marginalized minority of people who lived in that country.
He included in the official movie game (produced by the organizing committee), the scene of the award of the 200 freestyle planes in which Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised his fist in protest, demanding greater equality for the human rights of the African American population in the United States (this against the wishes of the President of the International Olympic Committee, and the then Mexican members of that body).
In the Olympics for the first time, Pedro Ramírez Vázquez wanted to give women an important place in the celebration of the games. The 1968 Summer Olympics were the first in which a woman lit the Olympic fire in the stadium.
He managed that the then West Germany and East Germany, participated under one anthem, and under the same flag, in the context of a Cold War with radically opposing positions, Ramírez Vázquez managed to find common ground between them, and because of this, the Mexico 1968 Olympics were the only time during the period of the Cold War, that the two German Nations were united in their identity elements, which were their official anthem and flag. He also managed that the Spanish Olympic Committee delegation participated in the games, when Mexico had no relations with the government of Francisco Franco and the Spanish Republican Government in exile, laid in Mexico City. This was able, thanks and through Ramírez Vázquez's management with the Republican government in exile.
He organized the children's painting festival for children around the world to come together and express themselves through art. He organized the youth camp for the young people around the world so that they could come together with the purpose of enriching each other by understanding their traditions, so that they would know each other better than they did before. He also organized numerous events of coexistence, and cultural enrichment for the youth and human genetics program.
The exhibition space of knowledge and exposure on the application of nuclear energy to the welfare of mankind, so that young people knew of the cultures of young people from other parts of the world, and achieved thus better understand each other. He organized the exhibition of popular atesanías, the world festival of folklore, international gathering of poets, meeting the international festival of arts, international meeting of sculptors, and exhibition of masterpieces of world art. It organized a film festival whose theme was the "mission of youth".
In 1968, he chaired in Mexico Pro Defense Committee of the Jewish minority in the Soviet Union. As president of the International Cultural Commission of the International Olympic Committee, he proposed in said organism, the rescue of the Olympic Truce, and proposed to invite Nobel Peace Prize winners to the Olympic Games.
Urbanism
1943 Urban Study Ciudad Guzman, Jalisco, Mexico (first thesis on urbanism that was presented at the School of Architecture, and with which he qualified as an architect) 1948 master plan study for the Border Tabasco, Mexico 1953 regulatory plan Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. It was intended to meet, define and regulate the structure of the city. 1958 study coordinator of the Planning Commission of the Council for Economic and Social Planning, discusses the problems of Mexico City and proposed solutions captures part of the studies and the general population. Delivers the document on the organization of the Mexico City proposed a package solution, and complementary solutions (in the campaign of Lic. Adolfo Lopez Mateos). On his appointment as Chief CAPFCE not followed up on the proposal. 1960 Remodeling of Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico, restoration of facades regulates the use of advertisements, and all rehabilitated urban infrastructure: water, sewage, electricity, telephones, floors etc., for the 150th anniversary of the National Independence of Mexico. 1968 Along with Mathias Goeritz, brings art to urban scale with the Route of Friendship, or "Ruta de la Amistad", road that connected the Olympic Village with Cuemanco Channel Mexico.