Canberra architect Enrico Taglietti has died aged 93

Mr Taglietti designed dozens of public buildings and private homes in Canberra, including Latham, Flynn, Gowrie and Giralang schools, as well as the Australian War Memorial's annex in Mitchell.

Mr Taglietti came to Australia in 1956 at a time when many countries were moving their embassies from Sydney to Canberra and he was tasked with designing the Italian embassy.

What wasn't meant to be a permanent move became long-term after he fell in love with the growing city and the blank slate it provided him for his work.

A decorated architect, Mr Taglietti was honoured in 2007 with the Royal Australian Institute of Architects' Gold Medal, the highest honour handed out by the organisation.

In the citation for the award, Mr Taglietti called Canberra "the dream of any modern architect".

"A city without towers, without golden domes, without cathedrals, a city without a past," he said.

Architecture and design author Karen McCartney said Mr Taglietti's legacy could be felt all around Canberra.

"He always went his own course and drove his own ideas through," Ms McCartney said.

"He worked a lot in concrete and always had a big sculptural vision for a building, whether it was a residence or a government building."

"He was able to bring this incredible poetry to his buildings, this incredible beauty but also these large sculptural gestures. He could balance the two things."

Ms McCartney said his work always kept in mind the way people would use the space.

Of the schools he designed, Mr Taglietti said he designed them not for the teachers, but the students.

"He wasn't conventional in the way he looked at things, he could turn it on its head and look at it from another angle," Ms McCartney said.

Ms McCartney first wrote about Mr Taglietti in her book Iconic Australian Houses 50/60/70.

"Although he did a lot of private homes, his architecture was very much about people going out - to the cinema or to a motel. There was a community engagement within his work."

Born in Milan in 1926, Mr Taglietti is survived by his daughters Tabitha and Tanja and son-in-law Michael. His wife Franca died 12 years ago.

The family is planning a private service to remember his life. They have asked that donations be made to charity in Mr Taglietti's name in lieu of flowers.