Ricardo Scofidio, American architect and founder of the world-famous Diller Scofidio + Renfro studio, has died at the age of 89. Together with his wife Elizabeth Diller, he played a fundamental role in the construction of our contemporary world, working on important cultural and social projects, especially in New York, where Lincoln Center and the expansion of the Juilliard School, the Broad Museum and the High Line have become true landmarks of the city.

For many years Scofidio taught at the Cooper Union, the same academic environment where he trained and met Liz Diller. With her, he became interested in the intersection of space, technology and culture, creating performances, art installations and critical reflections on society and the use of urban space.

Also in New York, with the Shed project - a cultural centre dedicated to the performing arts - he recognised the need for contemporary architecture to be able to adapt, change and move. And this idea has been translated into his exhibition 'Restless Architecture', currently on show at the MAXXI in Rome.

“ Ric had a profound impact on our architectural practice, establishing the studio with a mission to make space on his own terms. The firm’s partners and principals, many of whom have collaborated with him for decades, will extend his architectural legacy in the work we will continue to perform every day” the studio's website states. The aim is to collect his legacy and remember him in future projects.

Opening image: Ricardo Scofidio, courtesy Diller Scofidio + Renfro