José Rafael Moneo Vallés is one of the most influential architects in Spain today. His career has served as a model for numerous younger architects both in Spain and abroad. Moneo was known in architectural circles since the 1970s, not only for his role as an architect but also for his theoretical contributions to the avant-garde publication originating in Barcelona, Arquitecturas bis, and his work with Peter Eisenman’s Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies. He was relatively unknown outside these spheres, a condition suffered by almost all Spanish architects of that time. His name became more familiar to American audiences when he was appointed chair of Harvard’s Graduate School of Design in 1985. This coincided with a period of intense activity at his "atelier" in Madrid. The acceptance of a position at Harvard reflects Moneo’s deep commitment to teaching and investigation that has consistently lived alongside his love for building.

In Rafael Moneo’s subtle and varied oeuvre, the importance of the site, the context, and the mission of the building all inform the resultant structure. His projects display a deep understanding of the craft of building. His apparent rejection of "type" necessitates a careful reading of his buildings that have multiple layers of interpretation. Moneo’s buildings must be understood on the basis of their elements rather than their major forms. The underlying concerns and interests are ever present, but their formal expression takes on a variety of images.

One of Moneo’s first projects that gained national attention was an apartment building (1970) along the Urumea River in San Sebastian, Spain, in collaboration with the three architects of Marquet, Unzurriinzaga, and Zulaica. There is a clever juxtaposition between the horizontal bands of windows and the vertical pull of the curved bays. The building is located on the riverbank in a prominent position. Its pitched roof and dark brick respond to the neighboring buildings.

The Bankinter building (1977), offices, and banking facilities located on a main axis in Madrid, is still considered one of the architect's most outstanding works. It is sited behind an existing small palace on a difficult plot. The architect maintains a principal facade parallel to the street, almost forming a backdrop for the smaller mansion in the forefront. The irregular shape of the building fits the site neatly, and the careful use of brick and the oversize frieze panels on the upper story seem to pay homage to history and especially to the works of Louis Sullivan.

The National Museum of Roman Art (1980-85) in Mérida, Spain, launched Moneo’s international reputation. Although immediately inspiring to all who enter the main exhibition space with its dramatic arches, this building has many complexities. The museum was constructed of brick, in the spirit of Roman building, and it fits within the modest scale of the city through its careful handling of the different facades. Moreover, the building is in dialogue with the still-powerful remnants of ancient Rome nearby. The exterior buttressed walls of the main hall indicate the rhythm of the arches inside. The dimensions, color, and positioning of the brick grant a sense of permanence and timelessness to the space. Elevated walkways allow the visitor to view the works on the upper level while experiencing the whole nave. The light that enters through the windows at the roofline adds to the drama of the main hall and intensifies the visitor's perception of space.

The Kursaal Cultural Center (1999) in San Sebastian, Spain, comprises two enormous glass cubes that contain performing arts facilities, cultural facilities, and the necessary support services. The extensive use of glass appears as a departure from the more traditional materials that Moneo used in the past. However, his choice is clearly understood when one witnesses the dramatic change from solid mass in daylight to glowing cubes at night. In this project, he could have continued the normal cityscape of San Sebastian right to the beach site. However, from the placement of the Kursaal Cultural Center and the formal solutions adopted, it becomes apparent that the desire was to highlight the natural attributes of the site—the beach, the river, and the sea. The simple yet bold forms employed, the emphasis on materials, and the response to the site and context all illustrate ongoing, deep concerns of the architect that are present in all his works.

Moneo was increasingly called on for international museum commissions, including the Pilar and Joan Miró Foundation (1993) in Palma de Mallorca; the Davis Museum (1993) at Wellesley College, Massachusetts; the Museums of Modern Art and Architecture (1997) in Stockholm, Sweden; and the Audrey Jones Beck Building (2000) of the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas.

Among other noteworthy projects throughout Moneo’s career are the headquarters (1988) for the Previsión Española insurance company in Seville, the new Atocha Train Station (1992) in Madrid, a city hall (1998) in Murcia, and the Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral of Los Angeles (2002).

Martha Thorne  

Sennott R.S. Encyclopedia of twentieth century architecture, Vol.2 (G-O).  Fitzroy Dearborn., 2005