There are 15 replies in this Thread which has previously been viewed 3,815 times. The latest Post () was by Rice.
The house you are referring was from a furniture store and was built in the 1940's. It was a typical chalet, as this was the ideal house typology for the (at that time) growing middle class. The furniture store was called "Muebles Diaz" and this strange finial of a conventional building was popularly called "la casita de Muebles Diaz". It was used as a real showroom of the different classes of furniture sold in the ground floor.
Muebles Diaz closed many years ago, but his remains are still there.
Wouldn’t it be a fun place to visit! Think of the view!
Wouldn’t it be a fun place to visit! Think of the view!
I believe it is not accessible, unfortunately. Moreover, it was covered by ad billboards for many years before it was visible again. I always smile when I watch it while crossing 9 de Julio.
I think there is a small mini chalet on Scalabrini Ortíz, nothing noteworthy. It is around Oporto café, if I recall correctly. I'll try to make a note of the intersection next time. I can't see it on google maps.
Thanks for the replies. Here's the picture my wife took of it.
Good grief. I must have walked under the one on Scalabrini Ortiz dozens of times without ever looking up.
Carlos, do you know why the chalet was a style favored by the middle class 70-75 years ago? The ones we still see in barrios near us are so appealing , even if on the ground instead of perched on top of a building.
Would love to see the timbers or girder beams that were used in order to lay the foundation for the house.
Good grief. I must have walked under the one on Scalabrini Ortiz dozens of times without ever looking up.
Carlos, do you know why the chalet was a style favored by the middle class 70-75 years ago? The ones we still see in barrios near us are so appealing , even if on the ground instead of perched on top of a building.
The chalet style was in fashion in the 1930-1940 to be used in the small towns at the side lof recently made electric railroad stations, especially in the north-western side, like Olivos, Martinez, San Isidro, Beccar, etc.
All this was influenced by the Garden city movement, promoted by Ebenezer Howard and Parker & Unwin. We already had one, the Barrio Parque Aguirre, close to San Isidro Station, made by the British middle class employees of the Railways in 1910. People considered that the upper step was to abandon the Spanish style home (Casa chorizo) preferred by the lower classes inmigrants, and between walls. To live in a chalet, whatever style could be, was considered more stately than the old model. This, of course, is another hint of the British influence in our cities.
The main feature is that the chalet is surrounded by gardens, and not inside the Spanish Manzana (Block) with no gardens in their sides.
The use of the quick electric trains began in 1920. You can get Retiro station from San Isidro in only 23 minutes, in nice carriages with 1st and 2nd class everyone, with many frequencies.
The same happened in the South east line (Now Roca Line). Lomas de Zamora, Adrogue and Temperley were nice boroughs as well.
Very interesting. In the US, because 19th-20th century architecture was largely of British influence, there was little Spanish influence except in the SW states and in New Orleans, which still retains the walled courtyard style. The Spanish style is considered very romantic.
Very interesting. In the US, because 19th-20th century architecture was largely of British influence, there was little Spanish influence except in the SW states and in New Orleans, which still retains the walled courtyard style. The Spanish style is considered very romantic.
However, the Spanish style was eagerly adopted by anglosaxon architects in the 1920's and they did magnificent designs inside the trend "Mission style".
An outstanding example of this is the Santa Barbara Town Hall, considered one of the most beautiful public buildings in the USA.
What I admire most of the US criteria about history, is that they respected carefully the name of the cities and geographical features from other cultures. You have in California many towns with their original Spanish names, as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Rancho Bonito, Palos Verdes, Cape Mendocino. And in Colorado you have the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and in California the San Bernardino Mountains.
Exactly the contrary was done in Europe when some territory were conquered by a foe. Let's remember Aachen -Aix La Chapelle / Breslau-Wroclaw / Bozen/Bolzano / Meran/Merano. and many more.
That really is lovely.
That really is lovely.
It's yours!
Yes. I think we’ll move right in.
