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One of the most distinguished 20th century architects and theorists from the Middle East and the world,  Rifat Chadirji, the father of architecture in Iraq, the legend, died late Friday in London, in the United Kingdom. The world has lost one of symbolic architects and theorists who has added aesthetical design to exceptional architecture, giving its design philosophy a deep social and urban composition and identity definitions.

H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammad Al-Khalifa, President of Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities mourned his death saying, “The loss of architecture philosopher, is like saying the last good bye to an ardent authentic generation of architects who have established the visual identities and unique architectural theories. After Mohamed Makiay and Zuha Hadid, we mourn the loss of another giant of architecture, Rifat Chadirji whose philosophical architectural ideas went beyond the Arab world, anchoring his beliefs and convictions in authenticity and traditional genuine heritage as an expression of international architectural philosophy”. H.E also pointed out “The death of this giant leaves behind a spiritual identity and patriotism symbols as reflected by the unique character of an exceptional architecture. This is our challenge and our tribute to those who consecrated their works beautifully and lovingly to our countries. The historical city of Manama will never forget Chadirji greatest architectural designs and blueprints; the city will remain forever loyal to this historical symbol and will safeguard his architecture philosophy”. H.E Shaikha Mai argued that the deceased strongly believed in authenticity and the need to preserve the identity of historical cities, a basic exceptional tendency throughout his life manifested in his lifetime struggle to preserve and safeguard the national identity of peoples and civilizations.
Indeed, Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities clarified in February 2019, through Manama Call, its strategy to preserve and safeguard the city’s universal exceptional heritage, as reflected by its historical buildings and their identity that should be preserved due to their irreplaceable architectural heritage value. Therefore, as BACA revoked, the late Rifat Chadirji is part of this endeavor given that his architectural designs and works are part of Manama modern architecture, a unique and exceptional urban memory, as reflected by “Awal Building”, along the Government Boulevard, facing Al-Qosaibi Cinema and close to other major architectural landmarks designed by world-famous architect, Mohamed Makiyah. Worth to mention that Chadirji settled in Bahrain where he advocated his latest architectural blueprints and designs, taught as a visiting lecturer in many architecture universities between 1983-1992, travelling all over Iraq’s universities, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia, England, Norway and USA. His lectures and campus discussions centered on issues and topics such as the philosophy of art, anthropology, sociology, biology and philosophy. 
The renowned Iraqi architect Rifat Chadirji, who was a model for devotion to national architectural identity, and his legacy reflects how architecture can define cities and nations, was mourned in his native beloved Iraq by all, such as Iraqi President Barham Salih who added his voice to the tributes, saying with Chadirji’s death the “world loses its modern lung, which breathes modernity and beauty," adding he left behind “much to the heritage of this country". some of Chadirji’s works in Baghdad include: The Unknown Soldier Monument (1959), the platform and of the “Freedom Monument” (1959) in Tahrir Square in Baghdad, The Central post offices (1970), The Federation of Industries, The Ministers’ Cabinet (1975), the National Insurance company in Mosul and the Rafidain Bank (1969), the Veterinary Hospital (1964), the Academy of Science in Baghdad (1965), the School for Veterinary Medicine in Baghdad (1965-1967), and the Tobacco Monopoly Company building in Baghdad (1966), orphanages in Duhok and Arbil (1969) and the Institute for the Deaf, Mute, and Mentally Challenged (1970), Since 1967, Chadirji's work has expanded to other Arab states. They include housing complexes in Kuwait (1967-1968), a cinema and office building in Bahrain (1968), for the Dharan Medical Centre and Dental Clinic (1977), and for the National Theatre in Abu Dhabi (1977).
Rifat Chadirji is known as one of the most influential living architects in the Middle East, his designs and writings represent some of the most serious efforts that aim at finding a synthesis between modernity and regionalism in architecture. He contributed to the advancement of architectural thinking and language in the Arab world through his writings and publications. His books are used as architectural and social references, documenting the history of architecture and social life in Iraq. He was an Iraqi architect, photographer, author and activist. He was often referred to as the father of modern Iraqi architecture, having designed more than 100 buildings across the country. Chadirji's approach was entirely consistent with the objectives of the Modern Baghdad Group, founded in 1951, of which he was an early member. This art group sought to combine ancient Iraqi heritage with modern art and architecture, in order to develop an Iraqi aesthetic that was not only unique to Iraq, but also influence the development of a pan-Arab visual language. Rifat Chadirji's architecture is inspired by the characteristics of regional Iraqi architecture, and the time-tested intelligence inherent in it, but at the same time, he wanted to reconcile tradition with contemporary social needs. Perhaps his most culturally significant work was the arched Monument to the Unknown Soldier in Baghdad’s Firdos Square, which was later replaced by a statue of Saddam Hussein.
Later, the world watched as US forces destroyed Hussein’s likeness in the square after capturing Baghdad in 2003.  In the context of architecture, Chadirji called this approach international regionalism. Chadirji's approach was entirely consistent with the objectives of the Modern Baghdad Group, founded in 1951, of which he was an early member. This art group sought to combine ancient Iraqi heritage with modern art and architecture, in order to develop an Iraqi aesthetic that was not only unique to Iraq, but also influence the development of a pan-Arab visual language. Chadirji's early works were firmly grounded in the discourse being conducted by members of the Baghdad Modern Art Group, including sculptors Jawad Saleem and Mohammed Ghani Hikmat, and artist-intellectual, Shakir Hassan Al Said. His designs relied on abstracting the concepts and elements of traditional buildings, and reconstructing them in contemporary forms. However, Chadirji's critics have pointed out that although Chadirji was sympathetic to the group's aims, he was essentially a modernist at heart. Chadirji's early works were primarily reconstructions of old buildings. In 1959, he was commissioned to construct a major public monument, The Monument to the Unknown Soldier, which was later destroyed by Sadam Hussein's Ba'athist government, and replaced with a statue of Hussein himself. Chadirji's monument, centrally located in Baghdad's Ferdous Square, referenced Iraq's tradition, the monument evoked the parabolic arch from the Sassanid Palace, Ctesiphon. Described as a simple, symbolic, modernist structure  sketches of the design concept found at the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad, reveal the inspiration for the design which represents a mother bending over to pick up her martyred child. Chadirji would continue to use ancient Iraqi motifs in his building designs. His works, such as the Hussain Jamil Residence (1953), Tobacco Warehouse (1965), the Rafiq Residence (1965) and the Central Post Office (1975), are informed by Iraqi practices of temperature control - natural ventilation, courtyards, screen walls and reflected light. He also employs the architectural language of arches and monolithic piers that remind visitors of ancient Iraqi architectural history. Although, his designs often used vernacular elements, he often abstracted them and incorporated them in new forms. At times, he relied on traditional exteriors, but designed European interiors. While imprisoned, he wrote a book on architecture, Al Ukhaidir and the Crystal Palace, using materials that his wife had smuggled into Abu Ghraib. The book has been described as a "seminal work" on the subject of Iraq's architecture.   His publications include Portrait of a Father, (Arabic, 1985) Taha Street and Hammersmith, (Arabic, 1985) - A Collection of Twelve Etchings, (English, 1985), Eight Etchings of Photographs by Kamil Chadirji, (English/Arabic, 1985), Concepts and Influences, (English, 1986.)  The Photography of Kamil Chadirji - Social Life in the Middle East 1920-1940, (English, 1991)  Kamil Chadirji Photographe - La vie au Proche-Orient 1920-1940 (French Edition  1992) - The Ukhaidir and the Crystal Palace, (Arabic 1991) - Dialogue on the Structure of Art and Architecture ( Arabic 1995) The seating status in Arif Agha's household, an anthropological study of the relationship between the formation of identity and seating artifacts,( Arabic 2001), - Introduction for The Biography of Kamil Chadirji and the History of the National Democratic Party, (Arabic 2002), A wall between two darkness, (Arabic 2003), Introduction for the book of Ahali Newspaper Editorials, (Arabic 2003) Dialectics Causality of Architecture. (2007), The Characteristics of Beauty in Man’s Consciousness (Arabic 2013), the role of the architect in the development of human civilization (Arabic 2014).
Considered one of the major 20th century Iraqi architects, Rifat Chadirji, born in Baghdad in 1926, BA in an architecture at Hammersmith School of Arts and Crafts, London, qin 1954, imbued his work with his innate understanding of authentic regional expression, as well as his appreciation for modernism and its principles. In 1986, he won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for lifetime achievement, and recently, the Graham Foundation in Chicago dedicated a three-month exhibition to his intellectual and architectural contributions to the heyday of Baghdad. In 2015, Chadirji was awarded the Tamayouz Architectural Lifetime Achievement Award (Coventry University).Though he helped erect nearly 100 buildings; Chadirji’s contributions to the field of Middle Eastern architecture transcend tangible construction. From his work with the Baghdad School of Architecture, where he taught for years, to his photographic documentation of regional architecture between Iraq and Syria that borders on ethnographic, Chadirji remains a living legend. He was a pivotal cultural figure in Baghdad between the 1950s and 70s, and as an architect, planning consultant and Director of Buildings for various government agencies, Chadirji was central to the organization of Baghdad, and its post-war image. Then, he dedicated his efforts to research and writing since 1983, launching his private company Architecture Index  in Beirut 2005, in order to support the Arab architectural studies and discuss the future of architecture in the Arab historical cities. His contributions and designs, as an architect who has imbued his work with a deep understanding of the roots of authentic regional expression, as well as a true appreciation of modernism and its principles, made him a major figure in one of the most important and influential architectural schools in the Middle east and Arab world and a bright star in architecture realm.