Estrugamou Building
| Estrugamou Building | |
|---|---|
| Palacio Estrugamou | |
 Facade of the Estrugamou Building on Esmeralda (1992) |
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Second Empire architecture |
| Location | Retiro |
| Address | 1319 Esmeralda |
| Town or city | Buenos Aires |
| Country | Argentina |
| Coordinates | 34°35′S 58°22′W / 34.583°S 58.367°W |
| Current tenants | Naela Chohan, Jorge Lanata |
| Groundbreaking | 1924 |
| Completed | 1929 |
| Inaugurated | 1929 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 6 |
| Lifts/elevators | 4 |
| Design and construction | |
| Client | Alejandro Estrugamou |
| Architect | Eduardo Sauze y August Huguier |
| Designations | Replica of the Winged Victory of Samothrace |
The Estrugamou Building is an architecturally significant residential building in the Retiro area of Buenos Aires.
Overview
The landmark building was commissioned in 1924 by Alejandro Estrugamou, the son of immigrants from the Basses-Pyrénées area of France 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.[1]
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 Slavonian oak.[2]
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.[3]
Residents and Associated Personalities
- Alejandro Estrugamou
- Juan Llach
- Eduardo Sauze
- August Huguier
- Domingo Cavallo
- Carlos Gardel
- Naela Chohan
- Jorge Lanata
Gallery
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The front facade of the Estrugamou Building at the exact intersection of the streets Arroyo and Esmeralda.
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The Courtyard of the Estrugamou Building with the replica of the Winged Victory of Samothrace, around which the architecture of the Estrugamou complex was conceived.
References
- ^ Palacio Estrugamou (Spanish)
- ^ Aeberhard, Benson and Phillips. The Rough Guide to Argentina. London: Rough Guides Limited, 2000.
- ^ Biblioteca Nacional de la República Argentina: Edificio Estrugamou (Spanish)
Coordinates: 34°35′33″S 58°22′41″W / 34.59250°S 58.37806°W
