Farewell to Ricardo Scofidio

Ricardo Scofidio, the American architect and co-founder of the New York-based firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro, passed away on March 6, 2025, at the age of 89. Together with his wife, Elizabeth Diller, he was the author of some of the most significant architectural works of our time, including concert halls, museums, academic buildings, and parks.

Among his most renowned projects are the High Line in Manhattan, The Shed, the London Center for Music, and Zaryadye Park in Moscow.

His own firm announced his passing, highlighting his fundamental contribution to the architectural profession:

"…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…"

Life and Works of Ricardo Scofidio

Together with his life and work partner, Elizabeth Diller, Ricardo Scofidio left an indelible mark on contemporary architecture through his firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro. His works redefined public, cultural, and educational spaces, blending functionality with aesthetics.

Among his most famous projects, the High Line in New York stands out—a redeveloped elevated linear park built on an abandoned railway track in Manhattan. Also in New York, The Shed is a dynamic cultural center featuring a movable structure that adapts to various events. Another landmark intervention was the renovation of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), expanding and enhancing accessibility with over 3,000 square meters of additional exhibition space.

Scofidio also played a key role in the revitalization of Lincoln Center, where he transformed public spaces and interiors, introducing a sloping lawn over a restaurant and a cut in the façade of the Juilliard School.

One of his most remarkable projects, Zaryadye Park in Moscow, integrates natural and architectural elements with a suspended observation deck over the Moskva River, near the Kremlin. The Blur Building in Switzerland, designed for Expo 2002, was another groundbreaking project—a temporary pavilion that immersed visitors in an artificial cloud of mist over a lake, creating a unique sensory experience.

"Unstable Architecture" – The Exhibition at MAXXI, Rome

Diller Scofidio + Renfro is currently curating the exhibition "Unstable Architecture" at MAXXI in Rome, open until March 16, 2025. The exhibition explores movement as an intrinsic quality of architecture, showcasing buildings that transform, expand, and rotate. It focuses on four key concepts: mobility, adaptability, operability, and eco-dynamism.

>>> Also check out the Columbia Business School designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro