originated from magic. He also said that he respected all religions, and asked after his death that prayers not be offered for him, and that his body be cremated. Work Although Chadirji designed many residences, he is most noted for his public works, including both buildings and monuments. His Monument to the Unknown Soldier (1959), described as a simple, symbolic, modernist structure, was removed from al-Fardous Square to make way for a statue of Sadam Hussein in the early 1980s. The replacement statue was infamously toppled on 9 April 2003 in full view of the world, as global media filmed and photographed the destruction. Associated publications Chadirji's publications are primarily in Arabic and include: al-Ukhaidir and the Crystal Palace (1991) A Dialogue on the Structure of Art and Architecture (1995). Regenerative approaches to mosque design-competition to State Mosque, Baghdad. In Mimar 1984,11 page 44-63 . Concepts & Influences: Towards a Regionalized International Architecture, 1987.ISBN no. 0-7103-0180-4. Internationalised Tradition in Architecture, 1988. ISBN no. 1-85035-146-5. Awards 1964: Bronze Medal, Barcelona Furniture Design 1986: Chairman's Award of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2008: Sheikh Zayed' Book Award, 2008 2015: Honorary PhD from Coventry University 2015: Lifetime Achievement Award from Tamayouz Excellence Award Legacy In 2017, the Rifat Chadirji Prize was created to recognise local architects who are involved in rebuilding parts of Iraq that had been destroyed. The prize is awarded under the umbrella of the Tamayouz Award for Excellence. In the same year, he also donated his architectural archive and the photographic archives of his father, Kamil Chadirji, to the Aga Khan Documentation Center, MIT Libraries. Personal life In 1954, he married Balkis Shahara He retired from practice in 1982 and thereafter devoted his time to research and writing. Chadirji died from COVID-19 in London on 10 April 2020, at the age of 93. The Iraqi prime minister designate Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and the Iraqi president Barham Salih both paid their tributes. See also Culture of Iraq Iraqi art Islamic art Islamic architecture List of Iraqi artists Tomb of the Unknown Soldier References 1926 births 2020 deaths Artists from Baghdad Iraqi architects Iraqi atheists Iraqi designers Writers from Baghdad Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in England Iraqi emigrants to the United Kingdom Iraqi Turkmen people