page_title: Mario Romañach
section_title: Notable projects
hierarchical_section_title: Mario Romañach / Notable projects
caption_attribution_description: English: Mario Romañach_Casa de Ana Carolina Font. 1956
context_page_description: Mario Romañach was a Cuban, modernist architect.
context_section_description: In 1944 he worked with the architects Pedro Martínez Inclán and Antonio Quintana in the Residencial Obrero de Luyanó neighborhood, located in an area south of Havana Bay. The project was project was an exercise of modern architecture. It had 1,500 homes, eight apartment complexes in four-story buildings and all complementary services: markets, schools, sports fields and parks.
  In 1949 he won with his partner, architect Silverio Bosh, the Gold Medal from the Colegio Nacional de Arquitectos de Cuba for the house of José Noval Cueto. This residence is, perhaps, one of the main exponents of Cuban architecture of all times and one the best examples of rationalism in Havana; it is an excellent modern interpretation of traditional Cuban residential architecture. The house is an elongated prism, the typical white box, to which a portion is subtracted, and thus creates a kind of "inner courtyard", like the Cuban colonial house. The volumes separated by this "patio" are joined by two galleries that connect them. It complies with the rationalist dictates to the letter: free floor plan, continuous windows, a free facade, pilotis, etc. The house is not only exceptional for its extraordinary visual values, but also for its amazing adaptation to the Cuban tropical climate.
  With the use of the brise soleil of Le Corbusier, Mario Romañach maintained rationalist design principles as adapted to a tropical environment. In the search for a regional architecture, a dialectical dialogue was developed between the formal principles of the modern movement (Momo) and the vernacular solutions offered by the Cuban colonial dwelling.
  It is interesting to note the influence of Japanese architecture, a culture for which he had a special predilection in works such as the house of Rufino Álvarez, built in 1957 and located in 214 between 13 and 15, Siboney, Playa, or in the house of Ana Carolina Font, 1956, built in 216 A between 7th. A and 9th., Siboney, Playa. In both, this influence is evident in the horizontality, the adaptation and respect for the surrounding nature, the arrangement of its roofs and the expression of the structure; In addition, the use of wood in details such as railings, lattices. These two houses are the best works of Romañach for their excellent formal composition and spatiality, as well as exquisite handling of details. The architect's attentiveness for the building's adaptation to climate is evident.
  Among other residences in Havana with similar characteristics is the house of Manuel Saavedra, of 1951, located in Miramar, and the residence for Evangelina Aristigueta de Vidaña, 1953, located at 146 between 23 and 25, Cubanacán.
  Overall his architectural work encompasses two types: residential and multi-functional buildings for private companies.
  Among the buildings in Havana are: Peletería "California", built in 1951 and located on Calle Galiano between San José and Barcelona, with a modern interior and ample support spaces; the apartment of Josefina Odoardo from 1953, located in 7th. Between 62 and 66, Miramar, with use of ceramic lattices, outdoor staircases, and roofless terraces, the latter with rectangular wooden rails; the building of Oswaldo Pardo, of 1954, located in 98 between 5ta. Avenida, F and 7th., Miramar, reinforces the exterior, vertical shape reinforced by entrances and projections in which the Miami wooden windows protrude, the built-in brick closets, used on all the walls of the building, and the side terraces with rectangular wooden rails. Its interior is simple, with few walls so that ventilation is not compromised.
  Among these works include the apartment building of Guillermo Alonso, designed with Silverio Bosh in 1950 and located at No. 8 between 5ta. and 7th avenues, Miramar, is composed by two rationalist blocks around large, green spaces, which act as an inner courtyard. Also stands out the apartment building for Evangelina Aristigueta de Vidaña for its formal simplicity and its strong Cuban identity, given in a series of details such as the use of traditional materials of the country's architecture, pre
caption: Mario Romañach_Casa de Ana Carolina Font. 1956
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