Ricardo Legorreta

The Camino Real Hotel in Mexico City, designed by Ricardo Legorreta, opened in 1968 in connection with the Mexico City Olympic Games. The hotel is celebrated for its bold use of colour—particularly signature pink, yellow, and purple walls—and dramatic geometric courtyards with water features. It quickly became an icon of modern Mexican architecture.

Legorreta was heavily influenced by Luis Barragán, the Mexican architect who won the Pritzker Prize in 1980 and whose work championed bold colour, geometric walls, and integration with light and water. Legorreta worked in the office of Villagrán García before establishing his own practice. He adapted Barragán's residential vocabulary to large-scale institutional and commercial projects.

Beyond the Camino Real, Legorreta designed the San Antonio Public Library, completed in 1995, notable for its large central cube form and bright red exterior. He also designed Pershing Square renovations in downtown Los Angeles and the Visual Arts Center at the College of Santa Fe. His practice spanned Mexico, the United States, and Japan.

Yes, Legorreta received the AIA Gold Medal from the American Institute of Architects in 2000, one of the highest honours in the profession. He was among the few Mexican architects to receive the award. He passed away in 2011 at the age of 80.