Biographical information is scant about Cassiano Branco, so an overview of his work will have to suffice. Drawings & plans have survived, but unfortunately there is very little documentation regarding Branco’s opinions, beliefs or interactions with other architects. Such a shame.
Read More »portugal: cassiano branco
Since there are 6 candidates for Jefe de Gobierno this time around, TN divided the debate into two programs. Not sure I agree with that decision… the idea behind a debate is to listen to everyone, then compare & contrast. That’s more difficult to do with a week separating debates. During last week’s show, López Murphy didn’t show, Estenssoro rode the transparency bandwagon, Giudici couldn’t get from behind her party platform & Telerman thought the “you already know me” tactic would be good enough. It wasn’t. To his credit, Telerman was the only candidate to discuss saving the city’s architectural heritage.
Read More »buenos aires: jefe de gobierno debate 2011
Behind the recently restored Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Velha sits what most people consider to be a kids’ attraction. But this playground of miniature monuments, tiny houses & museum displays from around the world —Portugal dos Pequenitos— was designed to do a lot more than entertain children. Built under the Salazar regime from 1937 to 1961 by architect Cassiano Branco, this compact display of the best of Portugal transmits a message that few people understand today.
Read More »coimbra: portugal dos pequenitos
Whenever those days of saudade hit, I often remember the flavors of Portugal. Like most people who enjoy food, memories & meals go hand in hand. Tastes are a vivid part of the travel experience & adopting a new diet is one of the best ways to experience a country. The variety of Portuguese gastronomy would provide enough material for an entire blog, so just consider this post a taste of what Portugal has to offer…
Read More »portugal: hungry?
Parque 3 de Febrero commemorates the Battle of Caseros where Confederate forces defeated Juan Manuel de Rosas in 1852. Ending 17 years of what many historians call Argentina’s first dictatorship, the victors forced Rosas to leave the country & confiscated his land. This singular act would transform Buenos Aires in ways unimaginable at the time. Technically, Rosas had lived outside the city limits (which only extended to Avenida Callao). In fact, the town of Belgrano had not even been incorporated… that would happen a few years later in 1857.
Read More »buenos aires: los terrenos de rosas
Nestled into the center of a busy intersection in Caballito, surrounding buildings dwarf a statue of El Cid Campeador by American sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington. Traffic noise also prevents any quiet contemplation of my personal favorite statue… but that can be avoided by going early on Sunday mornings for a look at this fantastic piece of public art, cleaned & restored in 2006:
Read More »buenos aires: monumento al cid campeador
In the past ten years, Buenos Aires has come a long way in terms of preserving city heritage. New organizations have formed, especially on neighborhood level, keeping watch over the city’s buildings & blowing the whistle when sneaky developers try to destroy what makes BA so unique. That said, one particular building sums up everything wrong about the city’s attitude toward conservation: the Confitería del Molino.
Read More »buenos aires: confitería del molino
