Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano Sculptures by Xavier Veilhan face to face at Centre Pompidou

Richard Rogers. (Florence, July 23, 1933 – London, December 18, 2021) was a central figure in international architecture from the late twentieth to the early twenty-first century, widely recognized for his role in consolidating high-tech architecture and for his sustained engagement with urban debate. Born in Italy to a British family, he moved to the United Kingdom as a child during the Second World War. This early experience of displacement would later inform his sensitivity to the social and urban issues that permeated his work. He was educated at the Architectural Association in London, a key institution in the renewal of architectural thought, and later continued his studies at Yale University, where he encountered other architects who would go on to achieve international prominence.

In 1977, he founded his own practice, initially known as Richard Rogers Partnership, which later evolved into Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. From this professional platform, he developed an approach characterized by technical innovation, constructive clarity, and a strong commitment to making visible the systems that shape a building. His architecture is distinguished by the externalization of structural and service elements, understood not only as functional solutions but as an essential part of architectural expression.

Among his most influential works is the Centre Pompidou in Paris, designed in collaboration with Renzo Piano, which represented a radical break from conventional architectural languages and redefined the role of the cultural building within the city. Likewise, the Lloyd’s building in London stands as another paradigmatic example of his approach, where technology and programmatic flexibility are integrated into a proposal that challenges traditional typologies.

Throughout his career, he received numerous distinctions, including the Pritzker Prize in 2007, widely regarded as architecture’s highest honor, the RIBA Gold Medal in 1985, and the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale in 2006. He was knighted in 1991 and was later appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in 2008, in recognition of both his professional work and his contribution to urban thought.

Beyond his built work, Rogers played an active role in shaping urban policy, particularly in the United Kingdom. He chaired the Urban Task Force in the late 1990s, promoting strategies for the regeneration of British cities based on models of compact, diverse, and sustainable urban development. His vision emphasized the importance of public space as a structuring element of urban life, as well as the need to integrate environmental criteria into urban growth.

His legacy extends beyond a body of iconic buildings to encompass a broader understanding of architecture as a discipline deeply connected to society, politics, and the environment. Through his work, Rogers helped redefine both professional practice and the role of the architect in shaping the contemporary city.

Renzo Piano was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1937 to a family of builders. He graduated from Milan Polytechnic in 1964 and began to work with experimental lightweight structures and basic shelters. In 1971, he founded the Piano & Rogers studio and, together with Richard Rogers, won the competition for the Centre Pompidou in Paris. From the early 1970s to the 1990s, Piano collaborated with engineer Peter Rice, founding Atelier Piano & Rice in 1977. In 1981, he established the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, with offices today in Genoa, Paris and New York. Renzo Piano has been awarded the highest honors in architecture, including; the Pritzker Prize; RIBA Royal Gold Medal; Medaille d’Or, UIA; Erasmus Prize; and most recently, the Gold Medal of the AIA.