Modern architecture in Colombia
Gallery of Jaroslav Fragner
1.3.2007 – 1.4.2007
organizers:
U15130 - Institute of Design IV at the Faculty of Architecture, CTU
Gallery of Jaroslav Fragner
Architecture Centre Brno
Currently, an exhibition titled Modern Architecture in Colombia is taking place at the Gallery of Jaroslav Fragner. Almost all of us will search our memories and try to recall at least some buildings that characterize this region. We might think of Bogotá and the social constraints that bind the country. Perhaps also the Cordilleras and plateaus. But not many can probably characterize modern architecture.
In the Gallery of Jaroslav Fragner, visitors are greeted in style by music from Latin America, and as they slowly navigate through the forest of exhibition panels, they discover beauty that long eluded their eyes. Colombian architecture is alive. It lives together with the inhabitants of the country and with their customs and traditions. It also distinctly derives from them. The morphology remains, only the forms change. It could be said that this is cheerful and carefree architecture.
The project of the first comprehensive exhibition of the not very well-known architectural production of the twentieth century in Colombia resulted from the collaboration of CTU in Prague and UNAL in Bogotá - in the previous two years, joint urban workshops were held in both countries.
The first part of the exhibition presents black-and-white photographs titled "The Golden Age of Colombian Architecture." The selection of interesting buildings culminates with the Torres del Parque (1965) building in Bogotá. Conversely, the first building that marked the beginning of modern architecture in Colombia is significantly the Faculty of Architecture of the National University of Bogotá. Colombian architecture is not very well known not only to us but also to world architects and historians, yet its quality defends its position on the international scene. It has not merely been influenced by foreign works and prominent architects. Its form has been significantly shaped by the topographical, geographical, and climatic conditions of the country, which ultimately encouraged creators to freedom of expression. The Golden Age, finding its own modern form of architecture, became a platform for the second half of the twentieth century. An overview of the work of architects captures the conceptual basis for future generations of architects in the country.
The showcase of selected buildings emerging from the 1970s forms the second part of the exhibition. Architecture embraces global trends, yet interpreted specifically in a Colombian context. The international influence was used as a creative starting point, a legitimate step towards recognition. The exhibition presents the gradual development in relation to local conditions, approaches, and the feel for architecture in Colombia. This part is characteristically captured in color photography.
Latin America is often associated with the phenomenon of uncontrolled growth of large cities, linked to a massive influx of people into urban areas. However, this tends to lead to a one-sided view. The exhibition, along with the lecture, should challenge this schema, contribute to greater awareness, create a new opinion, and open up a discussion.
After the Prague audience, the public in Brno will get the opportunity to visit the exhibition, which will be transferred there.
MODERNISM IN COLOMBIA
THE GOLDEN AGE
EDUARDO SAMPER MARTINEZ
Modern architecture arrived on the Latin American continent very gradually. In the 1930s, only a few modern buildings appeared. Modern architecture solidified its position only in the 1940s when this new aesthetic order was accepted by a wider public. Although it was predominantly influenced by European movements from the beginning of the century, a unique blend of rich and diverse architecture full of nuances and cultures arose due to geographic and cultural isolation.
The concept of modern urban planning represented a departure from tradition, and in many cases, modern architecture was built on the ruins of historical parts of cities. Europe, and especially CIAM (International Congress of Modern Architecture), created the model for cities in the twentieth century. Latin America became a laboratory for this model. Unfortunately, cultural and historical differences of various places were often overlooked, which is necessary for justifying interventions in historical centers.
Although modernism collided with the locale and culture of the given regions, it took root so deeply that all subsequent expressions, whether regional, unique, or eccentric, derived from it.
The aesthetics of modern architecture presented new forms that responded to modern art, to the synthesis of forms, projective abstraction, and the negation of classical approaches used in academic composition. Emphasis was placed on developing individual elements specific to the given building. The buildings were defined by volume, light, and space. The result was distinguishable volumes, clean prisms, and the use of basic geometric shapes.
From a technical standpoint, modern architecture adopted new materials from the industrial sector and promoted the use of concrete, steel, and glass. The separation of the supporting structure from the spatial structure allowed for the expansion of architectural designs that dealt with open and adjustable spaces. Architects embraced a sense of industrial function and performance.
Clarity and transparency were achieved by removing load-bearing walls, using sliding windows, introducing movable partitions, and employing blinds for adjusting internal light. The application of concrete resulted in the use of columns for exposed structures, extensive porticoes, and flat roofs.
Geographically isolated Bogotá began to change with the arrival of the railroad in 1899. This capital city was to follow Paris and London. Therefore, classical patterns seemed suitable for public buildings. The architecture of the Congress building (1847-1923) represents the ideals of the bourgeois society that ruled the country from this place.
The port city of Barranquilla on the Caribbean coast became a pioneer of modern architecture thanks to its international contacts. The neighborhood called Prado, which was directly inspired by American developments from garden cities, is considered a precursor to modern architecture in Colombia.
In the mountain town of Medellín, the commercial and industrial elite grew due to coffee mining and trade. The architecture of this city has been characterized by the pragmatism of technology since the mid-nineteenth century. An example is the Villanueva Cathedral, which was built from the most accessible material, namely bricks. It was designed by the French architect Charles Carré. In the 1930s and 1940s, the city served as a laboratory of modern architecture and was a model for Colombia.
In the 1950s, the city of Cali experienced significant economic growth regarding sugarcane trade. This resulted in a rapid increase in urban development. A selected group of architects designed modern architecture that corresponded excellently with the local tropical vegetation.
The capital Bogotá had a considerable impact on the spread of modernism. The section of National Buildings (established in 1905), which fell under the Ministry of Public Works, supported the development of modernism and introduced this new architectural language even to remote places in the country. The government further supported housing construction through institutions such as Banco Central Hipotecario (BCH) and Instituto de Crédito Territorial.
The construction of the National University from 1935 to 1945 is the first more extensive modern architecture. It was also the first institution of higher education that began training architects for the "Colombian way."
Architects who emigrated from Europe were important for developing modern architecture and enriched the country's architecture debate, just like in North America.
The magazine Proa, founded in 1947, whose editor-in-chief was Carlos Martínez for many years, became a carrier of the ideas of the Modern movement and sparked a discussion about new architecture and the need to support it unconditionally.
The most influential "architect-engineer" from this generation of architects born in Colombia. In 1933, he joined the firm Cuellar Serrano Gómez. Although his early works were influenced by classical architecture, in the 1940s he adhered to rational tendencies. The San Carlos Hospital from 1945 (with technical assistance from the Chicago firm Schmidt, Garden & Erikson) represents a milestone in Serrano's career.
In the absolute spirit of modernism, Serrano designed the Los Lagartos Club in Bogotá (1947), the Camacho building (1948), the David Restrepo Maternity Hospital (1948), and his second home (1948).
With his young assistants, mainly Gabriel Largacha, he was an important advocate for modern architecture. His firm executed many projects, and Serrano, who became a professor at the Faculty of Architecture, became a role model for the following generation.
The Generation of the 1950s
Colombian modern architecture seriously developed in the 1950s. Two things fundamentally changed the view of architecture. The first was the uprising El Bogotazo, which erupted after the assassination of liberal leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán on April 9, 1948. In the fire-damaged city, a space was created for new architecture even in the historical part. A space for urban planning across the city was also created.
The six-year dictatorship of General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla was followed by the National Front. A leading group of thinkers, artists, and professionals emerged, a generation raised with the idea that progress, technology, and reason could solve the problems of the country and bring about the necessary change in society.
This generation includes a large group of people who graduated from the National University in Bogotá's Faculty of Architecture and from the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, which was led by Antonio Mesa Jaramillo. A decade later, the Andean University was established with its Faculty of Architecture (advocating rationalism), which became the counterpoint to the Faculty of Architecture at the National University favoring organic architecture.
The Colombian Architects Association organized a biennale that became a forum for comparing architectural approaches. At the First Biennale in 1962, the Ecopetrol building designed by Gabriel Sedrana won the prize. The house of Guillermo Bermúdez was highlighted, and Fernando Martínez also won the award with a design for the Emilia Cifuentes school (not built).
The International Center, a residential, office, and commercial complex, was stimulated by the construction of the Tequendama hotel in the 1950s under the grand plan designed by Cuellar Serrano Gómez. This complex became an alternative financial center.
Bogotá in the 1950s
As early as 1930, the city engulfed the nearby settlement of Chapinero. Since the beginning of the century, the city adhered to the so-called Plan for Future Bogotá, which accounted for the expansion of the city to the north and south. Professor Karl Brunner, who had been in charge of the Department of Urban Planning since 1928, focused on individual and independent operations that sought to define the shape of the center.
In 1950, Le Corbusier presented his Bogotá master plan, which served as the basis for the Regulatory plan implemented by the consulting firm Wierner and Sert. All subsequent projects were based on the theories presented at the International Congress of Modern Architecture, namely the division of the city into zones according to purpose (housing, work, recreation, and circulation).
“It must have definitely been a vibrant period in the history of national architecture. Perhaps it was only obvious to those who lived through this period, as new generations of architects ignore this era. Despite all efforts to place modernism within the Latin American and international territory, and despite all recognition shown to previous foreign and Colombian architects, the conditions in this country (which we still do not fully comprehend) must have been unique to allow such architecture to arise in such a short time, and to give birth to this generation of brilliant architects.”
1.3.2007 – 1.4.2007
organizers:
U15130 - Institute of Design IV at the Faculty of Architecture, CTU
Gallery of Jaroslav Fragner
Architecture Centre Brno
Currently, an exhibition titled Modern Architecture in Colombia is taking place at the Gallery of Jaroslav Fragner. Almost all of us will search our memories and try to recall at least some buildings that characterize this region. We might think of Bogotá and the social constraints that bind the country. Perhaps also the Cordilleras and plateaus. But not many can probably characterize modern architecture.
In the Gallery of Jaroslav Fragner, visitors are greeted in style by music from Latin America, and as they slowly navigate through the forest of exhibition panels, they discover beauty that long eluded their eyes. Colombian architecture is alive. It lives together with the inhabitants of the country and with their customs and traditions. It also distinctly derives from them. The morphology remains, only the forms change. It could be said that this is cheerful and carefree architecture.
The project of the first comprehensive exhibition of the not very well-known architectural production of the twentieth century in Colombia resulted from the collaboration of CTU in Prague and UNAL in Bogotá - in the previous two years, joint urban workshops were held in both countries.
The first part of the exhibition presents black-and-white photographs titled "The Golden Age of Colombian Architecture." The selection of interesting buildings culminates with the Torres del Parque (1965) building in Bogotá. Conversely, the first building that marked the beginning of modern architecture in Colombia is significantly the Faculty of Architecture of the National University of Bogotá. Colombian architecture is not very well known not only to us but also to world architects and historians, yet its quality defends its position on the international scene. It has not merely been influenced by foreign works and prominent architects. Its form has been significantly shaped by the topographical, geographical, and climatic conditions of the country, which ultimately encouraged creators to freedom of expression. The Golden Age, finding its own modern form of architecture, became a platform for the second half of the twentieth century. An overview of the work of architects captures the conceptual basis for future generations of architects in the country.
The showcase of selected buildings emerging from the 1970s forms the second part of the exhibition. Architecture embraces global trends, yet interpreted specifically in a Colombian context. The international influence was used as a creative starting point, a legitimate step towards recognition. The exhibition presents the gradual development in relation to local conditions, approaches, and the feel for architecture in Colombia. This part is characteristically captured in color photography.
Latin America is often associated with the phenomenon of uncontrolled growth of large cities, linked to a massive influx of people into urban areas. However, this tends to lead to a one-sided view. The exhibition, along with the lecture, should challenge this schema, contribute to greater awareness, create a new opinion, and open up a discussion.
After the Prague audience, the public in Brno will get the opportunity to visit the exhibition, which will be transferred there.
Daniel Němeček
MODERNISM IN COLOMBIA
THE GOLDEN AGE
EDUARDO SAMPER MARTINEZ
Modern architecture arrived on the Latin American continent very gradually. In the 1930s, only a few modern buildings appeared. Modern architecture solidified its position only in the 1940s when this new aesthetic order was accepted by a wider public. Although it was predominantly influenced by European movements from the beginning of the century, a unique blend of rich and diverse architecture full of nuances and cultures arose due to geographic and cultural isolation.
The concept of modern urban planning represented a departure from tradition, and in many cases, modern architecture was built on the ruins of historical parts of cities. Europe, and especially CIAM (International Congress of Modern Architecture), created the model for cities in the twentieth century. Latin America became a laboratory for this model. Unfortunately, cultural and historical differences of various places were often overlooked, which is necessary for justifying interventions in historical centers.
Although modernism collided with the locale and culture of the given regions, it took root so deeply that all subsequent expressions, whether regional, unique, or eccentric, derived from it.
The aesthetics of modern architecture presented new forms that responded to modern art, to the synthesis of forms, projective abstraction, and the negation of classical approaches used in academic composition. Emphasis was placed on developing individual elements specific to the given building. The buildings were defined by volume, light, and space. The result was distinguishable volumes, clean prisms, and the use of basic geometric shapes.
From a technical standpoint, modern architecture adopted new materials from the industrial sector and promoted the use of concrete, steel, and glass. The separation of the supporting structure from the spatial structure allowed for the expansion of architectural designs that dealt with open and adjustable spaces. Architects embraced a sense of industrial function and performance.
Clarity and transparency were achieved by removing load-bearing walls, using sliding windows, introducing movable partitions, and employing blinds for adjusting internal light. The application of concrete resulted in the use of columns for exposed structures, extensive porticoes, and flat roofs.
Geographically isolated Bogotá began to change with the arrival of the railroad in 1899. This capital city was to follow Paris and London. Therefore, classical patterns seemed suitable for public buildings. The architecture of the Congress building (1847-1923) represents the ideals of the bourgeois society that ruled the country from this place.
The port city of Barranquilla on the Caribbean coast became a pioneer of modern architecture thanks to its international contacts. The neighborhood called Prado, which was directly inspired by American developments from garden cities, is considered a precursor to modern architecture in Colombia.
In the mountain town of Medellín, the commercial and industrial elite grew due to coffee mining and trade. The architecture of this city has been characterized by the pragmatism of technology since the mid-nineteenth century. An example is the Villanueva Cathedral, which was built from the most accessible material, namely bricks. It was designed by the French architect Charles Carré. In the 1930s and 1940s, the city served as a laboratory of modern architecture and was a model for Colombia.
In the 1950s, the city of Cali experienced significant economic growth regarding sugarcane trade. This resulted in a rapid increase in urban development. A selected group of architects designed modern architecture that corresponded excellently with the local tropical vegetation.
The capital Bogotá had a considerable impact on the spread of modernism. The section of National Buildings (established in 1905), which fell under the Ministry of Public Works, supported the development of modernism and introduced this new architectural language even to remote places in the country. The government further supported housing construction through institutions such as Banco Central Hipotecario (BCH) and Instituto de Crédito Territorial.
The construction of the National University from 1935 to 1945 is the first more extensive modern architecture. It was also the first institution of higher education that began training architects for the "Colombian way."
Architects who emigrated from Europe were important for developing modern architecture and enriched the country's architecture debate, just like in North America.
The magazine Proa, founded in 1947, whose editor-in-chief was Carlos Martínez for many years, became a carrier of the ideas of the Modern movement and sparked a discussion about new architecture and the need to support it unconditionally.
The most influential "architect-engineer" from this generation of architects born in Colombia. In 1933, he joined the firm Cuellar Serrano Gómez. Although his early works were influenced by classical architecture, in the 1940s he adhered to rational tendencies. The San Carlos Hospital from 1945 (with technical assistance from the Chicago firm Schmidt, Garden & Erikson) represents a milestone in Serrano's career.
In the absolute spirit of modernism, Serrano designed the Los Lagartos Club in Bogotá (1947), the Camacho building (1948), the David Restrepo Maternity Hospital (1948), and his second home (1948).
With his young assistants, mainly Gabriel Largacha, he was an important advocate for modern architecture. His firm executed many projects, and Serrano, who became a professor at the Faculty of Architecture, became a role model for the following generation.
The Generation of the 1950s
Colombian modern architecture seriously developed in the 1950s. Two things fundamentally changed the view of architecture. The first was the uprising El Bogotazo, which erupted after the assassination of liberal leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán on April 9, 1948. In the fire-damaged city, a space was created for new architecture even in the historical part. A space for urban planning across the city was also created.
The six-year dictatorship of General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla was followed by the National Front. A leading group of thinkers, artists, and professionals emerged, a generation raised with the idea that progress, technology, and reason could solve the problems of the country and bring about the necessary change in society.
This generation includes a large group of people who graduated from the National University in Bogotá's Faculty of Architecture and from the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, which was led by Antonio Mesa Jaramillo. A decade later, the Andean University was established with its Faculty of Architecture (advocating rationalism), which became the counterpoint to the Faculty of Architecture at the National University favoring organic architecture.
The Colombian Architects Association organized a biennale that became a forum for comparing architectural approaches. At the First Biennale in 1962, the Ecopetrol building designed by Gabriel Sedrana won the prize. The house of Guillermo Bermúdez was highlighted, and Fernando Martínez also won the award with a design for the Emilia Cifuentes school (not built).
The International Center, a residential, office, and commercial complex, was stimulated by the construction of the Tequendama hotel in the 1950s under the grand plan designed by Cuellar Serrano Gómez. This complex became an alternative financial center.
Bogotá in the 1950s
As early as 1930, the city engulfed the nearby settlement of Chapinero. Since the beginning of the century, the city adhered to the so-called Plan for Future Bogotá, which accounted for the expansion of the city to the north and south. Professor Karl Brunner, who had been in charge of the Department of Urban Planning since 1928, focused on individual and independent operations that sought to define the shape of the center.
In 1950, Le Corbusier presented his Bogotá master plan, which served as the basis for the Regulatory plan implemented by the consulting firm Wierner and Sert. All subsequent projects were based on the theories presented at the International Congress of Modern Architecture, namely the division of the city into zones according to purpose (housing, work, recreation, and circulation).
“It must have definitely been a vibrant period in the history of national architecture. Perhaps it was only obvious to those who lived through this period, as new generations of architects ignore this era. Despite all efforts to place modernism within the Latin American and international territory, and despite all recognition shown to previous foreign and Colombian architects, the conditions in this country (which we still do not fully comprehend) must have been unique to allow such architecture to arise in such a short time, and to give birth to this generation of brilliant architects.”
Pedro Mejía
foreword from the book Moderna in Colombia
foreword from the book Moderna in Colombia
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