Manchester City pay tribute to City Football Academy architect Rafael Viñoly

Internationally-renowned Uruguayan, who has died aged 78, designed buildings now famous worldwide

Rafael Vinoly attends The New York Stem Cell Foundation Gala And Science Fair at Jazz at Lincoln Center in October 2019. Getty

Manchester City paid tribute to Rafael Viñoly, who designed the club's City Football Academy, after the world-renowned architect died aged 78.

In a statement released on the Rafael Viñoly Architects website, Viñoly's son Roman announced his father's death: "I am saddened to report that my father, the founder and namesake of our firm Rafael Viñoly Architects, passed away unexpectedly 2nd of March, at the age of 78. He was a visionary who will be missed by all those whose lives he touched through his work.

"He leaves a rich legacy of distinctive and timeless designs that manifested in some of the world’s most recognizable and iconic structures, among them the Tokyo International Forum, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Carrasco Airport in Montevideo, and 20 Fenchurch Street in London."

Viñoly also designed City's training ground, the City Football Academy, and the Premier League champions paid their own tribute to the Uruguayan.

"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our cherished friend and renowned architect, Rafael Viñoly who designed the Club's training ground, City Football Academy," City wrote on Twitter. "Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time."

Viñoly, who was born in Montevideo in 1944 and moved to Argentina with his mother at the age of five, studied architecture at the University of Buenos Aires. His family emigrated to the United States due to the military junta in Argentina. Upon moving to America, Viñoly secured a teaching position at Harvard University before establishing his architectural firm in New York.

Among his landmark projects include the Tokyo International Forum, the Cleveland Museum, the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts in Philadelphia, and the 'Walkie Talkie' building in London.