Sam Dillon eulogizes architect Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, who helped transition Mexico "from a mostly peasant society into a modern industrial state," as much with his political skills as his technical skills.
"Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, the architect who led many of Mexico’s landmark Modernist construction projects of the mid-20th century, including museums, the country’s largest sports stadium and the shrine that attracts its most important religious pilgrimage, died on Tuesday, his 94th birthday, in Mexico City."
"Over six decades in which much of Mexico evolved from a mostly peasant society into a modern industrial state, Mr. Ramírez and his collaborators built a series of monuments to Mexican culture, including the National Museum of Anthropology, the Azteca soccer stadium, the Legislative Palace and the Basilica of Guadalupe, all in Mexico City," notes Dillon. "Millions of Mexican Roman Catholic pilgrims converge on the basilica each spring."
“'To think of him as somebody who designed buildings is not to take account of all the roles he played,' said [Luis M. Castañeda, a professor of art history at Syracuse University], who interviewed Mr. Ramírez and has studied his archives. 'He wasn’t the one constructing the models or sketching the drawings; he was the one securing the commission from the president.'”
FULL STORY: Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, Architect, Is Dead at 94

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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