Virginio Colombo
Encyclopedia
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 Nouveau
style. A fellow student, Antonio Sant'Elia
, later became the number one advocate of Futurism
in Italian architecture. During the early part of the 20th century there were many immigrant Italian architects working in Buenos Aires including Francesco Tamburini
, who designed the Teatro Colón, Vittorio Meano
, who designed the Argentine National Congress
, Mario Palanti
, who designed the Palacio Barolo
, Francisco Gianotti
who designed the Confitería El Molino
, and Juan Antonio Buschiazzo
who made alterations to the Centro Cultural Recoleta
and designed the Italian Hospital. Of these architects, Colombo was one of the most active and creative.
He arrived in Buenos Aires
in 1906, along with two other Italian architects, Aquiles de Lazzari and Mario Baroffio Covati, with a contract to carry out the decoration of the Palacio de Justicia (the Law Courts). Soon after his arrival in Buenos Aires he became director of a studio and later set up his own, working mainly on projects for private clients, usually wealthy compatriots in business, industry or real estate who bought land for the construction of apartment buildings and shops for rental. These entrepreneurs liked architecture that optimized land use and that was stylistically what some might consider ostentatious and extravagant. Perhaps his most important public work was the designing of two pavilions (Public Celebrations and Postal Service) for the Exposición Internacional del Centenario (1910)
, for which he was awarded a Gold Medal.
Colombo embraced Eclectic Modernism, used by many Italian architects working in Buenos Aires at that time, and typified by elements of Medieval architecture including the presence of round arches, windows and loggias, floral ornamentation and crenelated cornices. To these traditional features were added those inspired by Art Nouveau and through exploring the possibilities offered by this combination Colombo was able to evolve a very personal language. His work can be divided into two periods. The first extends up to 1920 and falls within the Italian school of Art Nouveau, as exemplified by the headquarters of the Unione Operai Italiani at 1374-82 Sarmiento, completed in 1913. At the end of this period Colombo moved towards Classicism and Monumentalism, without renouncing Modernism, when he built Casa Grimoldi in 1918 at 2548-72 Corrientes Avenue for the businessman Grimoldi, owner of the shoe manufacturing company. In the second period Colombo embraced Classical Eclecticism and his designs became particularly self-confident and challenging.
Today Colombo is probably best remembered for La Casa de los Pavos Reales at 3216-36 Rivadavia and Casa Calise at 2562-78 H.Yrigoyen . Those of his Art Nouveau
style buildings that still remain are easily recognized by their abundance of lion heads, balconies, iron work, cherubs, female heads and caryatids, turkeys, falcons and dragons.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
who completed close to 50 works 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...
in just 21 years before his premature death at the age of 42. Born in 1885 in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, 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 studied architecture in the Brera Academy
Brera Academy
The Academy of Fine Arts of Brera, also known as Brera Academy is a public academic institution located in Milan, Italy. It was founded in 1776 by HIM Maria Theresa of Austria.- Overview :...
under Giuseppe Sommaruga
Giuseppe Sommaruga
Giuseppe Sommaruga was an Italian architect of the Art nouveau movement. He was the pupil of Camillo Boito and Luca Beltrami to the Brera Academy in Milan. His monumental architecture exerted some influence on the futurist architect Antonio Sant'Elia...
, the city's leading exponent of 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. A fellow student, Antonio Sant'Elia
Antonio Sant'Elia
Antonio Sant'Elia was an extremely influential Italian architect.-Life:Antonio Sant'Elia was born in Como, Lombardy. A builder by training, he opened a design office in Milan in 1912 and became involved with the Futurist movement...
, later became the number one advocate of Futurism
Futurism
Futurism was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century.Futurism or futurist may refer to:* Afrofuturism, an African-American and African diaspora subculture* Cubo-Futurism* Ego-Futurism...
in Italian architecture. During the early part of the 20th century there were many immigrant Italian architects working in Buenos Aires including Francesco Tamburini
Francesco Tamburini
Francesco Tamburini was an architect born in Italy who died in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He studied architecture in the Royal Academy of Naples and arrived in Argentina in 1881 where he was employed as Inspector General of National Architecture from 1883 until his death in 1891.His works included...
, who designed the Teatro Colón, Vittorio Meano
Vittorio Meano
Vittorio Meano was an Italian architect born in Susa, Italy, near Turin.-Background and early career:He studied architecture in Albertina Academy in Turin....
, who designed the Argentine National Congress
Argentine National Congress
The Congress of the Argentine Nation is the legislative branch of the government of Argentina. Its composition is bicameral, constituted by a 72-seat Senate and a 257-seat Chamber of Deputies....
, 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 designed the Palacio Barolo
Palacio Barolo
Palacio Barolo is a landmark office building, located at 1370 Avenida de Mayo, Buenos Aires, Argentina.Italian architect Mario Palanti was commissioned to design the building by the empresario Luis Barolo, an Italian immigrant who had arrived in Argentina in 1890 and had made a fortune in knitted...
, Francisco Gianotti
Francisco Gianotti
Francisco Gianotti was an architect who designed many important Art Nouveau buildings in Buenos Aires, Argentina....
who designed 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....
, and Juan Antonio Buschiazzo
Juan Antonio Buschiazzo
Juan Antonio Buschiazzo was an Italian architect and engineer who contributed to the modernisation of Buenos Aires, Argentina in the 1880s and to the construction of the city of La Plata, the new capital of the Buenos Aires Province.Born in 1845 in Pontinvrea, Province of Savona, Liguria,...
who made alterations to the Centro Cultural Recoleta
Centro Cultural Recoleta
The Recoleta Cultural Centre is an exhibition and cultural events centre located in the barrio of Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina....
and designed the Italian Hospital. Of these architects, Colombo was one of the most active and creative.
He arrived 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...
in 1906, along with two other Italian architects, Aquiles de Lazzari and Mario Baroffio Covati, with a contract to carry out the decoration of the Palacio de Justicia (the Law Courts). Soon after his arrival in Buenos Aires he became director of a studio and later set up his own, working mainly on projects for private clients, usually wealthy compatriots in business, industry or real estate who bought land for the construction of apartment buildings and shops for rental. These entrepreneurs liked architecture that optimized land use and that was stylistically what some might consider ostentatious and extravagant. Perhaps his most important public work was the designing of two pavilions (Public Celebrations and Postal Service) for the Exposición Internacional del Centenario (1910)
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...
, for which he was awarded a Gold Medal.
Colombo embraced Eclectic Modernism, used by many Italian architects working in Buenos Aires at that time, and typified by elements of Medieval architecture including the presence of round arches, windows and loggias, floral ornamentation and crenelated cornices. To these traditional features were added those inspired by Art Nouveau and through exploring the possibilities offered by this combination Colombo was able to evolve a very personal language. His work can be divided into two periods. The first extends up to 1920 and falls within the Italian school of Art Nouveau, as exemplified by the headquarters of the Unione Operai Italiani at 1374-82 Sarmiento, completed in 1913. At the end of this period Colombo moved towards Classicism and Monumentalism, without renouncing Modernism, when he built Casa Grimoldi in 1918 at 2548-72 Corrientes Avenue for the businessman Grimoldi, owner of the shoe manufacturing company. In the second period Colombo embraced Classical Eclecticism and his designs became particularly self-confident and challenging.
Today Colombo is probably best remembered for La Casa de los Pavos Reales at 3216-36 Rivadavia and Casa Calise at 2562-78 H.Yrigoyen . Those of his 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 buildings that still remain are easily recognized by their abundance of lion heads, balconies, iron work, cherubs, female heads and caryatids, turkeys, falcons and dragons.