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The history of the first skyscraper in South America: where it is located, the mysteries that surround it and the architectural milestones it surpassed - Infobae
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La historia del primer rascacielos de América del Sur: dónde se encuentra, los misterios que lo envuelven y los hitos arquitectónicos que superó
Con sus 80 metros de altura, rompió un récord. Surgió impulsado por los ferrocarriles bajo control británico a principios del siglo XX, y hoy es sede de un organismo que depende del Ministerio de Economía de la Nación
www.infobae.com
October 24, 2024
At 80 metres high, it broke a record until the Barolo Palace surpassed it 10 years later. It was built by the British-controlled railways at the beginning of the 20th century and is now the headquarters of an organisation that depends on the Ministry of the Economy of the Nation.
By Jose Luis Cieri
The Railway Building, a giant in its time, was 80 meters high and was the first skyscraper in South America. It is located on the corner of Paseo Colón Avenue and Alsina, and is currently home to the National Energy Secretariat (Photo Courtesy: San Román Properties)
The Railway Building was the first skyscraper in Latin America and held the title of tallest building until 1923, when it was surpassed by the Barolo Palace . Located on the corner of Paseo Colón Avenue and Alsina, in the Monserrat neighborhood, its construction was completed in 1910, but it was not officially inaugurated until 1914 due to bureaucratic complications.
The difference between the date of completion and the date of inauguration of the building has a possible explanation. At the time, a rumour that reached newspapers claimed that due to a fault in its construction the building was leaning dangerously forward. Although false, the rumour was powerful enough to cause concern, which led to the work being halted for several months. This incident left a mark on the history of the building, feeding its legend and mysticism.
Initially, the Railway Building was the headquarters of several English railway companies, such as Buenos Aires al Pacífico, del Oeste and Central Argentino, until the railways were nationalised in the 1940s. Later, the structure passed into the hands of Aerolíneas Argentinas, and finally, since the 1990s, it became the headquarters of an organisation of the Ministry of Economy of the Nation, which explains its present: today it is the headquarters of the Secretariat of Energy.
The building under construction around 1911 (Photo courtesy of Daniel La Moglie)
Leonel Contreras , a historian specializing in Buenos Aires and author of Rascacielos porteños and Buenos Aires: leyendas porteñas , told Infobae that “the Railway Building is the first building in Latin America to exceed 10 floors. “In Argentina, it was officially inaugurated after several years of delay. As far as I have been able to investigate, outside of the United States there were only four skyscrapers with more than 10 floors at that time (it has 16 levels), three of them in Canada, even reaching 18 floors.”
Although he clarified that "apparently, the building had problems with its fitting out, and due to office issues, its opening was delayed."
View of the construction and skeleton of the Railway Building, next to the Government House, in a historic shot from the National General Archives that shows the architectural development of Buenos Aires at the beginning of the 20th century (Photo Courtesy: Leonel Contreras)
He also added that “it is very similar to the academic style of English buildings such as the former Ansonia Hotel (located in New York and opened in 1899), an emblematic design of the time.”
How it was built
At the beginning of the 20th century, the English railway companies in Argentina decided to centralize their operations in a single building, which gave rise to the project. The work was commissioned to the prestigious architectural firm formed by Eustace Lauriston Conder , Paul Bell Chambers , and Louis Newbery Thomas , who already had a long history of working with the railways since the previous decade. Their design stood out for its monumentality and its innovative architectural approach, marking a milestone in the urban history of Buenos Aires.
Caras y Caretas magazine already announced its construction in a September 1912 edition (Photo Courtesy: Leonel Contreras)
Román Paikin , from San Román Properties, pointed out that one of the most significant aspects of this work was that it managed to exceed the maximum height allowed by the building code of the time. “This achievement was made possible thanks to a special exception granted by the City Council and the then mayor Carlos T. de Alvear , who supported the project due to its strategic relevance for British railway companies and its impact on the city's economy. This extraordinary permit allowed the building to reach a record height, consolidating itself as a symbol of British power in Argentina at that time.”
The building was built between 1907 and 1910, with a metal structure influenced by the Chicago School.
Facade indicating the year of construction
"The façade was divided into three parts: basement, development and extension, crowned by metal mansards and a dome, similar to that of the National Congress," said Contreras.
It marked a turning point in high-rise architecture in the region. It was not inaugurated until 1914, due to an unfounded rumour that the building was moving and was at risk of collapsing. This incident, which was published in the press of the time, delayed its official opening and fuelled the legend of the Buenos Aires “Tower of Pisa”, located on the ravine of Alsina Street.
Mariela Blanco, a journalist and writer who is working on her new book called History is News (revealing the 100 most iconic places in CABA), which will be released before the end of the year, said that this work, along with other exponents of the time such as the Güemes Gallery (in Art Nouveau style, opened in 1915, with an interior pedestrian passage that connects Florida and San Martín streets, 116 meters high), transformed the physiognomy of Buenos Aires. “It is an architectural jewel that changed the city, being pure avant-garde in its time.”
Internal image of the iconic building (Photo Courtesy: Mariela Blanco)
From its history to the present
In 1936, with the construction of the Palacio de Hacienda , the Railway Building underwent major modifications that altered its original design. Among the changes were the removal of its chimney and the conversion of the north facade into a party wall, which affected both its scale and its characteristic silhouette.
Plaza de Mayo around 1928 with the building on the right of the image (Photo Courtesy: General Archive of the Nation)
According to Contreras, “these transformations took away some of the original majesty from the Railway Building, but they did not erase its relevance in the urban landscape. It remains a fundamental piece of the city’s architectural heritage.”
The Buenos Aires of yesterday and the skyscraper that stands out above the rest of the buildings, possibly from 1919
It is a testament to an era of economic growth and modernisation. “When it was built, only the domes of the churches could be seen on the horizon, and its presence marked the beginning of a new urban era,” Paikin said.
Currently, the area where the Railway Building is located enjoys a strategic location and great appeal in the real estate market, due to its proximity to key points such as the Casa Rosada, Plaza de Mayo, and the renovated Paseo del Bajo, as well as being steps away from Puerto Madero.
It is in a very dynamic area of the city and close to Paseo del Bajo and Puerto Madero, also steps away from the Casa Rosada
Office rental prices in the area range from USD 8 to USD 14 per square meter, depending on the age, condition and category of the building.
“These values in the area vary depending on the property, its age, condition and category of the offices. Some, located on Paseo Colón, offer privileged views of the parks of the Army Plaza de Armas, the Customs House and Puerto Madero,” added Paikin.
It still stands out among the city's high rises (Photo Courtesy: San Román Properties)
Legacy
In the late 1910s, the most imposing buildings in CABA were dominated by the dome of the National Congress, the Railway Building, the Güemes Gallery, the towers of La Inmobiliaria, and the 65-metre tower that crowned the extension of the Municipal Palace on Bolívar 1. Among these structures, the Otto Wulf Building also stands out , a work by the Danish architect Morten F. Rönnow , almost 60 metres high and with 11 levels, which was built between 1912 and 1914 as the headquarters of the Austro-Hungarian Empire's legation.
Patio and dome from the terrace (Photo courtesy: Mariela Blanco)
“The Railway Building and the Güemes Gallery marked a before and after in the architecture of Buenos Aires. These skyscrapers, influenced by the architectural trends of Chicago and Europe, demonstrated that the city was ready to embrace high-rise urban development. As the years passed, other emblematic buildings, such as the Barolo Palace, continued the legacy of these pioneers in the city,” concluded Contreras.
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