Buenos Aires Modernism: A Guide to the City's Early Architectural Gems
From the mid-1930s to the early 1940s, Buenos Aires experienced a flourishing of modernism characterized by significant urban development and a rich cultural scene, highlighted by a golden era for tango, film, and literature. Architects embraced innovative designs rather than traditional European styles, creating buildings that harmonized with nature and promoted communal living. Among the prominent projects were the Kavanagh building, designed by Luis Sanchez, Ernesto Lagos, and Luis María De La Torre, which stands as South America's tallest reinforced concrete structure, and Casa Bigatti-Forner by Alejo Martínez. Antonio Bonet's Ateliers para Artistas introduced the BKF butterfly chair, while Jorge Ferrari Hardoy and Juan Kurchan's Edificio O'Higgins 2319 provided adaptable apartments. Other key contributions include Eucaliptos by Hardoy and Kurchan, Casa en Calle La Pampa by Wladimiro Acosta, and Teatro Gran Rex by Alberto Prebisch.
Key facts
- Buenos Aires modernism emerged in the mid-1930s to early 1940s.
- The Kavanagh building was the tallest reinforced concrete building in South America on completion.
- Casa Bigatti-Forner was commissioned by artists Raquel Forner and Alfredo Bigatti.
- Ateliers para Artistas featured the first pilot of the iconic BKF butterfly chair.
- Edificio O'Higgins 2319 was built on a plot 9.52m wide by 13.90m long.
- Eucaliptos / Edificio Virrey del Pino 2446 incorporated two pre-existing eucalyptus trees.
- Casa en Calle La Pampa was the studio and residence of architect Wladimiro Acosta.
- Teatro Gran Rex seats over 3,200 people and was built a year after Prebisch's obelisk.
Entities
Artists
- Antonio Bonet
- Abel Lopez Chas
- Ricardo Vera Barros
- Jorge Ferrari Hardoy
- Juan Kurchan
- Luis Sanchez
- Ernesto Lagos
- Luis María De La Torre
- Corina Kavanagh
- Jean Michel Frank
- Alejo Martínez
- Raquel Forner
- Alfredo Bigatti
- Wladimiro Acosta
- Antonio Villar
- Alejandro Bustillo
- Jorge Bunge
- Alberto Prebisch
- Adolfo Moret
- Le Corbusier
Institutions
- Comte
- Argentine Austral design group
- Automovil Club Argentino (ACA)
- Teatro Gran Rex
Locations
- Buenos Aires
- Argentina
- Paris
- France
- Rue de Sèvres
- Corrientes Avenue
- New York
- United States