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Norman Foster has described Rafael Vi帽oly as an 鈥渙utstanding鈥� and principled architect following his death at the age of 78.

RIBA president Simon Allford said Vi帽oly had helped to influence thinking about architecture and infrastructure across the world 鈥� including on the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station in south London.

Foster said he had become friends with Vi帽oly after a visit to Japan in which the Uruguayan architect鈥檚 Tokyo International Forum conference and arts centre, which completed in the mid-1990s, had a profound effect. The centre includes a 60m high, 228m long glass hall.

鈥淚 was so taken aback by its soaring, light-filled space and filigree structure that I tracked down the architect and wrote a letter of congratulations to him,鈥� Foster said, after .

鈥淭hat was the start of a friendship based, not just on his outstanding architecture, but on the pleasure of his company. Rafael was energetic, elegant, passionate, articulate and witty. He also had an ethical conscience on the wider implications of architecture.鈥�

Foster said one example of Vi帽oly鈥檚 moral compass at work was his decision to quit the jury of a Russian design competition that he felt would result in damage to the St Petersburg Unesco World Heritage Site.

鈥淲e were both members of a jury for a project on the outskirts of St Petersburg, when it seemed to us that there was an inexorable move to select a tall tower that would impact the skyline of the historic city,鈥� Foster said. 鈥淲e were both of one voice and, together, we resigned from the jury.

Foster added: 鈥淩afael Vinoly will be dearly missed, not only by his family and the profession, but by the many, like myself, who were privileged to share his friendship.鈥�

RIBA president Allford said Vi帽oly was an 鈥渋mpressive and generous architect鈥� who left behind an international body of work that 鈥渉elped inform thinking about architecture and infrastructure across the globe鈥�.

鈥淎cross four decades of practice, he designed and built major projects that have left a vital mark of his talent and energy,鈥� Allford said.

鈥淢y memories of him are many. At the Battersea Power Station design reviews he was thoughtful, reflective, engaged, and responsive, possessing a commitment to and an ever-watchful eye on the importance of the bigger idea.鈥�

The RIBA president said his abiding recollection was of 鈥渁 highly skilled, amusing yet serious presenter鈥� of architectural and urban scaled ideas.

鈥淗is tools were his sharp intellect allied to his portfolio of remarkable projects, sketches, models and the multiple sets of spectacles he sported as a light-hearted professorial prop,鈥� Allford said.

鈥淢y heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Diana, his family and loved ones, and all of those who have found inspiration in his work.鈥�

And Make Architects founder Ken Shuttleworth said Vi帽oly had an 鈥渋nfectious鈥� zeal for architecture.

鈥淗e was truly passionate about his work, and on the few opportunities I had to meet with him, he was enormously optimistic and fun,鈥� Shuttleworth said.

鈥淗e was a larger than life character in our architecture world and I really think his sense of the possible will be missed.鈥�

Dennis Austin worked with Vi帽oly from 1990 to 1994, and subsequently went on to work for RSHP before co-founding the London-based daab design practice in 2014.

He said the architect had provided a 鈥渦nique environment鈥� in which young architects were able to gain invaluable experience.

鈥淗e led by doing and drew the best from the people around him,鈥� Austin said. 鈥淗e showed me that an articulated voice was as important as a captivating drawing.

鈥淗e was demanding in a way that reflected his passion for art, architecture and music and he showed us that our voices within the built environment were important.

鈥淗e mastered various mediums; watercolour, graphic, charcoal, pen and ink, but perhaps as important, he mastered the importance of human relationships.鈥�

Ricky Burdett, professor of urban studies at the London School of Economics, also paid tribute to Vi帽oly.

Burdett, who was architectural adviser to the Mayor of London from 2001 to 2006 and chief adviser on architecture and urbanism for the London 2012 Olympics, said Vi帽oly was 鈥渁 unique individual with a rare architectural and urban sensitivity鈥�.

He added that Vi帽oly was also 鈥渃urious, creative, informed, dynamic and funny鈥�.