Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

“My favorite building, Capitolio Nacional de La Habana (the National Capitol Building), is one of the most emblematic buildings in Havana. Located on Paseo del Prado, Dragones, Industria, and San José streets in the exact center of Havana, it was originally built to house the Cuban Congress. The building was restored to house Cuba’s National Assembly and also serves as a museum.

Built between 1926 and 1929, and measuring 681 feet by 300 feet, Capitolio Nacional de La Habana is often compared to the United States Capitol Building, but it is not a replica. Among other differences, it is a meter higher, a meter wider and a meter longer than the U.S. Capitol. It was the tallest building in Havana until the 1950s and houses the world’s third-largest indoor statue.”

“I love the work of René Portocarrero—a Cuban painter whose contour lines and passages of color depicted the tropical environs and women of Havana. Largely self-taught, Portocarrero was born in Havana, Cuba, on February 24, 1912. The artist’s first recorded exhibition was in 1934 at the Havana Luceum. Throughout his long career, he produced a plethora of works in different mediums, including sculptures, book illustrations and ceramics. His work garnered him a prize at the 1963 São Paulo Biennial. Portocarrero died on April 7, 1985, in Havana, Cuba. Today, his works are held in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, the Museo de Bellas Artes in Caracas, Venezuela, and the Museo Nacional in Havana.”

“Architect: Santiago Calatrava

Building: Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia”

“My favorite architect is Santiago Calatrava, who began designing modern architecture as a student in Valencia, Spain. This sketch shows his thought process and the resulting building.

On a personal note, my grandfather was from Galicia and my grandmother was from Ibiza. Since I was born and raised in Honduras, I’d like to share a song by Guillermo Anderson—an artist from my hometown. His wife was my 7^th grade teacher. Sadly, he passed away a few years ago from cancer.”

“My favorite shopping plaza is in Lima, Peru. It’s called Larcomar and is located along a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean on Peru’s Costa Verde. People shop, eat and socialize in this plaza. Some even paraglide off Larcomar!”

“One of my favorite buildings is Sacsayhuamán, a citadel on the northern outskirts of the city of Cusco, Peru, the historic capital of the Inca Empire. Sections were first built around 1100 CE by the Killke culture, which had occupied the area since 900 CE.”

“Cesar Pelli is one of my favorite architects. He was born in Argentina and is one of the most notable architects of our time. His design projects included the Petronas towers in Indonesia, the World Trade Center buildings (everything around the Twin Towers), and the Miami Performing Arts Center.”

“Teodoro González de León is one of Mexico’s greatest architects and a favorite of mine. He fused the legacy of Mexico’s pre-Hispanic past with European Modernism to design some of his country’s most distinctive public buildings. Known as a “poet of concrete,” González de León’s method of creating visual qualities of architecture was called Teodocreto—a combination of his first name and concreto (concrete).”

“I am always impressed by the unique style of Bolivian art and architecture.”

“I find Juan A. Murillo fascinating. He is a living demonstration that Hispanic engineers are all over the landscape of 21^st century America.”

“The Iglesia de Santa Maria de los Dolores in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, is a beautiful Catholic Church and one of my favorites. It was constructed with Baroque architecture style and took around 80 years to complete.

El Morro is one of the most iconic and recognized landmarks in Puerto Rico. Located in San Juan, it was originally constructed to defend the Spanish colonial port from foreign enemies. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. It’s scenic location and character makes it one of my favorite works of architecture.”