Estrugamou Building
Encyclopedia
The Estrugamou Building is an architecturally significant residential building in the Retiro
area of Buenos Aires
.
and a prominent Venado Tuerto
(Santa Fe Province
) landowner. Conceiving it as an investment property, Estrugamou himself lived in a relatively understated French Baroque mansion, nearby.
Designed by architects Eduardo Sauze y August Huguier, the building, like many of the upscale developments in Argentina during the early 20th century, was designed in an eclectic style heavily influenced by French Baroque and Second Empire architecture. The Estrugamou was built in four sections, arranged around a patio adorned with a bronze copy of the iconic Winged Victory of Samothrace
. Nearly every decorative element of the building was imported from France, and the flooring was finished in Slovenia
n oak
.
Inaugurated in 1929, the eight-story Estrugamou Building was one of the few city landmarks to receive no architectural awards at the time of its completion. It was graced by an oversized sidewalk and extensive garden along its southern façade originally, though the civic-minded Alejandro Estrugamou donated this section to the city (which sought to widen Juncal Street) shortly before his death in 1937.
Retiro, Buenos Aires
Retiro is a barrio in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Located in the northeast end of the city, Retiro is bordered on the south by the Puerto Madero and San Nicolás wards, and on the west by the Recoleta ward.-Urban character:...
area of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
.
Overview
The landmark building was commissioned in 1924 by Alejandro Estrugamou, the son of immigrants from the Basses-Pyrénées area of FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and a prominent Venado Tuerto
Venado Tuerto
Venado Tuerto is a city in the south-west of the , 322 km from the provincial capital. It has about 70,000 inhabitants .Venado Tuerto was founded on April 26, 1884 by Eduardo Casey, born in Lobos, Buenos Aires, in 1847. He was the son of two Irish immigrants who had amassed considerable wealth...
(Santa Fe Province
Santa Fe Province
The Invincible Province of Santa Fe, in Spanish Provincia Invencible de Santa Fe , is a province of Argentina, located in the center-east of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Chaco , Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Santiago del Estero...
) landowner. Conceiving it as an investment property, Estrugamou himself lived in a relatively understated French Baroque mansion, nearby.
Designed by architects Eduardo Sauze y August Huguier, the building, like many of the upscale developments in Argentina during the early 20th century, was designed in an eclectic style heavily influenced by French Baroque and Second Empire architecture. The Estrugamou was built in four sections, arranged around a patio adorned with a bronze copy of the iconic Winged Victory of Samothrace
Winged Victory of Samothrace
The Winged Victory of Samothrace, also called the Nike of Samothrace, is a 2nd century BC marble sculpture of the Greek goddess Nike . Since 1884, it has been prominently displayed at the Louvre and is one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world.-Description:The Nike of Samothrace,...
. Nearly every decorative element of the building was imported from France, and the flooring was finished in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
.
Inaugurated in 1929, the eight-story Estrugamou Building was one of the few city landmarks to receive no architectural awards at the time of its completion. It was graced by an oversized sidewalk and extensive garden along its southern façade originally, though the civic-minded Alejandro Estrugamou donated this section to the city (which sought to widen Juncal Street) shortly before his death in 1937.
Residents and Associated Personalities
- Alejandro Estrugamou
- Juan Llach
- Eduardo Sauze
- August Huguier
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