Pedro Ramírez Vázquez facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Don Pedro Ramírez Vázquez


Secretary of Human Settlements and Public Works of Mexico
In office 1976–1982
Preceded by	Luis Enrique Bracamontes
Succeeded by	Marcelo Javelly Girard
President of the Mexican Olympic Committee
In office 1972–1974
Preceded by	Josué Saenz
Succeeded by	Alejandro Ortega San Vicente (interim) Mario Vázquez Raña
Honorary Life Member of the IOC

Personal details
Born	(1919-04-16)16 April 1919 Mexico City, Mexico
Died	16 April 2013(2013-04-16) (aged 94) Mexico City, Mexico
Spouse	Olga Campuzano Fernández (1926–1999; her death)
Children	Pedro, Olga, José, Javier, Gabriella
Alma mater	National Autonomous University of Mexico
Occupation	architect, designer, professor, urbanist, official, plastic artist and politician

Pedro Ramírez Vázquez (born April 16, 1919 – died April 16, 2013) was a famous Mexican architect. He was born in Mexico City. A writer and poet named Carlos Pellicer encouraged him to study architecture.

Ramírez Vázquez earned his architecture degree from UNAM in 1943. He designed many of Mexico's most important buildings. He was a modern architect, mixing ideas from European modern art with ancient Mexican cultures. He often used concrete in his designs.

He created a special way to build schools in rural areas. Thousands of schools were built this way in Mexico and other countries. UNICEF even used his system. He was also in charge of organizing the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and the 1970 World Cup. He was a member of the International Olympic Committee.

He received many awards, like the National Arts Award in 1973. The Los Angeles Times newspaper said he was known for his "stunningly original designs." These designs combined modern European styles with ancient Mexican art.

Who was Pedro Ramírez Vázquez?

Pedro Ramírez Vázquez was a very important Mexican architect. He was also a designer, teacher, and government official. He is known for creating many famous buildings and for his work in urban planning. He even helped organize major international events.

What were his biggest achievements?

Pedro Ramírez Vázquez had many important achievements. He designed iconic buildings and played a key role in sports and urban development. He also worked to promote peace and understanding between different cultures.

Designing Famous Buildings

He designed some of Mexico's most recognizable buildings. These include museums, stadiums, and government offices. His style often blended modern ideas with ancient Mexican art.

The National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
The Azteca Stadium, a huge football stadium in Mexico City.
The New Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, an important religious building.

His Work with Schools

He created a simple system to build schools quickly in rural areas. This helped many children get an education. This system was so good that UNICEF used it in other countries too.

Organizing Big Events

Pedro Ramírez Vázquez was the head of the organizing committee for the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. He also helped organize the 1970 FIFA World Cup. He was a member of the International Olympic Committee.

Promoting Peace at the Olympics

At the 1968 Olympics, he wanted to promote peace and understanding. He created programs to help young people from different countries connect. He believed the Olympics should be about more than just competing.

He even made sure that the official Olympic movie showed a protest by American athletes. They raised their fists to support human rights for African Americans. This was against the wishes of some powerful people.

He also made sure that West Germany and East Germany competed under one flag and anthem. This was a big deal during the Cold War. He also helped the Spanish Olympic team participate, even though Mexico didn't have official relations with their government at the time.

For the first time, a woman lit the Olympic fire at the 1968 games. This showed his commitment to giving women an important role.

He organized a children's painting festival and a youth camp. These events brought young people together to share their cultures and learn from each other.

What awards did he receive?

Pedro Ramírez Vázquez won many awards for his work. These awards recognized his skills in architecture, design, and his efforts in urban planning.

Major Honors and Prizes

1956: Honor Award for an exhibition and book on Mexican architecture.
1958: Golden Star at the World's Fair in Brussels for the Mexico Pavilion.
1965: Grand Prize for the National Museum of Anthropology.
1969: Jean Tschumi Prize for his overall career.
1973: National Arts Award from the Mexican government.
1988: Gold Medal from FIFA for the Azteca Stadium.
1994: National Architecture Award from the Mexican government.
1996: Olimpiart Award from the International Olympic Committee.
2003: CEMEX Life and Work Award for his career.

Official Recognitions

He also received many official honors from different countries and organizations. These showed his global impact.

1953: Honorary Member of the American Institute of Architects.
1958: Knight of the Order of the Crown of King Leopold II of Belgium.
1968: Grand Officer of the Royal Order of Vassa, Sweden.
1969: His name was written in the golden book of Israel.
1978: Gold Medal of the Academy of Architecture in France.
1979: Grand Cross of Civil Merit from Spain.
1995: Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee.

Honorary Degrees

Many universities gave him honorary degrees (Doctor Honoris Causa). This means they recognized his great achievements, even if he didn't study there.

1969: Autonomous University of Guadalajara.
1982: Pratt Institute in New York City, United States.
1998: National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

How did he shape cities?

Pedro Ramírez Vázquez was also an expert in urbanism. This means he planned and designed how cities should grow and function.

1943: He wrote his first thesis on urban planning for Ciudad Guzman, Mexico.
1960: He helped remodel Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico, restoring old buildings and improving city services.
1968: He worked with Mathias Goeritz to create the "Route of Friendship." This was a series of sculptures along the road connecting the Olympic Village in Mexico City.
1970: He helped plan the new capital of Tanzania, Dodoma.
1976-1982: As head of a government ministry, he created a "National Urban Development Plan." This plan aimed to guide how cities across Mexico would grow.
1977-1982: He led a big project to restore the historic center of Mexico City. This included fixing old buildings and improving public spaces.

What were some of his projects?

Pedro Ramírez Vázquez designed many buildings and projects both in Mexico and around the world.

Projects Around the World

1958: The Mexico Pavilion at the World Expo 58 in Brussels.
1958: Prefabricated schools built in India, Indonesia, and other countries.
1964: The Mexico Pavilion at the World Exposition in New York City.
1971: The Museum of Black Cultures in Dakar, Senegal.
1984: The Nubia Museum in Egypt.
1986: The main building for the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland.
1989: The shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Vatican City.
1992: The Mexico Pavilion at Seville Expo '92 in Spain.

Projects in Mexico

1952: The National School of Medicine at UNAM in Mexico City.
1954: The building for the Ministry of Labor in Mexico City.
1955-1957: Many markets in Mexico City, like La Lagunilla and Tepito.
1959: A system for building rural schools, adopted by UNICEF.
1964: The National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
1964: The Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City.
1966: The Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
1967: The Cuauhtémoc Stadium in Puebla.
1974: The main campuses for the Autonomous Metropolitan University.
1976: The New Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
1980: The Legislative Palace of San Lazaro, where the Mexican Chamber of Deputies meets.
1987: The Templo Mayor Museum in Mexico City.
1987: The Amparo Museum in Puebla.

Projects That Were Not Built

He also had many amazing ideas for projects that were never built.

1969: A fountain called "Source of Olympism" for Chicago, Illinois.
1975: The National Museum of Iran in Tehran.
1979: The Avery Brundage Museum in Olympia, Greece.
1982: Projects for the Arc de la Defense and Parc De La Villette in Paris, France.
1985: An expansion project for the Louvre Museum in Paris.
2004: A project for the Olympic Stadium in Beijing, China.

What about his designs?

Pedro Ramírez Vázquez was also a talented designer. He created logos, furniture, and even art objects.

Logos and Corporate Images

He designed many important logos and corporate images. These helped define the look of various organizations.

1952: The logo for Club America FC (a football club).
1968: The famous Mexico 68 identity program and logo for the Olympic Games. This included graphic design, furniture, and signs.
1972: The corporate image for Grupo Televisa (a media company).
1973: The corporate image for the Autonomous Metropolitan University.

Furniture Design

He designed furniture for both homes and public spaces. He started in the 1950s with wooden chairs. Later, he created steel furniture for indoors and outdoors.

He also designed benches for city streets, like the "you and me" benches found in Yucatán. His furniture designs are still popular today and have been featured in famous magazines.

Glass Art Objects

In 1965, he started designing glassware. He saw working with glass as "making sculpture with light." He believed that glass allowed all sides to be seen at once, creating beautiful reflections.

He had his own workshop called "Cristal-Art" where his designs are still produced. His glass art pieces have been given as awards by many organizations. They have also been shown in museums around the world. He even collaborated with famous artist Salvador Dalí on glass designs.

Images for kids

Cartel oficial Juegos Olímpicos México 1968, con sello y firma de registro de derecho de author

Official poster for the 1968 Mexico City Olympics