Francisco Gianotti
Encyclopedia
Francisco Gianotti was an architect who designed many important Art Nouveau
buildings in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
.
Born in 1881 in Lanzo, near Turin
, Italy
, he graduated as an architect from the Fine Arts Academy of Turin in 1904, together with his brother, Juan Bautista. In 1905 the two brothers took a post-graduate course together in Brussels
and later they designed various pavilions for the 1906 International Exhibition in Milan.
Gianotti arrived in Buenos Aires, in 1909 where, together with his compatriot, Mario Palanti
, he took charge of the construction and decoration of the Italian Pavilion at the International Centennial Exposition
of 1910. In 1911 he opened his own studio and started to work on the design of residential houses and apartment buildings, using a mixture of Italian and French styles. Unlike his colleagues Virginio Colombo
and Mario Palanti
, who worked for wealthy compatriots, Gianotti was also commissioned by upper class Argentine clients for whom he undertook projects in the Beaux Arts style.
Following work on a number of apartment buildings and private residences, Gianotti was commissioned to design the La Inmobiliaria Building (on Avenida de Mayo
) in 1910, and Galería Güemes in Florida Street
, possibly one of his best works, in 1913; with 14 floors, and a height of 80 m, it was considered to be the first skyscraper
in Buenos Aires. Two years later, in 1915, a famous local confectioner, Cayetano Brenna, commissioned him to design the Confitería El Molino
. Located on the corner of Callao and Rivadavia Avenues, the building became a well-known landmark in the city. Until 1918 he designed mainly in the Art Nouveau
style, but later employed a more orthodox Eclecticism combining Italianate and Moorish revival
styles, notably in the Italian-American Navigation Company Building (1927) on 622 Diagonal Norte Avenue. Gianotti also created works of Neoclassical architecture
, notably the El Mundo newspaper offices on 647 Diagonal Norte (1925), and the Schaffhausen Building (336 Reconquista St.), in 1932
Gianotti completed his last project in 1959, and he died in Buenos Aires on 13 February 1967.
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
buildings in 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...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
Born in 1881 in Lanzo, near Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, he graduated as an architect from the Fine Arts Academy of Turin in 1904, together with his brother, Juan Bautista. In 1905 the two brothers took a post-graduate course together in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and later they designed various pavilions for the 1906 International Exhibition in Milan.
Gianotti arrived in Buenos Aires, in 1909 where, together with his compatriot, Mario Palanti
Mario Palanti
Mario Palanti was an Italian architect who designed important buildings in the capital cities of both Argentina and Uruguay. Born in 1885 in Milan, Italy, he studied architecture in the Brera Academy and in the Politecnico di Milano university...
, he took charge of the construction and decoration of the Italian Pavilion at the International Centennial Exposition
Exposición Internacional del Centenario (1910)
The Exposición International del Centenario was an exhibition held between May and November 1910 in Buenos Aires, to mark the centennial of the May Revolution in Argentina...
of 1910. In 1911 he opened his own studio and started to work on the design of residential houses and apartment buildings, using a mixture of Italian and French styles. Unlike his colleagues Virginio Colombo
Virginio Colombo
Virginio Colombo was a prolific architect who completed close to 50 works in Buenos Aires in just 21 years before his premature death at the age of 42. Born in 1885 in Milan, Italy, he studied architecture in the Brera Academy under Giuseppe Sommaruga, the city's leading exponent of the Art...
and Mario Palanti
Mario Palanti
Mario Palanti was an Italian architect who designed important buildings in the capital cities of both Argentina and Uruguay. Born in 1885 in Milan, Italy, he studied architecture in the Brera Academy and in the Politecnico di Milano university...
, who worked for wealthy compatriots, Gianotti was also commissioned by upper class Argentine clients for whom he undertook projects in the Beaux Arts style.
Following work on a number of apartment buildings and private residences, Gianotti was commissioned to design the La Inmobiliaria Building (on Avenida de Mayo
Avenida de Mayo
Avenida de Mayo , is an avenue in Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina. It connects the Plaza de Mayo with Congressional Plaza, and extends in a west-east direction before merging into Avenida Rivadavia.-History and overview:...
) in 1910, and Galería Güemes in Florida Street
Florida Street
Florida Street is an elegant shopping street in Downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. A pedestrian street since 1971, some stretches have been pedestrianized since 1913....
, possibly one of his best works, in 1913; with 14 floors, and a height of 80 m, it was considered to be the first skyscraper
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
in Buenos Aires. Two years later, in 1915, a famous local confectioner, Cayetano Brenna, commissioned him to design the Confitería El Molino
Confitería El Molino
The Confitería El Molino is an Art Nouveau style coffeehouse located on the corner of Callao and Rivadavia Avenues, in front of the Argentine National Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina....
. Located on the corner of Callao and Rivadavia Avenues, the building became a well-known landmark in the city. Until 1918 he designed mainly in the Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style, but later employed a more orthodox Eclecticism combining Italianate and Moorish revival
Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of the Romanticist fascination with all things oriental...
styles, notably in the Italian-American Navigation Company Building (1927) on 622 Diagonal Norte Avenue. Gianotti also created works of Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
, notably the El Mundo newspaper offices on 647 Diagonal Norte (1925), and the Schaffhausen Building (336 Reconquista St.), in 1932
Gianotti completed his last project in 1959, and he died in Buenos Aires on 13 February 1967.
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