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buenos aires: ciae architecture 2

CIAE architecture, Buenos Aires, La Boca, Chiogna, Usina Pedro de Mendoza

The CIAE ensured that Juan Chiogna’s Romanesque Revival spread throughout Buenos Aires plus its southern suburbs & remains a distinct feature of the entire urban area. Buildings appeared on three scales & larger structures had more decorative elements. The largest of Chiogna’s works was the first generator complex in La Boca, the Usina Pedro de Mendoza. Initially a 3-story rectangular structure in 1915, it occupied approximately one-quarter of the city block with the street façade decorated by a tower on one end & an ochava office entrance on the other:

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buenos aires: ciae architecture 1

Buenos Aires, CIAE subestación, vector render

With financial needs met, a concession from Buenos Aires granted & service scheduled to begin in 1914, Carosio hired Juan Chiogna to build fantastic covers for CIAE generators & substations. Reminding passersby of Medieval Italy, these eye-catching structures only served as decorative shells to house large machinery, spare equipment & cables. Local architects term the style “Lombardy Romanesque” likely due to an early reference found in La Nacion newspaper in 1916:

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lisboa: color palette

Lisboa Lisbon color palette

[Since the hotel we use for the Portugal tour is next to the still undeveloped Parque Mayer (Gehry has since pulled out), I thought it was a good idea to repost these two items. Originally published under the same title on 08 Jan 2008 & 05 Apr 2008.]

Recommended reading by Brendan, Brand Avenue suggests that cities —even entire nations— have color schemes. It makes sense. One of the things I’ve always loved about Lisboa is its light… a beautiful shade of yellow with just a hint of orange. The Portuguese also have an affinity for pastel tones, painting even public buildings in what I would call Easter colors.

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