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PALENCIA

El. EI)I I'IClO DE CoRREOS DE P:llcncia, proyectado en 1916 y construido en 1921 , es, Lino de los

más representativos d e los que se hicieron en la primera época de las Casas-Correo. Con anterio­ridad a este edificio que hoy ocupa una manza­na cntCr.I, los servicios de Correos y Telégrafos estaban repartidos e n sendos inmuebles en [as calles d el Cubo y de San Francisco. A panir de aquella fecha se unirían en el monumental edifi ­cio hislOricista que tr.IZÓ Jacobo Homero Fernández, arqui[('"Clo municipal y diocesano de Valladolid, después de un reñido concurso al que tam!.>i(:1l se presentaron José Avclino Díaz, Joaquín Muro, Luis Ferrero y Antonio Alcaide.

Las nOlables fachadas mezclan la pi(.-d ra y el ladrillo bajo un alero de madcm, guarneciendo su:. huccos con buenos hierros al 11I0do es/xlI/ol, es decir, d arquitecto utilizó con destreza los materia les tradicionales que le asegu~lh:ln, ini­ci:llrllenlc, un cilido y cromático resultado. Estilistic;ul1(:!nte el edificio po ne de m:lOinesto aquel renacimiento esp:uiol que, desde que vis­tió el pabellón de Espa lia en la Exposición Univers,al de París de 1900, se convirtió en la salida nacionalista de nucstm arquitcctunI , muy apta pa~1 los edificios oficiales, cuarteles, cte., no faltando l<11npoco e n C¡¡s;.IS de rellla y palace­les unifamiliares.

Este estilo neopl:u,eresco aprovechó, en efecto, element os que procc.-xlen de aquel repertorio renacentista , siempre sometidos a un proceso de adaptáción, como enlonces se decía. Así se entienden mejor los motivos platerescos que e ncontramos t:101O en el cxterior como en el ori­ginal vestíbulo pClblico. En eslC, como s i se tra­tara de un patio renacentisl:! del primer tercio del siglo XVI, org:mizó las dos ahur:ls (."()n columnas sob re cuyo capitel corren zapatas muy próximas ent re sí y ric:'lmente ornament:ldas con relieves, en la línca de cosas que el autor cono­cía y, muy probablemente, vio en el claustro del convento de las Dueñas de Sa bmanca.

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VITORIA - GASTEIZ

SOBRE LA CAI.U~ DE POSTAS E inmediata a la Plai'~1

Nueva, frente al edificio del Ba nco de Esp:ul:l, eslo es, en un lugar privilegiado de VilOria - Gasteiz entre el casco antiguo y el Ensanche, se constru yó el edificio de Correos y Telégrafos, siguiendo el proy<.'Cto de Luis Díaz Tolosana y Fmncisco Javier Ferrero. Al p rimero se deben también otras obm5 en la ciudad , corno la Escuela de Anes y Oficios; sin emhargo, nin­guna de e llas acusa de forma tan abien;l el carácter regionalista como el edificio de Correos. Aquí , como en Olros muchos casos, el Ayuntamiento ced ió los terrenos en 1915 y al afto siguiente DÍ3.z Tolos • .lIl:"! ya tenb preparado el proyecto, si bien nún se retrasaría unos anos el comienzo de [as obr.ls que duraron desde 1921 a 1927.

l:J Etch,lCb principal se compone de dos torres de flanqueo y un cuerpo cemral de menor altu­ra. Este es de una gr.:m sencillez, con tres plan­t;:¡s de muy diferente formulación e n sus huecos pero todo de gr:ln limpiez;1 y planitud, como anticipando un cieno racion;llismo, siendo de deslacar por la belleza de su tratamiemo, los dos escudos de Correos y Telégrafos, que tienen un aire An l)éco.

En abierto contraste con este núcleo central de la composición se lev¡mtan , entre airosas y pesa­das, dos torres gemelas, disponiendo todos sus hu(.'{.:os de un modo simétrico respecto al eje cent"ral de la fachada. Se Iral3 de dos imágcne:> regionalistas de lo que ~ entendía en ese momentO por arqu itectura vasca , si bien todos sus elementos están rccl:lbor.:lClos, pesando mfls la intención q ue la hiSloricidad de sus elemen­tos. En el fondo se tr.:l\a de tópicos mezclados de modo libre como es el pórtico bajo, el n Ido apa­rejo del paramento, el gr.:m vuelo de los aleros y los rem:l1es puntiformes por encima de los teja­dos que responden al refllerl.O de los esquina­zos. Pero ni el diseño, ni la proporción, ni la combinación de t()(los estos elementos respon­den a modelos reales sino a lo q ue se llamaba estilo regiol/alista. Al arquitl:cto Díaz Tolosana gustaba ¡lbrir en sus edificios, am plios arcos de medio punto, guarnecidos con hierros de tr:ldi­ción castellana y renacentista, con los que tam­b ién p rotege otmoS parles d el edificio.

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MADRID. ESCUELA DE CORREOS Y TELÉGRAFOS

EN m. MA[)RII,"'O n"I<lIIO Dt: Sabmanc.l se lev:m -16, haci:! 1945, el l.'t!¡f1cio de la Escucb de

Ingl.:nicros de Telecomunicació n que hoy, en cohcrcnci:l con su ¡nid:11 destino, da c;lbid ~1 :l la Esc uc!;1 de COrrt .. 'O.'i y Telégrafos. 1...:.1 fachad:¡, d e seis altll r:.ls , resulta algo anodina pero. al tiem­po, muy car,:lCh.:rístic:¡ de aqud hc rrcri:ln ismo .m i gell(:ris que Glractcrizó la arquitectu ra oficial de los años 40. Pil:lst ~IS, rrontone~ y los tópicos n.:m:llcs de esferas LJtili:wdos por Herrera y su s seguidores, sometidO todo:1 un o rden composi­tivo que revela un clasicismo demcnt:l l , fUl.:fon fó rmulas muy socorrid:IS en aquel período.

I~n el interior, sus distin!:IS plantas distribuyen el :lubrio, biblioteca y dcm:1.S servicias propios cI(; un centro docente quc, a tr.wés del tiempo y en gr:.ldos distintos, ha sido el escenario por el que oblig:1d:UllCnlC han p;L"ado desde ingenieros de tck.'COl1llll1iclción y profes iona!t..>s de CoTTL'OS y Telégr.lfos hasta r:.ldioalkionados.

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LEÓN

CON MO'llVO DE I.A Ih :Al. O~DEN d e \908, po r la que se convocaba un concurso para b

adquisición por panc del ES1;ldo tic sobres o edificios en los que instalar de manem d igna los servicios de Correos y Telégmfos, León no pudo hacer p roposición alguna por no contar con inmuebles ni solares dispo nibles. Sin embargo, si flrmó un convenio con el Minislt!rio de Gober­nación, tal y como 10 habían hecho Barcelona y Valencia , de [al mod o que el Ayuntamiento leo­nés se encargab:. de adquirir un sob .. adccu;.do y con el visto bueno de la D irección Gencr'..ll d e

Correos, así corno de construir a su costa el nuevo edificio, al tiempo q ue el Estado se com­prometía a abonar al Ayuntamiento q uince :tnU:l­

Helades de 36.000 pesetas cad:. una. Con este s istema de fina nciación se pu::;ieron

en march:1 las obras siguie ndo el pmyecto del arquitecto mad rileño Manuel de C:írdenas, titula­do en la Escuela de t-.bdrid en 1900, pero que residió en l.eÓn hasta 1920 C0l110 arqu itecto municipal , pmvincia l y diocesano. El solar sobre el que se levamó el inte resante edificio de Corn."Qs es el p rimero de la plaza de la Gnedr.il, mir . .mdo desde su torr!!;!da es<¡ui na la im¡xmen­le mole de la caledrnl en b que Cárdenas Iraba­jó también haciendo algunas restaur.lciones. El proyecto estaba ad judicado ('n 1914 y cuatro ~I ños después el edificio se encontraba totahncn­le terminado. Es, por lo tanto, uno de los más :iIltiguos de nucstro país.

Al propio tiempo, la ciudad de León tiene uno de los más modernos edificios de Comunicacio­nes esparloles, el que en 1980 proyectó el arqui­tecto Alejandro de la Sota, con b cobboración de C::lrlOS Sidro, arquitecto de Com.':os. Esta obm, concebida desde la I~rspectiva mis actual , es una de las más s ignificativas de la arquitectura esparlob de la segunda mit:ld del s iglo X'X, en la que de la Sota hizo realidad :Iquel la expresión n:lcida e n el seno dd Movimiento Moderno, de que un cubo funcione. Esto es, incorporar la pura geometría II un sistema funcio n:.1 sin dejar de ser abstr:acción. Así sucede e n l.cón , donde cabe ver sus pálidas y terS:IS fac hadas que escon­den un luminoso interior recorrido por ligeras cscaler.:ls, de atirantadas defensas, mostradores que emanan dd mísmo planteamiento purísl:l, aunque ayudándose de unas lámparas cuyo diseño, en cambio, nos remite lE William Morris.

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OSORNO (PALENCIA)

CUANDO M ,\[)QZ Df.sCRIIlE EN SU conocido Diccio l /(uio (1849) la villa de Osorno, en la

provinci:! de P:llencia , dice de eH:l que contaba con "ciento ochenta y nueve casas, la mayor parte d e tierra y un s610 piso a excepción d e treinta que tienen dos", aiiadicndo que la "correspondencia se recibe por valija particular que cond uce el correo d e Santander", pues no en vano su ca lle principal coincidía con J:.¡ carre­tC~1 que unía Pale ncia con Santande r.

L::I situación es hoy muy otr:l y los servicios d e Correos ocupan , cómodamente, un:1 de aquellas casas de dos pisos y de piedra. Esta nos hace recordar el car.J.cler de la villa como cabeza d el condado de Osorno que , como tal , d'lta de mediados del siglo XV, teniendo rebcioncs fami­liares con los senoríos de Vil b lcázar de Sirga y Aguijar de Cam poo. De todo e llo, a modo de histórico resume n, dan cuenta los blasones de la actu:¡l Casa d e Correos, en espedal el fo rmida­ble escudo de la esquina, sostenido por dos [co­nes, cu yo mo numental desa rrollo tiene una eS<"--::I­la superior a la del dieciochesco palado.

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SEGOVIA

EN LA PLAZA OH SAN FACUNDO 001'1 vuelta ;J la del

Doctor Laguna se encuentra la Casa de Correos. Crecida toda esla zona de la ciudad conoció a fines del siglo XIX y comienzos del XX una imlx>rtante rt:forma, llevad;. a Clbo por el arquitecto municipal Joaquín Odriozola, a quien se debe la cntmda rápid:1 hacia la Pb ", . .:! l\'Iayor po r b cH i le de San Agustín. El lo afectó a una de b t; más vicjas p:l rroqulas intramuros de la ciu­dad , la d e san Facundo, que fue d erribada para h:;¡o,;r b plaZ;1 q ue hoy lleva su nombre, en Lino de cuyos costados se le\'::II1I:1 e l edificio de

Correos, y fijar nuevas anchuras y alineaciones. En 1908 se hizo, para la sede de Scgovia. una

primera estimación presu p uestaria de 155.000 pesetas, canlicb d que no va rió en los años si­guientes, debiéndose ;tdjud icar b obra en aque­llos términos, d espués de definir la parcela , o.:n 1922. El edilicio fue construido en 1932-1934 de acuerdo con un proyecto mu}' elementa l , cuyas fach:l(bs quiercn conectar con la ;Irquitcctufa de la ciudad a Ir.1vés de un reticular esgrafiado dc relativa fo nuna .

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SANTANDER

LA CASA 1)11 CoII.II.F.OS y TEl~:G II.AI'OS de Santander se e ncucnlr:.1 en una de las zonas m5.s emblc­

mátic.IS de la dudad. 13as la ña observar Ir! ampli­IlId de los grandes cs¡xlcios ahiertos que la rodc. .... a n así corno b s ingularidad de los edificios inmedia tos, tales como 1:. p ropia catedral o d Banco de España, panl medir una vez más el empeño lanto d el Ayuntamiento como dd ESI!ldo por hacer de estos t."dificios verdaderas e mlrJ.jadas dd nuevO mundo de las comuniC!­ciones.

El proyc."Cto que se llevó a cabo está firmado (Xlr Fcrnándcz Quimanilb y Sccundino ZU;IZO Ugatdc, dos jóvenes arquitectos de la Escuela de M:ldrid que formaron un t:'indcm dI.:: gran impor­tancia y éx ito en cuantos <.:oncursos se celebra­ron e n estos :ulos, has ta la muerte del primero. La Casa de Com.:.'Os saJltandcrina rue uno de ellos, compili~ndo con los demás arquitectos que se presentaron ent re los q ue se encontraban algunos de los más s ignifk~lti"os representantes del regional ismo mOlllañés como Ja vier Gonz.,lez de Hiancho, que s i bien pasó la pri­me ... ..! fase de anteproyectos no obtuvo el premio final. E.s te fuc par..! Fern~índt:l. Quintanil b y Secundino Zual.o que, pamdójicamentc, utiliza­ron aq uc ll ru; elementos propios de la :Irq uilcct ll­ra regionalista rnontai'lesa aunque dosiricados pnldenh::mentc y bien incorporados a una expresión de inequívoc.l m<xlernidad.

Así, el regionalismo se resume en el carácter pi ntores<.:o que tiene el conjunto dd cdiricio :11 contar con una torre poligonal dom inante y Otra más baja, que rompen la rígida s imet rb visla en Otros proyectos contemporáneos. Fuer..¡ de los vuelos de las cubiertas y de alglm otro detalle, el fCSto responde a una ar<lu itectur..1 que buSCo' un compromiso entre la tradició n y la modernidad , muy bien resuelto por los arquitectos. Los volú­menes, el pónico colurnn:lrio, la diversidad en t:unai'lo y forma de los huccos, el color y dibujo del piso allo en el que se incorpor..1 el reloj, etcé­lera, revelan un buen modo de entender la filo­sofía de los nuevos c...--d¡fícios de Correos en su e tapa inici:d , llegando a ser el de Santander, que data de 19 15. uno d e los más signifkativos.

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SANTA ÚRSULA <TENERIFE)

SOBRE LA ,\N"n GUA CARlu, rntA que une La Laguna

con La OrOI:1\':I , en b zona non e de la isla de Tencrifo.:, se crlcuenlr;¡ el pequeño pueblo d e Santa Úrsub. Este, desde 1996, cuenta con una d e !as más rccit:nlcS Oncin:ls Técn icas. eSlo es. una unidad de relXIl1Q concebida a escala con las neccskb dcs de la población. Se trata de un eelifido en d :lve contemporánea, en el que el conjunto del p royecto, debido;¡ Enrique Solana d e Quesad:l , los detalles, así corno el tr.llamicn-10 de los materiales, ceden a las modas más gcncmlizadas que carJ.Clerizan el llamado diseño r11()(k!rno.

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ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

For Alejandro Hidalgo de Caviedes

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PRESENTATlON By Jose J({/II/Óll Esfume/as lIer/lftlldez

A cSlhellc mallt!~ are mucll too ortcn considcred ;1.., IlIcrely circum.,t:lnt ial , nol. rcally import3m .r1..:..,>pt..--<-1S. But ac'>thctic and .symbolic ch:menlS exaclly define Ibe !lean of 1arge institutions. '11111'1 b Ibe <.-:I!'oC of Ihe huildinw~ of Ihe POst ami Tdcgr::lph hi:-,Iork hcri tage, 'J11Cy rcnt.."C1 Ihe importancc of COlllmuniL,,;uions in Spain, lhe importancc lhey h:!d ane! :-.till havt.', lhe tI!'s :md down:> :lnd changcl'l cxpcricnccd, :1:' \Vell ;u, Ihe :tCslhc t ic la:.les ,hal have dcvclopcd in our country, w hefe lhe post build­ings \Vere one of Ihe symhols o f rnodcrnity in lhe various slagcs o f Spanb h contemporary hi .. lory.

In Ihe rich CSlale or Ihe Sp:lnish M:Li l , jls archilC."CIUr:.1 palrimony is par::ullOU nl. NOI 10 forgcl l he apIle tclcgraph \owers (now sli ll fOLmd dbpersoo lhroughoul lhe Sp:mish geogr..phy), and Ihe remai n1> of :'Iaging posl. .. , Ihe b;.ckground uf Ihe !:Irse, o r at lime .. 1>mall, building. .. in d lies and vill:lge:., devO{­L,<I 10 lile Post :and Tdcgraph scrvicc in our L'Ounlry.

r)c,"pill? Ihe varicly o f lypc amlljtylc and the diffcrcnl pcriO(b in whkh they were buill , Ihc POl>I O fl"icc .... have comlllon fcalures. Mo. .. 1 are loc.lted in prominent site:. in Ihe main IOWns. ·11'i .... was cmphaljiscd in Ihe la!'>1 deelldes ofthe 19th century, when lhe l iber..l State bunched lhe con.~tnlClion uf brge POljl ami Telegraph building".

'111c i r monulllcnlalily w as inlended 10 Ix: a ¡cstilllony of Ihe cffidency of these 1).'1sic scl'vicc .... , hOlh for Ihe oper.uion of Ihe Stalc and Ihe conven ic nec of sociCly. '111(: I'OSI :lIld Tdegr.lph M.!rviCCt> :m,! always linked lo the idea of progrc:.s :md modernity, si nec lhe advanec o f communicalionl> i .... one of Ihe o ul .... tanding achicvements of conlempor:u y age, somelh ing Ihat is jUljt a .. \<:;Ilid today w ilh Ihe explo­sion of lhe new ~communicalions rcvolution ~.

Somc of these buildings had so magnit1cenl archilcclu re lh;ll ¡hey lx:c:ulH:: known as pabce .... , bUl lhis was nOI incompat ible wilh functionalily. Inck'Cd, w¡¡ h largc Cnlr.lIlces capable for vchicle:-. Oorries. ami even tr .. in~, enlert.'(1 directly 10 Ihe lowt:rs, Spt;-'cblly designe<! 10 rL'Cc1ve an enormou .... numher of c;lhlt.:~). lbe eXlerio r of Ihe build ings po!'>:>C!5SCS lhe lleSlhelic-funclio nal duality lh:1I singubrbes tht: IX)!'>lal amI Iclegr::lph !lrchilecture.

111l! building. .. contain inside a numlx:r o f csscnlial arcas to make work Ihe l:irge comllnm ÍL';.l l ions ~y~lems of the ma¡1 :llld Ihe lcle~r::lph : cenlr::d sorting ha ll:-., o r lx/lile l'()Qm~', lhe loading Ix:rths, tele­gr.lph Ir.msmission «x>m:;, letter-C:l rrier rooms, mail -Ixlxes. urgenl dispal ch, cenlral lIdmini:-.lralion, as wdl as :In endlcl'>S numlx:r of departl11enL'l devoled 10 Ihe \'arious scrvices,

A .. idc from lheSt! rooms, lO which Ihe posl~ll ami tdegr..ph employec .. gi\'e Jife, Ihere are o lhers wherc lhe leading actor i .... lhe puhlic, the end uscr of our M.!rviccs. 11lt.'Sc :-.paCt::., true <:entre.'> of socia­hil ily. go from Ihe f:l(,.';.lde, .-.ometimes wilh an arc;.de o r brgc C:lnopy 10 prolL'CI Ihe m;lilboxe:-.. 10 Ihe l ypiL';.1I main ImlL.. Wilh rows of windows for Ihe differcnt scrviccs.

Tlle need 10 pre~crve lhe historie nlenlü ry involves r(.'(;alling these ae~l helic asp<.'Cts in phu:cs lhal conlinue Ix:rforming Ihe fll netion for wllich ¡hey w c re cre:Hed: 10 p«)vide :In essen\ial st:rviccs lO Ihc citizen ....

INTRODUCTION

ThC h islory o f Spanish Mail C".1n be \vrittcn from diffcrenl poims uf v icw. From Ihe classical stand­Ix>inl , il i5 COIllIllOIl 10 dcscrHx: lhe o¡x:r.llion and adminislr:.ttio n o f Ihe scrviccs. Thus, in chrono­

logieal arder, \Ve shall S{."C fi rs\ how lhe Itoyal Mail was opcra\t.x! d llriog Ihe Middlc Ages, Ihen how lhe m:l i l scrvicc \Vas m:ldc a conccssio n 10 pri vatc partics L1nder de Austrias', :lIld finally, Ihe Stalc look over Ihe ma i] administr.ttiun sincc 1720 in Ihe times o f lhe Borbo ncsl unlil uLlr days. BuL, rcgarding lh \..! archit,cclural SCCI1Cly whc rc Ihemail scrvice occ urs, a ¡ioe can be [r:Leed dividíog 1\V0 quite distinct periads. Tht.! (¡rsl Ix:ing lhe lime when such servic.:es were sel up, al bes! , in buildin~s owncd by oth­ers or inadcqualc for Ihe purposc. An ¡he second ami very differc nl period , from 1900 o nward:;, char­aCleriS(.-d by :m endC:tvour 10 dc:;ign buildings appropri:llc for ¡he spccific function ¡hey were lO fulfil .

111 is bSI pcriCKI is l he o nc w e wish 10 comment in lhese p:lgCS, so as lO eSI:lbl isll a prelimin:l ry bal ­ance, bUI nOI :111 invenlory o r :t catalogue, w ilh lhe desire 10 aw aken lhe memory of an exciling idea: 10 build Post O ffices in Ihe main Spanish cities. 111is w as done fo llowing a sl r.:ltegic plan which, in short t ime :lIld \Vilh very lim ih .. :d resourccs, provid(.--d lhe Spanish socic ty u f Ihe 20th cenlury \Vith :In esscntia l scrvicc w ithin ;¡ propcr archilC<..."1.1Ir:11 framework Ih:1I \Vcnl heyond the mere 1lct..,,1s o f build­ings ..

In fad , after :111 ca rry long period of couriers, royal o r privale mcsscngers, l role,":)", like Ihe c igh ty Ihe King of Ar.:lgón ])on P(..-dro Ihe Ccrcmo niollS had for Ihe ro)'".!1 corr(."Spo nden<."C, o f 1ll1lIel (.."Crs w il h postal fu nctions, :IS Ihe tl fk·e n Ihe Un iversilY o f Salam:mCI h:ld 10 COllllll llnic lle Ihe studenls and Iheir familics, afler S<..'Cing l he imlx utant o ffiC(.-"S crcaK--d lo m:magc Ihe corrcspo ndencc, like Ihe Lo rd of Ihe M:lils in the court of me Catholic Sovcrcigns, L1.c.., \Ve note thal archilt..'CtUfC was abscllI in lhis scrviee, since :111 W:lS ccnlr<:..-d in indiv iduals, o f who m Ihe Part ida..:," f(." lu ired Ihey shall be ~JoyllJ mul J.mowl ­

edgl..'CIble lUId 1/01 gn..'í..'lly " .. In l hc l imes w hen lhe mail w as o per.:lled as a conccssion to priv:ue enterpri.scs, as was done from

lhe 16th cCntury. fir-.I in f:l vour u f FranciSL'O Taxis, who in 1500 irnplelllenlcd in Spain Ihe system :lnd organis~llion of Ihe m:l i l he operalcd in Gennany, to lhe b SI ('ul1ceSsio n:l ry o f Ihis mo nopoly, Juan Fr:1l1cisco Goycneche ( 17 17), we c¡¡nnOI speak cilher of a building. spccifiC:llly iderllificd w ilh lhe m:lil service. O nl y in a laler phase, Ih:\1 is, fmm lhe Hegublio ns o f 1720 and IheMail O rdinancc of 1743, lhe nc(..'(1 w as SI...."Cn Ihm Ihe ¡na;] shall avail ilsdf of ils o wn facililies. ahhough fo r a lo ng l imc previ­o usly ex isting butTOw ed buildings w eTe uscd . This OCCUTT(.'(I in Tokoo. where in Ihe limes o f Carlos 11[ Ihe Roya l Mall was sel up in lhe o ld MinI , which in lurn was :1 h:lIldsollle "l'olcdan lo rd r ab ee built circa 1500.

'rhe exccplion is lhe POSI Ilo usc in r-.1:idrid, a ci l y w here CamlxlIn anes h:ld already int roduce.-d sorne improvcments, slIch as Ihe appo imlllelll o f Iwelve poslmen for lhe loc"":11 sclv ice in 1756 .. BUI lhere were olher even more importa nI <IL-cisio ns. O ne \Vas 10 commissio n archiwct Venlur::! Hodríguez 10 design Ihe fir-.I POSI Ilou:.c in Spa in .. lle \Vo rked in :1 design fo r a monumental build ing in Puert:l del Sol\ ¡¡nd dcvelo pe.-d Ihe delai ls o f Ihe layoul of c:lCh o ffice :md facil ily. llut :Ifter Ihe death o f Fem :m do IV :md lhc enl hronelllent o f Carlos lll , he W:IS n:plae<..-d in Ihe job by Jaq ues Marquel , Ihe aul ho r of lile noble prescnl building, as Frc nch in !'-il y le as Frcm:h \V".JS his crea¡or.

\'Vh:!l i.s nOle\Vort hy is lhal Ihe Ihrcc large\." pu rsut".-d w ilh Ihe <."Onslnl<.1.ion of POS( IIOl/$CS in lhe fi rst half of l he 18th cClllu ry .. \Vere :u:.:complishcd in Ihis Mad r id's POSI Ilousc, namcly: a p rivilege.'(1 urban loan io n, :l bu ilding or lllollLullenlal conccptio n and :In architCCl ure o f emblem:l\ic n:l\UfC.. In ¡his rcs¡x..'Ct, a coherent relal ionship c m I~ read il y cstablished l:>clween Ihe PO:.t Ilousc in Puerta dd Sol :lnd Ihe Palacio de Comunicacio nes in PI;l 7.<I de CilX!les, as lhe taller also c njoys :1 cenlral local io n, iLS arch itCCllI rc :lIlswers 10 a mOllulllenl:¡[ seale - nOl in v:l in iL .. nallle is /)(.t!ac(J r:.llher than b OllSl!-- and its tooks, likewise, eml:xxty:1I1 emb lemalic image o f lhe cily .. Thal i:. lo say, w h;!1 is fir:'lly perceived is Ihese three commo n c lemenls, :md o nly :lrter lhe rclalive differences are ohservL-d, Ih:ll ¡s, dirfcrenccs of pcriCKI, in ;¡eslhelics, in fun<..."1. io n:l lily, malerials, el c.. [n o lher words, heyond space and lime, Illere

153

Mar/dd

154

was Ihe same will in one and Ihe ulher: to makc:I Post building Ih:1I would come into Ilistory :IS a rival or Ihe tr:.ldilional rc1igiou~ and civil monumenl:d archileclun.:.

This carly 20th century dcsire [O initiate :1 long policy of pol>I omcc building conslnlction, makcs il inevitahle \O lmderline Ihe impo nance of Madrid 's P:lbcio de COl11uni(.":.lcioncs. al> a Oagl>hip of a high­Iy ambitio lls c nde;lVour :11 n:llion:l l selle. since ils dCl>ign ;tnd ini!ial conl>lnlction !>Ieps took place prior 10 Ihe appointment in 1908 of Emilio Onuño y Ik:ne as Oin:'''Clor Gener:.11 o f Ihe Post, as will be S(:en

below. It shou ld ~tlmce 10 rec:lll , brieOy, lhal ancr some initial allempL'i ami Ihe commis .. ~ion uf :1 Ccnlr..11

Post I IOllse 10 archilccl Lorenzo AI"arez Capra ( 188 1). lhal :Ifter a coml>Clilion 10 dcsign a building for Ibe Gencr:.il DireClor.:lle or the POSI. :¡w;lITkd in 1900 10 :m:hilecL .. Jo:¡quín S:¡ldaña ::md j esús Carr.:lsco, and afler a second compelition calk'd on 20 Augu!'<l, 1904, wilh m;¡ny proposals presenh.:d, Ihe prize \Venl 10 Ihe design signed by architects Anlonio Palacios :md Joaquín Olamendi. The deci.'iion W:lS om­cblly announced on 23 january. 1905, lhe "" Iinislry of Ihe Inlt:rior making ils own Ihe opinion issucd by the San Fernando A'-":.Idemy of Fine ArL'i.

This le,lrlled socit:IY judged very favoumbly Ihe dcsign submilled by Ihe Iben yOll ng architccts Palacios and Ol:lrllendi. slaling thal il was "Ihe producl of;¡ gení:il crc,ilion~. and rejccting Olher pro­jcel.';, sw.::h a:> th:lt of ~l rchi tecl Lópcz Ulaneo :md cngineer Monlesinos, :Ind p:1l1icubrly lhe design hy S:lld:lña and Carr:lsco, who ha"ing prescntcd il again , ~ had ¡Xl ... lponed lhe ~Ivices 10 Ihe publico 10 which the building should be applil.-d . 10 Ihe facilities for :1 Dircc.:tor:t!C Gener.ll with lhe sighl on 1x.'Coming;¡ Min¡~.try in the fllILlfC~. To be fair. Ihe saTllC could he :.aid of Palacio'!i dcsign, 10 judge by what \Ve can see loday. The works began in 1907. lh:1I is. one year after Ortuiio look OVer Ihe Dircl.10r.lle Gener.:11 of Ihe ]>0:.1 , and lhe omcial opcning uf lhe building. in 1919, wilh Ihe prescnce of King Alfonso XIlI. was;¡ veritable political-cuhural event, as il Illeant much for tbe country, for Ihe ci ly. for the ... 1:IiI :md Tclegr.lph scrvices. for architL'Clllre, for lhe author:-. of Ihe building. for Ihe IXJlitiei:ms. ami in Ihe long nlll, ;¡ fundamental clemenl 10 link Ihe p.1S1 :lIld Ihat pre:.cnl time , from many IXJims o f view.

Frolll the ,lrchil(."CllIral "icwpoint. lhis building. still wailing fur the monograph ic sllldy il descrv(.'S. was tO 1x.'COme a lenn of reference for ;\11 flllure Palaa.'S of Communications ,md Post and Telegr.:lph Omee!> in Ollr <.:ounlry. bOl.h 10 borrow some fC:llurcs from iL .. coneepl -nOl from it:. shapcs---- :Ind to Icarn Iha! lesson given by I>alacios :md O I:lIuendi on whal tht: Ch¡Ir:.IClcr of :m:hiK'Clure. conslnletive expre~ .. ion ami the role plaYI,..--d by the orn:unenl , rcpre~n1 in :t building of this kind. For the fin>! t ime ;¡ Sp:lIlish Mail and Telcgr,¡ph huilding could look wilhout recling inferior Iho:,c o lher buildings crcel ­ed during Ihe 191h and ca rly 20lh ccnluries in other European :md AmeriCIll~ clpit:lls, from Home. Bnl!)sels :lnd I.ondon. 10 Washington , Lima ami Ilio de jan<.'iro. NOI 10 mention Ihe hreaklhrough moo­ernnes...; of Ihe interiors, where Ihe 'Hllhors did de:lr 10 cut lhroup:h space al certain heighls w ilh nying lensors on sll . .'cl catw:llks. Ihal eonfcr Ihe building :t ccrtain mech~lOislic or cxpressionisl factory brUlal­ily. In Ihis scnse. no OIht:r SUh!icqllc nt I)()st omcc building reaches Ihe epic Iones of Ihis one by Palados and OlanH:!ndi.

BRlEF IUSTORY OF AN InEA: THE POST HOUSI'S

t\ !) poinled out e:irlier, Ihe series of POSI J-Iouscs Ih:1I in jusI a few years sprollled in Sp:mish ellies was nOI slxlIllanL'Ous o r dlle 10 municipal inili:llivc. It was actually :t pan of Ihe political projt."C1 of lhe Conscrv:lli"e Part y, which enginecr Ameli Onuño y l3cne (1862-1936) had joincd. He was with no doubt lhe m:m \Vho rt:volulioni.s<..--d Iht: communic:.llions world in our counlry. of whieh buildings were unly a minor p:lrt. Onuño. who gr.:ldua[ed from lhe & hool of HO:ld Enginecrs o f Madrid, :lnd later de\'oled himsclf to IC:lching as a ful1 professor of Ihat SCh(X11. rcpresenlcd Spain in Ihe Second Inlern:uionat Navigation Congress in 1898, but S<Xln hc fell attr.:leled 10 politics and \\".lS ek"CtL-d a mem­Ix:r of Parliaml!n1 rcprcsenting lhe province of Avi!:t. In 1907 he was Under.K--cret:lI)' of the Presidency under Antonio Maui.l, and Ihe rollowing yC:lr he W:IS chargcd wilh Ihe DirL"CIOi.lle General of Ihe PO.<;I :lIld Telegr:.lJ)h .

Although he (:ame 10 be Minis!t:r of Fomelltd in 1920, in lhe Clhincts of AlIendl:sal:tzar and Eduardo DaIO, [he mos! not:lhle hcritagc or his prescnce in [he Pllblic aelminiSlr:.llion were Ihe inlrodllel io n of improvements and innov;¡tions in IheMail and Tclegraph service!), where aside frum a IXJlitician, he showed his Civil Engineer condition. Of Ihose engineers lraincd in Ihe modt:st Turco Sl r<..'Cl huilding. w ho so much contrihult:d 10 Ihe modernisalion of Ihe cOlmt ry, whelher building IXJld and lX!allliflll

bridge .... , :IS his fellow· .... llIdcnl :lIld conlemporary Josf: Eugenio Itiher:.l , (Ir giving impulse 10 communi­calions, a .... Onuño, whom \Ve are now commel1ling. Among!'il his improvemellls, we shall menlion SOme a .... rc1cv:ml a .... Ihe mai lhoxcs mounlt . .'d in lhe lI':.unways of major cilies, nr Ihe mail coach in atl lrain ..... where we .... liI1 remember having drop¡x.-'d a leller in Ihe lasl inSI:lIlt hefare Ihe Irain dcpanure in Ihe nighl Irain, a.o; were Ihemail Ir:.lin per exccllem:e. Onllño p1:Kcd Iclephones in Ihe road rcpair sl:l­lion .... ;lb \Vell, in order lO hrc:lI. Ihe isolalion of many nnal cornc~ of Srain. lit' crealcd the I'oslal S;¡\·ing.~ U:mk and rcfornu.'d Ihe <:urriculum of lhe Telegr.tph School . \Vilh a more rigoroll!'i and scien­tific orit:n l~l1ion . he Ojx:nL-d sc\'entccn Post affices in Madrid and len in Barcelona . he crcal<.--d the first poslal p:lrccl bCrvice, :md fin:llIy, ht: dccid<.-d 10 build fifty five new 1'0.'1 :lIld Tclegr:.lph Officcs in all provincia l Clpil:lb 3n other imponanl cilics.

By wh:1I h:l1; bt.:en menlioned, and il is only a sample. il c.m be M.-'Cn th:lI Ihis wab :t large sclle opero :uion wilh :1 long M>Cial.polil i<.:al rcach. Only lhe pTO<.'L--dlJrc implemenlcd 10 bllild over fifty PoSI Offices inspires rc .... peCl. and admir:llion, :md ¡here \Vas, la om o pinion. Ihe key of il. .. SUCCCSS. The mosl sig­nificanl e\'enIS, in chronolog1<.:al order, were as follows. Firslly, Ihe Royal Ord\.!r of 30 Decembcr, 1908, under which the firsl loc:II and provincial boards \Verc est:lbl ished "lO do all pn:.:par:.uion \Vork r1eccs­s.1.ry ror Ihe proIXl .... (:d eon ... tl'llclion of Post ami Tekgraph Orrice bllilding." in rrovincbl capitals ami rnajor eilies". Ju:m de la Cierva, fo,'linister of the Interior rrOlll 1907 lO 1909, sel OUI in seven poinls the eOOllxlsilion and 1:lsk.., of s:l id Ixxl1'ds and fixcd a lime f r:.lme for thcir aClivily. Sllhsl~lI1li :l lIy, e,lch province \Vas lO form a board formed by lhe Civi l Covernor as chairman, Ihe hc:tds of IheMail and Telegr:lph scrvi<.:es, Ihe rn:I;or or Ihe city. lhe presidt:nt of Ihe Ch~Ullher of COllllllercc :me! Ihe provin­cial 'Irchilecl. In lhe ab.'>Cncc of Ch:nnbcr o f Commerce in Ihe provincc. Ihe pre .... idelll o f Ihe Chambcr of Agricultllre would be propos<.-d, and if no office of provincial :lrchilL,<:t exbled, Ihe municipal archi­tecl could sil inSlead. as occurrcd, ¡x:r insl:lIlce, in Las Palmas and M:lhÓn. '111 ;" board had IWO momhs lime 10 make a .s!lIdy of .... ilcs avaibblc 10 build Ihe Po:;1 Offices or the cxbling buildings Ihal could he adaplL-d with Ihe rclcvam improvemenLS. 111e rcsult of Ihis first sludy was Ih:1I mOSI of Ihe desirable plOl .... of I ~md Ix:longed 10 priv~lIe partics :md had 10 be prcviollsly lX>lIgln . Al Ihe same time, Ihe pro­jl.'Cl co.,¡ wa .... being c.11clll:IIL'(I, :md 10 lhis c nd, il was requircd 10 hav\.! an idea of Ihe COSI of ¡he main ílem .... , n:uucly. Pllrchase of land and oonstructio n.

In order 10 kno\\' Ihe amoum of the blldgcl appropri:llion nee<!L-d, a bidding \Vas calkd Ihal repre­senil> lhe S<.-'CQnd major administr:nivc step, its mlecn scctions summing up lhe spíril of Ortuño's pro­¡oo. TI1C invitalion 10 bid. publishL-d hy Royal Order o n 30 Deccmlx:r of Ihe same year. 1908, con­lemplaled "the acqui.-.ílion by the Slate of V:laml ploLS o r cxisling b uilding .... 10 Ix: demolished or refur­bishcd 10 provide adL'(luale facilil ies for theMail and TeJcgmph scrvices. excepl in Madrid, \\'here such building is now lInder conslnlclion, and Ihe ciliL'S o f Q l rt:lgena, Ferrol, Gijón, l':ls Palmas de Gr:.m Canaria , Mahón. Iku:-, ami Vigo~. Tlle offers of Jand or buildings shall be submill L-d Ix:fore 30 Janllary, \ 909.10 he cx~unined hy Ihe bO:lTds and then senl 10 the Minislry of Ihe ¡merior for final evalll:tlion as

:1 whole. After receiving a 10lal of 1\\'0 hllndred and sevenly offers from all fifty five d t ies, l he prevailing cri­

leria was Ih:1I it wa.' neceSS:lry 10 huild new buildings ralher Ihan m:lke liS of old {mes, "in or(lI::r 10 fil lhe Spanish fXl:-,tal and Iclegmph services \Vilh lhe dignilY, as is done :Ihmad. requirL'{l by :In impon:lIlt br:.mch of Ihe public :-,ervicc". This is where Ihe definile Slcp \\':IS taken . repre:-.cnIL-d by Ihe Repon th:1I was lhe basis for Ihe Act of 14 june, 1909 wh ich in it.s Ihird chapler on gener:ll guidelincs for ne\\' Mail and Tclcgr:.lph buildings :lOd panicular aspecIs of lh\.! fulure designs, statcd: Mln lhe convi<:lion Ihat Ihe rcfOnllS inlendl.-d 10 be implemenlcd in Ihe POSI and Tclegr:lph scrviccs rcquire adL'qu:l1e buildings for Iheir pmper 0lx:r:.ll io n . buildings where :111 lhe post~1 1 :lIld Iclegr:.lph ní..'t.'(ls already cxisling, and OIhcrs 10 IX' crc;lled, could Ix: 1I111.-d. we h:lve sludied lhe beSI way 10 pro\'i<k: cach C-.lpil:11 cily in Spain wilh ne\V Mail :lIld Tclegmph buildings, extending Ihis ma;or rcfo rm 10 certain other <:ilies which, owing lO lheir gí..'Ogr:lphic location or :¡dminislr:.llivc or postal im¡x>rt:lIlce, also deservc 10 have sllch scrvices inst:llk-d in SI:lle-(lWnl.'t.I bllildillgs.~

'l1,e other non-C:lpiwl cilies \Vcre Canagena. Ferro!. Gijón. Mahón, Iteu ..... , Vigo and L:IS Palmas. '111e inilial global eSlill1ation of Ihe Jand :md constnldion C08tS \Vas over twenly IhrL't! million. Ihree hun­drcd Ihou .... and pesetas, :10 amOllnl approvL'(1 by Ihe Cortes ( Parliamenl). 10 which Ihe rosl of subsc­quently induded huildings in Linares, Manresa :lIld Sanli:lgo de Compo:-wb, had 10 be :Iddc.:d. The facilities were lO Ix: Msolidly, prolx:rly :lIld cconomi<:ally buil!, in Ihe scnse of not eX lx:nding lIlorc mOlley Ih:1Il nccessary, hUI nOI less Ih:1Il whal Ihe eSlim:llions al ll for. TITe buildings shall Ix: LTIm­rnenSllr:IlC lO Ihe respective cily size, and of conscienlious conslnJClion comhining Ihe condilions of Ix:auty, comfon :1I1d hygiene Ihal muSI be prescnl in any building, hut more so in Ihosc, like Ihis ones,

GijÓII

155

156

rcprescnting ,he characle r of:¡ puhlie service~. To Ihis cnd, puhlic compl'lition~ I'l1a ll be held amon,g~1 S¡xmish architccL'>, Ihe prizc for Ihe \Vinner bcing Ihe CXL-'ClIlion of Ihe <k'Sign.

By Ihen JlI ~ln (l.,' la Cierva \Vas no longcr Minlslcr of Ihe [nlerior; he wa!'> followl.."CI in Ihis pon folio hy Segismundo Moret, Fernando Merino, Antonio Barroso ;¡nd Jos(: Sánchcz Guerra frorn 1909 10 1914, hUI lInder :111 of Ihcm, Amcli Oltuño conlinucd bcing Director General of lh .... M:lil :md Tclegraph. Thcsc are l he yC:lrs whefe Ihe first agrcclllcnts \Vere condude<! helwccn Ihat Din .. 'Clor:.HC General and somc municipalilies lhal dc~ircd 10 ~peed up Ihe \\orb, like Barcelona (1909), whcrcby lhey entcnc'<l iota a financing systcm difTcrcnt from Olhcr ci'ic. .... Thus, Barcelona. Ih:H offcred in Ihe bnd hid Ihe plOl al begin of Vía 1 .... lyelana where lhe main PO~I Orrice ~Iands now, increasL",1 il~ offer by undertak· ing also 10 build Ihe building aeeording 10 lhe design ~Ipproved by lhc Government, Ix-cause lhe dly net . .>ded MIO expeditc the sale of the remainin}.! plOlS in Ihe Gr::1tl Vía, alld lhe sl imulu :> Ihe constnlclio!l of Ihe Post Office will cause 10 Ihe ereclion of OIht:r building. ... in said avenue, with whieh lhe eily Council wou ld gct compcn .... ation for Ihe effon~ ineurrL",1 in devcloping Ihe dly eXlension ¡lOd remedy­íng unemploylllenl ~. The r:lcts thal lhe l3::I rcclona dly governmenl !'>uh~idised Ihe work!'> wilh two hun­drro thOtls;.¡nd IX:SCt.'lS and Ih:!t Ihe Stale would Ill:lke fiftecn yearly paymcnlS lu Ihe dly, moved Ihe Cabinel 10 authorise Onuño, in his capacily as Director Gcner::d uf IheMail ami Tc1egraph, 10 sigll Ihe agreelllenl with lJ~lrcc lona slipulating lhese and olher adminiSlr:!live rnallers, in spi le Ihal Ihe six mil­!ion peselas hudgcl was higher th~l1l Ihe ori}.!inal onc or four million, -"even hundrcd and sixty Ihousand Ix:sctas. Other eities, as Valenci:1 (19 10), L<..-"Ón ( 1910), Pontcvedr.! ( 19 11 ) :l1ld S~l1l Seh:!Sli:11l ( 1911) al:.o offered v"rious manners of panicip:uion through agreemcnL<¡.

Wilh the cxperiencc gaimxl in tht.:se runnin~-in years, yel unly in Ihe adminbtr.:ui\'e arca, :l pan of Ihe pron.'<IlIre \Vas moclificd from 19 13. Fi rstly, Ihe Hoyal Dccrt.'C of 16 December, 19 13 con"ert<..--d the provincial and local boards cre:lIed in 1908 into \'(fo rks Inspcction and Moniloring Boards. '111:11 is. :1 complex ~\nd cosll y proccss of design and conslnlclion of scver.:IJ tens u f buildings was bcing cnlel"cd imo, while! at lhe same lime, il wa~ ncccs.s,ary to refine Ihe propcr control . The members of Ihe new bO:lrds were praclically Ihe s:unc :IS in Ihe o ld o lles, bul the nUlllher of represcnl:llives was increaM:d 10 include Ddeg:lle of the Minblry of Public Fin:mce, a State Ad\'(x:ale and Ihe Chic( EnginL-er of Public Works or Ihe provinCl~ , huI more nOlc\Vorthy was Ihe indusion of Ihe Dirc"Clor General or lheMail and Te1egr::lph, or his deleg:nc, who could allcnd Ihe Illt:etings acting as ch:lirman of Ihe Uoard, aboYe Ihe Civil Govcrnor, :lnd wilh ca:.t ing vote right. Ile re \Ve see lhe Onuño's intere~1 lO personally o\'ersce sllch a sensitive progr::ull ll1e, :l!'> Ihis was lhe :tdd lest for Ihe m yri:1<1 of problems that cOll ld ¡Irist: from Ihe complex sy:-.tcm of pand~, submittal of preliminary and final designs, revi:;ion :md sclcction, award­ing Ihe <:unlr.lct ... ~l1ld supcrvbion and ~Iccept:lnee of Ihe \Vorks ---the latter aJway:. reservc",1 10 the Din:.--clor Gener.!1 of Ihe Mails and Tclegr.lph by dclegation of the Mini~ter of Ihe lnlerior- nol to men­lion Ihe task ()f final demar<::'ltion orlhe plOts. A Iloyal Order of 31 I)L-ccmbcr. 1913, :!pprovcd Ihe new boards :md eslablished a Iwenly-day period lo set up slIch boards, execpl for Madrid , Barcelona, Valen<:i~I , 1A..'Ón and I'onlevedra thal cnjoyed :t differen! regime.

Lasl ly, in Ihe ahbreviated version of l he process, lhe Budgel ACI fo r 1915 !llU.:-.I Ix: rlL'ces,';,arily men­lioned. Pamgmph Ihree, anide eighK'Cnlh of Ihis :Ict, :lUlhorised Ihe ¡\'Iinisler of Ihe Interior 10 carry Oul Ihe PoSI ¡¡nd Tdegr:lph Offices \Vorks wilh :m inilial investment of fifleen mili ion pesetas. lO be allOlled 10 each une of them in aCL'ordancc wilh lhe Hepon thal \Vas tll<' IXlsis fur lhe 1909 Act. Thal ",as the amounl lO build forty ninc POSI and Tclegr.!ph buildings, leaving :Iside ¡hose for Ihe dlie:. that h:ld a sepamle agreemem with Ihe Stale. II was on ly left 10 d etermine Ihe plOIS, call the compctilions, award Ihe contr::¡cIS amI begin Ihe constnlction. These were lhe lasks for Ihe following twenty years, bul Ihe dictatorship of Primo de Ribem, tllC SL-cond HcplIbJic and Ihe Ci\'il \'('ar, callscd that some build· ings cou ld not be completcd unlil de '40s.

A PLACE IN 'nlE CITY

One of the mast imponant malle .. s f~lCed by Ol1uño's p lan \Vas lo choosc:1 place in Ihe dty. From the firsl bidding of tand in 1908, the Jocuion of Ihe ne\V buildings \Vas expres,,>ly staled as ~shall be cen­tr.ll, in a husiness are:! or w herc the popul:ltion !llaves !llore al)(}uI, where possible, free standing, sil­uated in a pb7-:1 or a !)rolld importanl slre!.!l , \Vil h c<!sy aecess to railw:ly slation~ :md hartx>ursft

• In mher words, Ihe huildings h:!d 10 Ix.-come a pan of whal is c llk"<i Ihe eily centre, il could be lhe mosl busy street. as in Ponle\'L-"(lra, near:1 major bank, as in Vitoria or M:íbg~l (Lhey are !leXI 10 lhe Bank of Spain), dosc 10 the Cily lIall. as is Ihe case of Valencia, laking :Id\'antage of Ihe grc'll hislorie !and-

rnarks, as in Avila amI León , whefe they Cace the cathedr..ll, in the Gra/1 Vía,,"', likc in Barcdon:1 and Scvilk:, lInd in the mos! reprcsentative pl:li',as, as in Madrid Of 5:lI1t:1 Cruz de Tenerife.

For lhis feason lhal flrsl 1908 hidding of land was decbred void by lhe Royal Order of 13 Janu:uy, 1915, !xcause seven years had pr.Jctic:dly cbpscd from Ih:H inilial d ate unlillhe huelgel approprialion was vOled, amI sincc thell rnany pieces of propcny had changed hands, othr.:1'S had becn buih on, :lIld the real eSlale price \Vas not Ihe same in 1915. These beIs C1 l1sed a ne\\' Hoyal Order 10 Ix: issued (14.0t.t915) ca lling a new "bidding of I.!mply plots or buildings to lkmolish or ad:lpt"', induding lhe lerms amI conelilions ami Ihe lisl of Ihe forty nine cilies induded in Ihe above menlioned I3udgel Acto of 191 5.

This bidding produced Ihe majority of propenies occupi(.-'{I by the fi rsl and second gener'..llions o f Mail and Tdegr::lph buildings. Thesc siles nol :Ilways \\'efC dean lr:.lels. M::my h:leI all son 01' build­ings, on OCeasion quile venerab!..:, Ihal h:ld 10 be demolished. This is lhe e,lSc 01' AVila , per instance, wht:re Ihe present I'ost Officc sl :lIlds on Ihr.: site of lhe Bishop's Pabce o f lhe 161h century. In olher CISCS lhey were bu ilt on lhe sile or no longer used publ ic buildings, :IS the old CUSlOm Hou.se of Vigo and Santa Cnlz de Tenerifc. Othcr l imes \Vere lotally new plOLS origin:lled by an urhan reformo as in Cordov:L When nOI in ¡he space fesulting frorn lhe demolition of old dcfcncc baslions, as i.') lhe case of Gerona, where Ihe building rises wherc and o ld r:.nnparts lower slood . In ils lurn , Sar::lgoss:l 's build­ing rep]¡lccc! and old Ihealre, and so o n, we can see quire dilTerent silualions amongSI Ihe new build­ings.

Since the !lew 1915 bidding also made rererence 10 reusable buildings, we sha ll say lhallherc \Vere from old deconsecr.ued re!igious buildings, liko.! Ihe flrst Sevi l le building on lhe old Auguslinian F:uher.s mon:lstery, 10 others Ihal were earlier Schools of Ans ami Tr:.lcles, as happencd in 5an Sebastián.

Finally, therc \Vas Ihe clecidecl inlentiOn to have a wholc block ava ilablc.: so Ihe POSI O(fice c()uld be fn.,'C standing wilh t'our free fa\Oades, both lO provic!c Ihe maximum natural lighl to lhe inlerior :lnd 10 place cilhcr in [he back Of Ihc sidc lhe dock 10 10:ld :uld unload mail hags. This was ;Ichiev(;:d in mosl c~lses, from the largc buildings of Barcelo na, to Ihe simplcr ones in Palencia or Fcrrol. Where Ihe plol surface \Vas large and loc::llcd in :1 principal area of Ihe cilY, bUI nOI comprising a fu ll block, lhis condilion had more \Veight lhan a full block d sewhcre. "111e iclea was 10 have a cornt:r lh:11 could be charnfered :mel cnhancing lhis lurning poinl chamcler \Vith a 10\Ver. The puhlic entrancc was Ihen placcd on Ihe main strt.'C1 and Ihe vchicle ;leeess on Ihe side street, as C'.m Ix: seen in Cordova or Palma de MajofC'..l, among olher ci lies, This comer building emphasis \Vas kepl in Ihe Posl and Telegraph Offices buih in the '50s, of which a gooe! e.xample is Ihe of Gr.m;lc!:l on Plaza de la Puena Rea l.

'1111..' mail movetTlent about the streels surrounding lhe POSI omec chang\:.!d our eily streel lIlaps, wilh new names, such :IS calle del COrreo, pasaje del Correo, callejólI del Con'OO', elC, 13L11 in other C:I$l'S Ihe name \Vas Ihere berore lh<: period w..: are discussing, relat ing of Olher previously existi ng POSI Hous..:, as lh\:.! POSt:IS SlrL'Cls in Madrid :lml Toledo, Ih:1I o riginated in [he 181h c<:nlury,

Al :lny rale, lhe lme rael is lhal Ihe rcl:uionshi p bdween POSl Office :Uld city is :1 ve!)' close one. Evcn on occasions the I'osl Office building was crectcd fi rsl and lhe streel was o pen !:Iler, as occu rred in Vigo, '111ese urban values had only loSI vigour in Ihe Ihird generalion or bllildings of the 'SOs :md '90s, wht:rc :1 go<xl numlx:r or old POSI Offices \Vere renewed :md ne\V ones buih, from thal of León , to Ihe ol1e in Ciudad Real, and even, as in Ihe case of M:"il:lga, eemr.11 IOCltions were no more soughl in favour of rnore dcar arcas in Ihe rnodcrn fabric of Ihe cily.

lt is a fael thal lhe lasl gcncr:.llion of poslal architeClure :IS in other lypologies, is conccived removed from Ihe urban fmmc and \Ve ca nnol hide th:1I this causes Sl rong dish:mnonies wilh the surroundings, nOI always Ix:nc ficial fOf modern archito. . ."cl urc. ll1is is lhe ch:lllenge and lhe danger o f excessive archi­Icctur:ll abSlr:1Clion, oflen tending lO narcissislic reveries, forgelflll o( Ihe city :Ind lhe bndscape inlo wh ich il is insened, withoul arguing now lhe t:viclenl qualily of the dcsign ilsclf. Old-time architccL.,; , conversel}', Iried -may be some times w¡lh cxcess- to blend Iheir arehile<.1ure wilh ,h<: gel/l ls loci, in such way as 10 make Ihe building warlll ane! familiar 10 Ihe inhabilants of Ihe cily.

THE COUNTENANCE OF ARCI-UTEcruRE

The analysis of Ihe Mail andTdegr:.lphbuildingsc:arries:ldual considcr:.uion.ltis ncccss,ary 10 under­stand, o n lhe one hand , Ihe p rogr::unme 01' requirerl1enls and lheír bYOUl, and on ¡he other hand, w h:1I we h::lve called the COllnlenance of archileclure, thal is, ils expression, \Vhat is comlllonl y refcrred 10 as style, that is subjecl to fashions and so, no mere Ihan lhe qualifler :u1ide o f :Irch il(;.'clure. Th ll~, we

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157

Málagll

158

can Idl apan Ihe Pontevedr.l building as eCk!'Clic, Ihe Vilori:!-Gasl(:iz one :1.<; regionalislic. and Ihe Conmn:1 d esign as rat ionalisl ic. BUI lhis is jll:.1 Ihe envclo¡x:, Ix'<."3Ust.-· lhe illner machinccy. Ihal is, Ihe h:llI , ¡he countcrs and H: lIcr windows, Ihe Iclcgraph roorn or lhe sorting room . are comrnon clements to all 01' Ihcm and :ue lighlly connecled 10 Ihe fllllclion of Ihe building, its p llrposC, the services pnr vide-xl. They :m:, in shOI1, lhe clcmcnts Ih:1I rnakc the building work as a postal machi ne. Th is is w hy it scems right lo oSee how Ihe m .'Cds 01' a post office are initially dellncd, by rnaking a schel11:II[c pic­ture v"!lid fur all in generaL

All hough the cunditions for design compctitions say nOlhing, s¡¡ve exceptions, about Ihe dCll1eanour of archilecture, Ihe gener::l l lerms of Ihe cornpctition c lllcd by Hoyal Order of 15 M:lrch, 19 15, is very explicit about Ihe he:1I1 :md core o f Ihese building..¡. Indced, il len '"lO the good judgement of the :Iulhors 10 ¡¡dopt the consl rl.lcl ion melhod , style ~lI1d arrangcmenl Ihey Ihink I)<.:SI , being :dlowcd 10 use the clemenls o f cOmlx)sition :lOd orn:l l11enl of their preference "'¡I h 10lal artislic freedom . bUI it shall be very dear that the condilions of proper layoul and cfficicnl serv ice are Ihe main objectives pursued and shall no t be sllcrificed 10 the monUlllcnl:11 aspcct. "

Some rccommendations, :tmongst the genero:.1 condit ions, c m hdp 10 better unck:rSland Ihe cha rac­ter of Ihe buildings thal r call of the firsl gencr::tlio n, thal is, befo re 1936,10 separate thclll from Ihe sec­o ne! gener::tlion, bu i ll lX!twecn 1940 ~lI1d 1975, :md the third and l:lsl from 197510 1997. 'rhe firsl o ne are cloSC51 10 01' whal Ol1uno Ihoughl :1 Post Officc should be. Although we know thelll in short as POSI Offices, Ibey conlained Ihe Idcgraph :"Incl tek:phone ~Ivices 100. This dual funclion sccm 10 be w h:1\ in m:m y CISCS dClermined Ihe symmelric layout o f Ihe building.<;, as CUI in two t;:qllal hah'es, so, if they were foldcd :llong ils central line, Ihe lefl :lnd righl sides \ViII match . T his is Ihe case of Vitoria , Logroi'lo, <l nd m:my o thers. This nOl\Vithstanding, il o nly occu rs in Ihe oUL.¡ide, becau.se in Ihe interi­or, each service rcquirc vecy diffcrcnt spaccs.

From the geneml conditio ns sheet, I would like 10 sel out a particu larly inleresting o ne thal SUIll­marises the ch:mlcler :lIlcl ovcr::l ll image Ih:1I i¡ W:IS intended 10 inslill in Post Officcs. r :lIn spcaking of Ihe indical ion 01" ¡he conslructio n melhod , thal sho uld ""achievc the ma;>:iIllUIll SIXlciollsness, easc of mOl ion, clea r room and admission of abundanl lighl , Ihe latter obt:¡ined l hrough brge horizontal o pen­ings, more in keeping with Ihe purpose of Ihe building Ih:lIl vertiGII ones, d evising Ihe interior parti­tions in wood or iron wilh glazed pands, :lIld easily disa~mbled so Ihe pOl.ential layout o f lhe arcas can be conveniently re:lrranged according lo the sb:e and deve10pmelll Ihe scrvices ma y require al any givcn lime. When preparing these de~igns , it most be born in mind Ihal Ihese are build ings o f an pub­lie llatufC wherc :lny profusion o f d ecor::l lion shall be avoided, combining simplicity with Ihe eleg:lI1ee of lines 10 aehieve Ihe good tasle Ihat musl preside over any work of archilecture.

This lasl inlention was superbly interprelLxl in Ihe Corunna building, one o f Ihe mosl nOlable p it.--ces of Spanish r.:niona lism , which c1eanliness of volumcs and Sllrfaccs seems lO cmlxxly like nu Olher lhe spirit pllrsucd by Onllño. I-Ie wOllld have likcd 100 10 sec Ihe build ing designed by Alejandro d e la Sota for León. Nevenhc1ess,;ll the time Ihe compel ilions were hdd Ihe wish 10 incorporalc tht: rcsources o f rcgionali.sl arch itecturc carried more weighl, that is, 10 lakc features from lhe :lmple repcr­IOcy o f fo lk and hiSlo ric arc hitecture 10 malch a given provincial or urban c nvironmenL T h is was o nly natural bccallsc , looking al Ihe ci:lles o f Ihe Hoyal Orders and Dccrces rc1aling tO Post Offices, we see Ihey are coincidelll with olhcrs as significanl as Ihe Royal Decree of 18 Decembcr, 1913 authorising ¡he crealio n of Province Communities and wril ing relevant Sial lites which , although affecling unly admin­istrntive mattcrs, rcprcscnted the slarting point of regional lIutonomy.

Al lhe s:.lllle time, 191 5, lhe ye:tr where Ihe budgel 10 build Post and Tc1cgr.:lph Offices \Vas approved, is also Ihe ycar whcn Ihe rem:lrkable Sixlh Nal ional Congress of ArchiteclS \Vas hcld in San ScbaSl iún. The rcgionalisl idcology \Vas born headed by Aníbal A lvarez ¡¡nd Leonardo Rucabado. In a d efensivc attitudc against l he inOucncc of forc ign archileclu re, lhe Frc nch in particular, pOSlurcs were held which S(:ope is sUll1mariscd in Ihe ti t le of the cOllllllunicalion re:ld by lhe archileCIS named above: ""Oriewafiol1sjor (he Rebirtb oj a NariollalllrcbiWc/ure ". Some po ints are Ihe source o f things S<..->(!Il in lhe :Jrchilecture of l hose years in gener::!I ¡¡nd in poslal buildings in particu lar. One, for im,l:lI1ce, invites ~city councils o f provincial Glpilals lO follow lhe ex:tlll p le of thal o f Seville, Ihal in order to p romote regional style <:onstruclio n has o pc ned a competi \ ion wilh proper awards 10 bu ildings inspircd in the lradi tional slyles o f lhe region "" O r another suggesling thal ~design competitio ns initialed by Minislries, Provincial Govcrnmcnts, Municipalitics and other public inslillll ions, india.lte preference for Ihose inspired in our nalional slyles~.

Amongsl these !a tter, but nOI the leasl , was lhe Span ish [{enaissance slyle, the Plaleresque, "Iso called "Monterrey" slyle, afler a Salamanca p:l lace ~looked al by Unamuno'~ wilh patriolic emolion~

Ihal lenl ils name 10 a way of underslanding archileclural ornamenlalion amI furnilure tha! \Vas sarcas­Lically nickn:tmcd SpaJ/isb remorse. When Carlos Galo \Van Ihe compeCilion for Iho.: POSI Office in Burgos, ht.: \VrOle in his repon Ih:lt "Ihe design is inspi red in lhe Plaleresqul' and Sp:lIlish Renaissance slyles, adapled to \Vhal Ihe purpose of Ihe building demands, ils general Hnes follo\\'ing Ihose used in m:tny 151h :md J61h cenlmy conslnlclions. o f which so many S;UllpleS :trI:: found in 1311rgos~. BUI Ihis was nOI exac¡]y follo\\'ed in Ihe beaUliful building lhal W:1S ;lellla!!y huill :tS \Ve C;:l11 observe Io<l:ly.

This víew helps 10 beller uncl.::rstand Ihe Post OITices of Sa ragossa. ovr.::rtly in Mudéjar slyle, Ferrol, \Vilh cle;lr region:disl inlention, and Palencia, where Ihe Pbteresque is ll~lnsp:m~nt. Those are Ihe years when railway stal ions :mcl lelephone buildings try 10 fine! th:lI same local or regional sourcc. and :llso Ihe years when polilics, lileratun.::, musie ancl painling exploit Ihe nalion;tlism-re,gionalism underlying Ihal Silvr.::r Age o f Sp:mish culture.

Tlle panellhat examined ami graded the prdimin:lry ;H1d IIn;1I designs and a\Varded Ihe prizes mUSI have hecn a\V:tre of all Ihis since, in spile of lile conslrllct ive simplicilY :md funClional ami adminislra­live characler required for Ihe buildings, Ihe pand aCIU:llly yicldcd 10 \Vhal seemcd 10 plcast.: Ihe Spanish sociely of lhe limes. The panel a\Varded lile region:llislll of Ihe Sant:mder building (19 16). Ihe Ilisloricisl conccssions of Demelrio Hibcs in Caslelló n de 13 Plana (19 16). or Ihose of An:tsagasli in M:íbga ([9[6). \X' ilhoUI dales, il would nOI be possible 10 undersland Ihe coh..:rence of¡hese buildings in respeet of Ihc rcgionalisl movement , Ih:1I \Vas i)asL'<1 in inSlilulion:l1 buildings.

The panel Ihal aCled along lhis pericxl was ch:l i1"<.""(1 by Onuño as Di1"<."'Clor General of theMail and Telegr.lph. The Olher mcml~rs \Vere: twO senior officl.'rs o f Mail :md Tclegrapll appoinled by Ihe Direclomle Gcner.lI, onr.:: archiled and one cngin(.'Cr of Ihe same Dircclor..¡te Gencrnl, :m arehited :md le:lCher of Ihe & hool o f Archiledure of Madrid, :lppOintt:d by Ih;¡¡ &hool. o ne arch ilec..1 and fello\\' of Ihe Roy:tl Ae:lclemy of Fine MIS, appoimed by Ihis inslillllion. l\\'O ;¡rchileclS propo$<..""(1 by Ihe CenlrJI Saciel)' of ArchiledS, :md as secrelary, an officer o f Ihe satne Director.l\e General. \Vho !llay nOI spe:tk or "ott.'.

\Ve shall poi ni out. for gener'JI undersland ing purposcs. Ihat Ihe eonleSlanlS knew Ihe programllle condilions, wrinen by Ortuño ancl published on 12 June 19 15, dcfining Ihe inlernal poslal :md tek:gr.lph configuralion Ihe bllildings \Vere sll pposed 10 have. \X'e will menlion here some of Ihe mosl relev:lnl points Ih:]\ under no cirCUlllSlance should be :tbsenl. Firstly, Ihe eletllems common 10 Ihemail ami lelegmph serviccs, :lS a porter's ofllce, a large puh1ic hall wilh Ihe relevan! countcrs and windows (for slamps, Idegrams, ele.), mltin :;t:l irway and a libr::lT)'. In Ihe specific mail arca. Ihe importan! piece \Vas the brge cJa$Sification room. commonly c:dl baffle 1'00111, placed 1X:I\Vecn Ihe mail boxes ;¡nd Ihr.:: dock where lorríes unload and pick up Ihemail bags 10 and from Ihe railway slation. Thc mail is sorted in Ihis Ixmle room, Ihal is :lIso eonnected 10 ¡he mail-carricf:') room , poSle rCsla!1le and pOSI officc boxes, these \Vilh (ll1IeriC{/1/ sZI'le pigcon holes. There \Vere olh .... r scrvices requiring thcir own sp:Ke, such as money o rdcrs, Postal Savings Bank. Cusloms. idenlil)' c~rds, ele. The specifie lelegmph :Irea shall be prO\'ided wilh a largc Ir:lllsmin ing room "wilh amp.e and direcl lighting", :IS we1l as a repair sllop, a room for Ihe cable dislribution rose, which enlry 10 Ihe building sha ll be llnderground, whencv .... r pos­sibil' (in Ihe beginning Ihese were ovr.::rhead cables coming off Ihe lower Iha! crowned Ihe bu ildings). pub1ic Ielcpho nc eabins (boolhs) area and a scp,mllC room from press telegrams, cqu iprnent testing shop, and a b rge number of departments, cashiers, prívale o ffices and so o n. Lasl!Y, Ihe uppcr Ooor was 10 have t\Vo hOllsing unilS for the Head o f Ihe PO:;I :md Ihe Head of Ihe Telegraph, wil h ten rool11s minimum eaeh, and IWO more for Ihe respective caretakers, Ihese \Vith only six rooms cacho

THE CREA TORS OF 'fHE POST OFFICFS BUllDINGS

This general approach 10 Ihe POSI Office buildings wou ld be incomplclc if sOll1elhing W3S no! saie! aboul Iheir ::l fchilecls, as an epilogue, as il has u tmOSI imerest tO :Isccrtain Ihe youlhful cnlhusiaslll :mcl professionalism shown in Ihe bce o flh is propasal by Ihe Governmenl. [ndeed. (rom Ihe firSI huge ~-bil <lne! TelCgr::lph building. Ihe P:tlace of Comtllun icatio ns in Madrid , a cr.::rt:l in freshness and zesl is pcr­<-'cived in Ihe yOllnger general ions of archilecls, beginning wüh Ih:l\ Anlo nio Palacios \Vho \Van lhal ardllOllS compcli lion of 1904, only o ne yea r afto::r h is gradualion . h \vas :lew ::l ll y his firsl importan! undel1.aking, bUI if \Ve did nOI know il . \Ve \Vould Ihink il was Ihe work o f 11 more expcricnced archi­lee!. as were olher unsllcccssflll part icipants in Ihe conlest. such as Carmsco. S;lldan:l. l 6pez Blanco and o lhers.

The samc Ihing occllrred in Ihe firsl compelit ions, w here \Ve IInd archilects like Zllazo :md Fern{indez Quinlanil!a, gr.ldllaled in 1913, \Vinning Ihe conleSI for Ihe S;llllandcr POSI Ofllce in 1916,

l.e6/1

159

Vi/ori{/

fl(1rcclOll(/

160

over Ihe proposals of local archilcclS, as Javier Gonzálcz de I ~illncho. o ldcr in age :lI1d \Vith prestige in Ihe provincc. AJso Pedro Mugunlza 01ar10, Ihe same yea r he gr:ldu:III,c.-xI, 19 16, where 1ll0S[ of lhe C0111-pCl.ilions \Verc held, was awarded Ihe POSI Qfficc of Murcia. [n [9 19, architccl Agustín Eyries, with only Ihree years in Ihe profession, won lhe contesl for Ihe Ifuesea building, aml likc\Vise many Olhers. Sollll.' eXlreml: sil ualio ns occlIfl'ed in lhis line, sllch as Th:H of Martin Corr:ll Aguirre andJosé Homero Soriano, \Vho \Van Ihe conteSI fOf Ihe Ba(bjoz building 111(: s:lInl;! year Ihl.'y oblained Ihei r archilccl diplomas, th:lI is, jusI afler compl(;!ting their final gr::ldualion (;!xcrcise, ¡hey wenl on 10 bcgin their profl:ssional career Wilh a building for thl: Posl.

This youlhfulncs.s would explain in p:1I1 the faet ¡hat many enl ries were signed by l,vO :lrchilecls, so as la (1)' lO eomlx=ns:lle Ihe laek of eX Ix=rience by joining forces. So we have th(;! couples of P:lbcios­Otamendi (r\'ladrid), Fernández Quin[anilla-Zuazo (Sanl:lI1der), l.u is Fcrrero-Jerónimo Arroyo (Valladolid). I~ibes- Dicenla (Caslcllón), Corm l- Romcro (Ibd:ljoz), Gómez Homán y Vid al (C5diz), Ferrcro-Díaz Tolosana (Vitoria). Calx:llo-Garcí:! ¡\'l:irtíne% (Cuenca), Goday-Tom:s Grau ( Barce!on;I), Dlá-Bona (Gerona), CIC. T hcse [C:Il11S o ften wer<: formed by reason o f sehnol-lirne friendship nr farn­ily l inks, as lhl: Guadalajara design, by ,-he brolhers tuis :md Joaquín Sáinz de los Terreros.

On Ihe other hand, many of Ihem p rescnted cntries 10 several conteSIS at Ihe same time , lrying 10 pass lhe ¡-wo compctilion sleps: p rclimin:11)' and final designo This 18 Ih(;! case of GalO Soldevilla, who \Von bOlh Ponlevcdra and Burgos, whilsl Zuazo and Fcrnándcz Quint:milla werc awarded Santander :mel BillxIO, o r Luis Ferrero Tomás, who cnlered ;¡]onc a design for Caslellón and logether w ilh s(:ver­al archilecls for Va lladolid ami Viloria. José Yarnoz losl Ihe Burgos <:ompctil ion in 19 16 but four ycars laler won in Salamanca, and conversely, Teodoro Anasagasti gOl lhe prizc for Málaga in 1916 and lhree years bler was dcfe~lIed in Vitoria.

This !:Irge nU1l1ber of archilccls and contcsts, Ihat were rn~I <lt: publ ic in lhl: Gazl:lte of Madrid , gcn­eraled an enormous workload and bureaucracy, wilh deadlines, p rescnl:l\io ns, rcje<-1ions, dcsign rcvi­sio ns rcquesled by the panel , Clc. Jus Ihink Ihal len prcliminary designs were enlered in the Burgos compe[ilion, five in Palencia, four in Málaga. :In SO o n . ·J11is lX!rspeclive, we say, mUSI have adviscd Ihe DireClor..tle General of POSI :md Tclegraph to relain a numbcr of archileclS 10 pul an end 10 lhe com¡X:lilion syslem. I-Ierc Is where Ihe leam o f Joaquín Olamendi Machimbarrena and Luis Lozano Losilla appean:.--d. Olamendi \Vorked wilh Palacios in Ihe design of the Central POSI Office in Madrid , w hile he was no yel a gmdualed arehilecl, he oblainl:d Ihl.' degree in 1910 amI sen! an unsuccessful enlry 10 the Málaga compelition (19 16) won by Anasagas[i. LO%:lno, \Vho gradu;ued in 1918, also cntered a d esign for M{¡laga :md did nOI win wilhcr. At any mtc, bOlh \Vl:re hired as assiSlant archi­lec!. .. by the Dircctor.lIe Gener..tl of the POSI, Lozano .. Iso joincd lhe Official Telegr.lph Corps, and \Vorked emciently in a brge numher of projeels. lt should suffice lO mention :1 few of Ihe buildings prcsemcd in Ihis Ixx>k lO have :In idea, nor only of Ihe quantil Y, but also lhe quality of Ihe \Vork done by (hese IWO architects: G ijón (1927-50), Scvi lle 0927-30), Cordo"a (1931-34), Corunna (1931-34). Santbgo 0934-47), Santa Cnl7. de Tenerife ( 1943-57) :lile! Gr.mad;) (1944-58>' As can be SL-cn by Ihe dales, Otamendi ami Lozano drew a bridge lx=t\Vecn whal 1 eall first amI sccond gencr:uion of postal buildings, separaled by Ihe Civi l \Xlar. \XIilh Ihl:Ír disappcar.:mec, endcd :llso lh:u lwin epoch, leaving Ihe ficld open to younger archileels. incrcasingly more dislaneed from Ihe pionecr spiril lead by Ame!i Ortuño.

Finally, lct us say Ihat if 10 the panel members, where \Ve find Lalll lx:rcz, Bellido, Luquc, Cabello, Vega y March, Ik pullés, J3ucn:lvenlUm J3assagoda, Auguslo Fonl , :111 eminCnl archi tccts of lhe lalc 19th century and carly dccades of Ihe 20lh century, \Ve add the tens of archilCCts Ih~lt p:111icip~ilCd in ¡he com l)(:li[ions without winn ing, in spile of lX!ing vel)' notable arehitccIs, such as !luig y Ca(bfalch in Barcelona , and Ebdio [';Ifedo in I-Iuesca, we run into :1 rcally long lisl of architecIs ami archileclllr.:ll slyles, all drawn and descrving being built, wllieh coukl be, al somc lime, su fficient sl imulus 10 under-1~l ke a longer rcaching slud y of the highly nOtable ;Irchitectur:ll patrirnony of Ihe Post :lnd Tek:gr.lph in Spain . In effcct, nOlwilhslanding Iheir SI:I1US in the property regislry, our country owns a posl :1I build­ing heirloolll tha[ rep resents a page as brill ianl as unknown of Ollr hislory, the gatlwfS, m:my essences of Ihe eultur::d gener.:uio ns of Ihe '98 to Ihe '27.

REFERENCFS

núm - \(). h:lk· \ aria,> \'1.'0 ...... )

y OlrO:-' ;llltOfC'" - el .tl. C:n:í 1ogo .. CII,t!01-\Ue 15 de clH:ro uc 1919 .. 15 J:lnu:try, 19 19 Sevilla· Sc\i1Ic

TRA.l'l¡"SLATOR'S NOTES

·nlC 11,lh ... hurg drna"'l}" i ... I.:ommnnl}" refl.·rrcd 10 in Sp:tin ,t ... lhc Au.,tri:t:. . norbom: ... , plur:tl of Borhón, i:. lhc dyn;"'I)' known in Engli ... h hy il.,> Frl.'IKh tUl1\l.' of Ik)urbon. li"Q/(! ': I1lcan.., in Catalan Hhe \\ ho Iml'> H, :1:' in Engl¡"'h Htmtler H

Pm1idas i ... ,t eompibtion of C.t ... lili:tn .md Leoncsc law ... ordCfl.-d by King Alfo!l'o() X Ihe \,\.¡<,(.. and (.·omplell..'d in 126'). The 1110 :-.1 popular pl,lZ;t of old ,\burid. Anll."riCI in Spain Illcan,> Ihe emire comincm from AIa.,>k;1 10 Tio.:rr:1 dd Fuq;~o. Thi ... ¡..,tlll." ¡\ l ini..,II'Y of Infr:t ... tnIClure,>. Public Works. ctc. Agricultul·C \\;('" Ihen incJu<.kd. hUI no\\' il b a :.epar:l1e ,\lini. ... ll")'.

.. ¡\ Gral/ \ ·íl/, or Granel ¡\ "cmlc, ¡ ... a fealUre of Ihe modcrn :->ection. ... of many Slxmi ... h cilics. Calle - :.lrCCI: /.)(1:;0)(>" JXh ..... I~l.·\V;¡y: .. Ca/ll'iúlI - :tlley.

1" ¡\'Iigud de lln:tllluno \\ :1:-> :t Ij;¡:.<.¡uc, ;¡ di-;tingu¡..,hed \\'riler ,md philo:.oplwr, Ikelo!" of I hl.' Uni\ cr:.il)' of Salamanca.

16 1

MADRID The N:uional POSI AdminiSIr::nion h:\d IwO build­ings in Madrid that c une to be emblema tic of the cil)'. Frorn Ihe 18th centuly the 111;¡in Post Officc W:IS loc:i1ed in Puelta del Sol, in wh:u \Vas Ihen ca11cd Casa dI:." Correos (Mail I-Iouse), now Ihe omc\:: of the I'resident of the Autonomous Madrid Governmenl. From the early 20l h century, the cen tral POSt Office is in Ihe Pabcl.! of Communications in Pbza de la Cibeles Ohe hub of Madrid), preselllly belonging 10 the General Secrelari:l l of Com munications 10 providc in its central hall all sOr! of post:11 :lIld tekgraph s<::r­vices. Architect Ventur::\ Itodríguez begun \\'ork 011 the firsl building in 1756, bul was replaced four ye:\r5 latcr by thé French llrchitect Ja ime Marquet, who fi n ished the building as it stands in lhe prcsent time. Themail service anel adminis­\I':Jtion in Ihe capital dty revolved :¡boUI ¡his building, togelher wilh Ihe aeljllcenl Casa ele Postas, linked 10 :!II the Spanish provinces by Ihe Iclegraph since 1848.

Prompted by Ihe limilalions of Ihese build­ings, Ihe Government decide<! 10 ca]] ~\ compel i­lion for a new building. The design by Antonio Palacios and Juli~n Olamendi \Von the comesl (1905). being the site Ihe S:1n Juan Gardens, Ihe J:¡st remnanl of the Buen Retiro. The final design \Vas compleK-d in 1904. making Ihis building the firSI I'OSI Officc of Ihe 20lh c<;:ntury, thm \Vas to be followed by al! the others. The conSlnlclion began in 1907 and on 14 March, 1919. the b u ild­ing was solemnly open in Ihe prcsence of Ihe King and Queen.

Professor Chuec~1 Goilia. \Vho knows the building \Vell , as his father did Ihe C:llcubtions for Ihe ~teel structure of Ihe lelegr::lph lower in ils cenl re, accuralely defined Ih is building saying that it looks "monumental, conceived as a pan of the cit}'. Ihe Ooor plan being a compromise betwcen symmel rical solulio ns and fre(.-dom of layout.. The cenlral hall is a true urban p b7.a penetrated Ihrough arches ... Ihe interior p):¡n is open, dominaled b y a cross-shaped hall reaching Ihe entire height of the building in the dOtllcd central hall. On Ihe Ir .. msept sils Ihe d oek lower as the bnlern tower of a r-,'Iedieval cathedral. .. " This gave re:tSQn 10 the popular nickname o f Our L:.tdy of lhe Pos!. Aside from Ihese m o re or less :mecdolic aspt!cts. Ihe building breathes moder­nily and constnlclivc innov:llion in its exposed fivcted .slee! structure, and in delails relating il 10 the Vicnnese archilec[ure of those times. The sculplllral mOlifs by Angel Garda are highly beauli ful.

From 1980 10 1992 some reforms have been carried o ut by Ihe Head of Ihe Archilectu ral

162

Scction . Anlonio de Sab-Nav:llTO y Revener. \Vho also \Vas in charge of remodelling the buildings of Seville (1990). Cordo\':! (981) , Gijón (1996) and Gr:anada (1980).

CORUNNA ( A CORUÑA) Amollgst Ihe sllrprising images thal can be found in the old POSI Offices, the Con.mna ones pre­senls an e.xp ressivc r.:l\ionalisl :md fUllction:d acccnl. In slead of searching for loe:ll colour in Ihe drawer of regioll:llislic reSOurces, :lS \Vas habilually done. Con.mna offcrs :1 ncw version. Ihe re.-.lllt of :1 design produccd by Joaquín Olamendi an cJ I.uis 1.07.:1110, arch ilcclS of the Directol':Jle Gener::¡] of Ihe POSI, wha completed Ihe plan sholtly befare 193 1, as Ihe building was conslruded belween Ih:1I year and 1934.

¡\n impressive eXlerior dresses a stccl Stn.IC­lure. prob:!bly Ihe first eVt.:r c rectt'd in Corunn:1. resling on wooclt:n pilcs drivcn into Ihe s:lIld. ;¡S

Ihe soil, nexl 10 Ihe ocean, is a difficull one. lt sits between the D:í rsena (inner harbour) ancllhe old Muelle de Hierro ( iron dock). not 100 far fr0111 tlll.' sile occupied earlier by Ihe POSI scr­vices. in MontolO streel near Plaza de Marb Pita.

The n<;:w building. w ith :11·chitecl Antonio Tenreiro Rodríguez in chargc of managing Ihe works. was conslructed in Ihe shon Alcalde Manuel Cas~s strcel, between Marina :md Alférez Provisional streels. In ils truly superb aspecl, much of Anlonio Tenreiro·s talent is round. such as Ihe exquisilc formal purily of the volumes, :dlhol1gh the creative trealment of su rfaces :IIII11CIS ('ven morC: Ihey for111 projecli ng planes of highly slricl geomcl ry. :1S can be seen in olher buildings slill cxisling in Ihe dI}'. designed by Ihis Corunna architecl graduated frOI11 the ¡VI:!(lrid School of Architectu re in 1919, :md the besl inter­preter of r.:ilionalism in Con.l!ln::l.

The interior, rcformcd in 1980, Slill shows many dewils in Ihe 1\11 D¿co manner, :lS lhe stain-gbss roof thal provicJes lighl 10 the rnain hall. In one word, an archileclUral je,veJ of Span ish mtion:¡lislll.

V1GO Berore Ihe presenl locmion, Ihe postal services occupied other buildings. never Iheir o\\'n. in Príncipe and Vel~zquez Moreno streels. These prec:1rious f:lci1ilics moved Ihe Yigo Cil)' COllncil 10 consider a Ile\\' building when the ·19 15 Royal Decree was published. This Decrc.--e created Ihe plan 10 buile! forty nine Post Offices in an eqllal nUlllber of Spanish cilies, inclllding Vigo. The amount allol\ed 10 Yigo was considerably higher

thall o lher Galician ci l ies. such as Corunna amI Ouren.sc (Ponlevedr::! had a just finisht..·d build­ing). Ihis highcr budget W:lS juslific:d by Ihe need 10 scrvicc Ibe German and Brili.sh cables.

The plol o f Ihe old Cusloms \Vas not irnmedi­:I\ely avaibble. ¡hus del:iying ¡he c!esign compe­lilion Ihal \Vas nOl published until 1920. The panel chose ¡he enlry hy Ihe Vigo :u·chilecl Manuel GÓ111ez It01ll:11l. gr.:tcluated in M:!drid in 1917. allhough he had been pr:Jclising ;¡rchilec­Itlre for some lime befare. :md so Ihis is not :\ work o f :in c:tger beginncr. bul the resuh of lInhurried m:i1uril}'. as clearl}' shown by Ihe building archilt.!cll1rc. The conslruction was nOI approved until 1924. and contraclor Vicenle Calderón wenl :thead \Vilh the works righl away. Afler lhe access through 111\.! new Reconquista Slreel \Vas resolved. the building \Vas finaJly in service by l\'I:lrch 1930. It also has a fronl tO Sanliago str<:el and the enlry is placed in Ilw chamfcrcd comer with : \ 11 allic and lhe COlllrl10n dock in ::111 post:ll buildings. The novelty in rcspecl of other buildings of Ihal lime is that Ihe archilccl did nOI lake recourse 10 historie or regionalistic expressions, nOI even 10 Ibe eas)' eclectic l:mguage, but ralher showed a decidcd \ViII to place ¡he building in Ihe moc!ernilY daimcd by the funclion il was calleel 10 perform. So, the architecture is sober and b:\re and his main concern was lo open brge windows in Ihe fas;ades Ihrough which the metal Slructu re is vis­ible from Ihe outside.

ZARAGOZA (SARAGOSSA) After being placed in :1 modesl house in Refugio street, corner 10 San Jorge slreel , not far from Ihe important I)on Jaime Slreel thal culs through the historie core of Ihe cit)', Ihe POSI service was moved to Paseo de la Independencia, built on the plol o f Ihe old Pign:i1c][i Theatre, next 10 Ihe famOllS Sanl,l Eng rada Church. Antonio Hubio y Manín, graduated from the Madrid School of Archilectu re in 1909, complete<! Ihe design in 1918.

This is one of Ihe clcaresl examples of Nco~ r,.·l udéjar archilecl urt! , ::111 epigone of hiSloricism where , togelher with elcmems of obvious Moorish inspiral ion. such :lS Ihe rhombi or se/JI.m formed by illlercrossing arches. we see half-cirde b:l lconies :l11d windows Ihal llave nothing to do wilh slIch mOlifs or with Ihe alfiz fmming ¡he tllain door. The emire conSlrUClion presenls :_ brge brick mass, lightened by sorne coloured lile louches, w here a limid conlraSI of masses is observed in the caves ancl crenelbtions intend­ing to evoke Medieval memories. The ground

k·H.:1 ¡.., re~I\'l_"(1 with porchl."~. the :':II11e as 311 huilding .. in thb Paseo de b Independencia. set fOl1h \\ ilh force by Iht! rep<:lition of half-circle archl."~. :L . ., in the rt!st of Ihe fa~:adc. for which Ihe aUlhor of the Terucl P()~ I Omec b ft!membered. T he huildir,g was upcned in 1926 and Ihe inleri­or n.'fllfhi~hl."d in 1982.

VALENCIA Aftef the Barrio de Pl."'><.. .. ldon.::. (Fbhl.:rmen

Borough) wa:. remoddled. :md eOl11 lxoling wilh Ihe Cil)' Hall on Pl:lza de Ca:-.telar - no", P:IÍ"> Valenciano-- thl.: po:.tal bui lding \Va:. buill belwL·o.:n 1915 and 1922. 'J1,l." de:-.ign \\':1"; Ihe winner of a publie contesl hdd in [915 which pand \Vas formed by arehilecI:. t ui:- I..andecho, Vi<:t'nlL' Hodríglll:z. Fr.tl,cbco Alrnen:lr. Federico Ayrnamí .tnd Francisco ~ I Or:.I, then lhree bst n:uncd imolved in Ihl.: lame con"lf"\Iction projects undcrt;lken by the dly of V:llend:1 in thl.: Ilrsl qual1er of Ihe 20th cemury.

11,i., ¡ur)' gr.tnted the a"ard 10 Ihe yOll11g Ar:lgone.,e architCCI i\liguc1 1\:1\·:lrro P ..... rez, who fir,,1 :Lth:nded tlle Barcelona Sellool, huI complcl ­ed hi:-. Mudies in Ihe ArchileclufL' 5(·hool of l\ ladrid, ",hefe he gradual t:d in 1911. The Cornl.:f stone \\a., bid wilh a grcal civil-rdigioll!'> ecre­mony,on 11 NO\'cmbcr, 1915. Thc \\'orks pro­ceeded .,10\\ Iy :lnd \\ere fini.,hed 00 31 De(·ember. 1922, 111e omdal dedi<:;Ltion. on 1'-1 ~Ia}". 1923, \\'a.-. allendl.:d h}' Kit1~ Alfonso XIII.

111e eXlerna1 a:.¡x.--a. b magnifieent. within tht: edectic architectur.ll bngllage then in vogue, wilh :-pcdal :lItention 10 Ihe clolllo.:-sll:llx:d 001:1-mo.:nl . ., ('f()wning tht: fapele o.:nel:-, :1 ... wdl :L!'> Ihe nH:t;¡J lurr\:!\ for Ihl.: le1cgraph, no\\' d i"appeared. :11 which fool \Vas the :l1\\'ay!'> pro.!M.!1l1 dock. Th .... ar(hitcct, in hb repon . I.:xplained Ihe :-Iyle he cho'oC for Ihl." huilding !'>ayiog thal il bdonged 10 a ~uoi\ef'>:11 :'1}'le of moderni:-ed Ikn:li .. sanec .. : ft'pre!,>(:llling a ~,., vl."ril;lbll.: rt:\i\,1I of cbs. .. ic .,Iyll..· ... . ~ It aCIll:llly ol"X'y., 10 a frL'C-:lI1d-l."3S)' compo .. ilion combinmg da ..... ic elemenb, !'>lIch a:-. Ihl.: lonic (·olonnade of Ihe main fa("ade, ",i[h o[h­er-. of \'ague l:rench origin, huI alt 1xorfectly inll..'­g l~lIed. The same occur!'> in the imerior l¡¡rge oval-:-.h:t¡"X: hall, whert: :m irol1"'Ofk roof and excdJent !'>I:tin ~bss by .\ l:tumeje:lI1. creal """, an :1I11ple and luminOll') :-.p:lce, \\ hich monumental feding b enh:lI1cLxI hy Ihl.: 1ll:lrble columns ... ur­rmmding lhe hall. TIl<.· sCulplllre gTOup!'> o f lhe faudt:. reprt.~ntíng Ihe five conlinenl:-. ,tnd alle­gorie., of:l .. hip :lI1d a locomoli\ c \\ere excculed by Carlo:- Palao :tnd \'iClor 1 lino.

MAlAGA Thc Po.'>1 b identifictl in ~ I :'ilag:t b) 1\\"0 \ery dif­feren! building!'>. On olle h:md. Ihe P:IM;!O del 1':1I"<j 1l0.: !'>ilt!, d:ning from Ihe fir!'>1 gener:llion o f pO:-I:t1 huilding.'>. slill remain." and on the olher h:II1c1, Ihc d ly is proud uf posse~.,illg (JI1C of Ihe 1110:-1 nuxJern Post Offiee huildings in u ur cou n­Iry. T he hhlory of Ihe Post in ¡\ I:'tlaga Ix:~ins \\' ith the office th:lt exislLxI in :11' old building bcing Iho.: nonh side of Ihe c:nhedr:t1. nHJ\ed in 1923 to a ne\\ building. This \\,a., Ihe re.,ult of a 1916 COll1 lxotition wun by Te<xloro An:I .. :tga"li )' Alg:ín. ;ln :lrchiIL't-1 gr..ldu:ltctl from IllI..' School of ~[:¡drid in 1906. The conslnlClion contr:lCI \\"a., :t\\"ar<k-d in 191- :Lnd :-.ix ye3 r:-. 1:II<::r the building \Ya.'> clt:;d­iC:lled. Ahhough Ihe building b no lon\:!r u:-.o.:d as a 1'0:-1 uffiel.:. il kccps al! [he feature!'> 0 1' Ihe pio­neer !'>piL"it Ih:1I dfUVI..· Ihi . ., lirsl go.:ner:n ion of po:.tal buildings, ",here archileclur..11 hi .. turic :md regionalht Irends timL'(1 Iheir fa(;:¡de~ and details,

'111i .. huilding. loc:ned in a prhilegL'(1 si te 1"X'[\\"ccll the CU.'>lOms IlouS\:! :md Ihe U:mk of Sp:Lin, (JI' the ... 'lme side of Ihe .,lfL'Cl :1:-' Ihe TO\\"1l 11:111. wa., ah:tndonL--d :tnd Ihe 1'0:.1 Offiee moved to a no.:\\" 1\\cI\'e-:-torcy building on A\eni(b de Andalucía, w hich architeetllr:t1 image ha., nOlhing 10 d o wilh hi..,lory or Ihe area. tht: .,ame a:. Ihe :-.t:1"\'ict:s pro\'ickd then ha\ l' Hule in comlllon with tho:.e o ffl."red loday in lhi:. Olllllllllnications :lnd 1)0.,1:11 S:l\-ings B::tnk Building, do.:.,ignl"Cl by archilecb l.uÍ.'> Gon7..:ílez CntZ and Juan Salaben S.mcho ( 198()). 1'\\"o diffcrenl period .... t\\O dif­fe!"l.:nt ;lfchitecb, From:t gener..t1 ])lil1lh r:tÍ'>cs the main Im\'l'r \\ilh lIniform fene.,tr:l\ion whieh. l"X'hind prt:fah concrele unit:., hide., Ihe :.lccI con.: (Jf il. .. stnlC!u rc. The w hiteno.:., ... nf il . ., g('->Qmetry Ihe deo.:p :-ea hlue of i\1:'il:tg:t :-ky, log\:!lher wilh c:treflllly Ihouglll out :.h:ldc." make il a Ifuly lIn iqllo.: building.

AVlLA Thc plot adjacent 10 thl' \\'al1., of the demolbhcd ;lk:l /.ar in A\ila \\a.'> initially planned for the ne\\" PO:-.I :In<l Tclegr..lph b uilding. Architecl!'> ,\ liguel de lo~ S:lnlo.~ and Jos':' Marí:t Le(!L,.,ma devo.:lopt:d in 1930 :1 very interc:-lin~ de.,ign for Ih:1I sit e. They arlk"ub led Ihe :;Iony ma.,!'> :tnd lile !'>ohl'rly lurfl..·h.:d bearing of Ihe huildioj.: corner.,. all very conlained. \\"ilh :-;ome hi:.lorici.,1 l'oncl.:., .. ions. .. uch a., Ihe Illoulding around Ihe don~atL'<:1 \'OU.'>­'>(li" of Ihe main entr:mce.

It dap!'>L'<:1 '>()me time bdore "I;lrting tht: con­.. Inlction, hut io tt diffel"l..'nt .. ilo.:, ;11-;0 hi~hly

ml.:anin!-:ful. : ... \\"a .. lhe I:md 1..·;lr1io.:r occupied by Ihe Bbhop·., Pabee, c!on:llo.:d by Iho.: ~ I inbtry of the Interior in 1932. Thb wa .. I:l .. ~e propcrty,

loetlly kno\\ n :IS Ihc Qld Pal:tce or Pa lacIO' of Ihe 1:30)' Kin!-:. on ",hil'h a l (Í{h cenlury ponal ami a comer windo\\' rcmained uf [he ruined building. A portion \\'as .scgrl'g:lIed 10 huild. hetwcen 19'18 and 1955 Ihe prcscnl PO!'>I and Tde~raph Qffiec. Tht: old dc~ign \Vas diS<::lrded al1d a ne\\' one cummb!'>iol1ed 10 Luis L07.:lno Lo..,ill:l. :trch itt!ct of Ihe Di rl'clOl~tlc General o f Ilu: 1'0:-1 and Tckgr:lph :lI1d allthor of otller building., huilt in Ihu .. o.: ycar.. a:- Ihe o ne in S:mla Cnt/. de To.:nl'fifc.

Lozan() deart:d Ihe :-.ile for the ne\\ building, hUI he u:-L--'(I Mlme of the Renab .... :mce palacIO' a~h­lar:. :md lllaint:linL'<i Ihe h:me[some comer win­do\\ ero\\ nl..·d by Ih\:! bi.-.hop·.'> :lrn¡.,. hUI pl:lCo.:d il higher than \\ h:1\ it origin:llly \\'a~. in Ihe angle of T()~I:Ldo :-.tl"eet and Ihe CatllL'dr:tl Pl:tza. Thl." cOlllpO.~ilion u f Ihe fa~~ad(: and openin¡..t .. i!'> !":.Ilhe!" dull, in :-pile of the effort.~ made by Ihe designer 10 fil :t monument:11 emr:tnco.:, Tile imention wa!'> 10 make it luok like Ihe numher of be:luliflll doorw:!):- o.:xi.,ling wilhin Ihe dI)' \\:111.,. BU! thl.: n..: .. uh \\a., onJy half-\\'a)' :md the hi.,toricbl gc:-­turc a failure, il .... weaknc.,!'> made more c\'idenl by Ihe proxirnily of Ihl." C:l lhcdr:11 :md the VCI:Ld:L paLlel'.

CruDAD RODRIGO Themail .,I.:rvict: occupie!'> .. i11ce 19'11 :111 ole! p:lbce, une of Ihe 111:111)' l'xbling in Ihe noble dI). TI,i:. b tlll..' \':ízqucz p:llace dalL'(1 in Ihe cad)' 161h cl.:ntllry. It ¡., a Ren;¡i,-~ancL' hOll.,e \\'ilh :111 e.'iClItchL'On. slill .,ho\\ing Gothk" remi­ni.,cence:-. :1 ... C:H1 be "el.:n in Ihe mOlllded door fr:ulle ancl in Ihe main b:lkon)', bOlh in a r:m:: cnrno.:r :-.olution.

The p!"esent :t:-.pt!cl of the building. thOllj.:h, is due 10:10 impon:llll rcform madl' in 1923 hy the rna.~ler huilder ~bnud Garda FerrI.:Ím ret'linl.:d h)' tilo.: th \:!1l ownl.:r" of the huilding. Don ~ Ianucl

S:'inchcj'·Arjona y \'eJaseo. \\'ho \\"a., the mayor of the lown. and ()oi'l:1 Mari:1 Bernaldo d~ Quir6:. y Bu .. ti1lo, \\hv inhahilL'(l Ihe pabce until 1929,

AlthollAh Ihe I.:xlerior .trchi(ecturl' i .. ..oher :md monoIOIlOLl". the interior .. 110,,!'> :1 fir"l da:-:­eolour vilalil)' owing 10 Ihe pre~o.:nee of SI..·\'i1l i:LI1 lile :-heh'c!'> :md dado . .,. In be!, (he !'e\ilh:: CCr:lI11-ic faclol)' Viud a de Tova Vill:llb:1 provi(k el in 192j Ihe \\all-co\'ering m:neri:11. who.:rl..· blamic in"pired pattt:rn~ are COlllhinL'(1 \\ith GOIhk :md l:ul..'-ll1exk·rni-.¡ic molif~. :111 \\ ilh in :tn L'Cll'Clic conce,,1 of .. hape and eolour. \lo.:XI to .,im])ly ornamental .,hape:-.. pictorial '>('cnes of hunting :tnd Don Quixol<" are indud(.--'(J, \\-ilh Ihe ho.:r:lldic ;lccompanim(.·nt of thc o\\ner.,· .. CO:l\'o of Mms. 1r1 on o f Ihe coffercd cciling., one <.~ 1l1 read Ibe!'>l." 1110110.,: "Alifes fJlIl! Dios ji/era Dios J' 10.\' /x'úascos

163

pcilll,\CfJ3, 10..\ Q/lilTÍs C'rllll Q/lir6s J' los l'elasco I (.Jascos ", :1' .. \, •. ,11 a.. I)"s!Jllés di' Dios. la casa de QfliI'ÓS'~

O" lkfon: (iud \\J" Gol.! ¡md Ihe 1lX'k.. Ilx·k ... . Ihe Quirú ... \H.·n .. · Qllillh .md Ihe \eb'>l'o \d;I-'(:o~ .. mO aflt'"r (i(xl. Ihe h()u't'" 01 QuirÓ'>

SEVU.LE In an ah. ... o lulcJy preeminenl pbct.'.:t.s i ... Ihb :>C<.'­lion of Ih .... · pre ... elll Con.slilulioll A\'elluc. in fronl of Ihe calhedr.11 ami Ihe UJl/ja (dcaring hOll .... ....,). no\\ Archi\e ... of Ihe Indie." a ,>pectacubr build­

ing \\,1' crcl"ll..'d 1X:1\\L!l..'n 1927 :lIld 1930. Ih:ll look Iht· 1'....-la)' from Ihl..' old OIlC hou¡.;ing Ihe PO:;I sl..' l'\'k .... · in San Aca,io 'Irel..'l. Thí:. W:I.s :111 int ..... r­

e,ling 171 h ct·nlul'Y AlIglhline frbr... mona.slely de..,e<:r:.lh.!d during Ihl..' May of Jo.scph 1 BOllap:lrle in Sc\ilk amI h:ld h:ld ....... ·\(:r:d USl..':-' during Ihl..' 19th cenlul)'. induding Ih:1\ of main Pusl 3ml 1'clcgr:lph Oflke. 011 ,he occa..,ion of a ,isil of Alfon,o XII I lO Ih:ll 1X::luliful building. :m:hilecl Lui. ... 1\I:lrí:l CIIx:ll0 1..::¡piL""(Ir.t W;L') commi, ... ioned

in 1911 to rduhi!i\;LIe il. whkh he did in an l:xemplary manner :lnd lotal re.,pt'cl for ¡he old

:lrehiteelur:LI pieee. liut tlt\.· dt)' ".h then preparing th(;' grcat

Ibcro-AmericlIl E..xhibition (1929) and thb aUllO.,­phen: prompted to mm'e 1111.' Ptht OOlce to a fir.1 da ..... .,ile in Ihe m()~¡ reprcsl. .. nt:llh .... · mea of th<.· dly. Ihl,:' old Atrolí de la Sal. that Ihe ¡\\unicip:llit)' don:lled to the ~lin¡,lry of the Inl(;'rior (() build

the ne'" cenlr::11 p()~t OmCl:. The design wa., made, once a~:lin, by Joaquín Olamendi amI I.uh Lozano. Aiving Ihe building:1 B:lroque-like cha l'­:let....·r. blll with m:Lny highly imere ... ling An Dél.'o

moulding'. dC::lail, :md orn:um:nh. The :Ixi.s of Ihe 111:111' faClde eamc out Illonument:d amI spec­laeular. '0 Ih:ll fur ~onlt' une llnawan.::. cOllld pass ;h ;1 \\ork of long pa':>':>ed lime.s. p:lrticubrly h)

Ihe \\ ay Ihl..' lriple enlr::lnee wa, Ireatl..'d or by Ihe GIl"\'in~ nI' Ihe formi<bblc ",,,,clltchc::on placed on IOp of il.

'01 le.,:- .,urpri ... ing b the huge t"o-.store) high <:emr::LI hall. \\ ilh ardu: ... on colllmn:-. whert· 1r::ldilioLl ami m(x!crniIY Jin.. logclher in an adrnir::Lhlc \\ a)' and crC:llc :1 ,p:lci:¡] sequence re:dly plea ... am :md llneX¡>t.'<.1ed. A COrlltT ... Iair­\\a)' a ... in a doi'ler link~ Ihe'>C l\\"O m.ain Ic\eb. Durin¡..: Ihe rehahilit:llioLl works CLrriL"d OUI Ix:tw\.'"Cn 19HB and 1992, Ihe large .stain gla.,s roof of Ihe lull \\;\, pUl hac k again :md a grt'":1I can .. wa ... pLln:d in rel"\)\ering Ihe bl..':lutiful nllmlx:r of grilb Ih:1I ell1lx:llisll\.'"(1 Ihe building in il:-. inilbl

period.

16-1

LOGROÑO 11\e l.ogrono Po ... t Offic .... · an,\\er.. 10 a rigorouslr h.d:IIK .... ·d ,tnd 'YlIlmclrit'al composition. ils "'Irle cxpre",!'>(..·d in '\.·o-Banxlue lerm.,. But Ihh his­torkal COIl<.'e.,.,ion aOe<.·" onl}" Ih\.· ... kin of Ihe bllildin¡..:. \\ here the moukling' and \\indo" trim-ming rqlCal thc ornamental ... Iu~¡"'hne ........ of olher

B:lroquL! "ork" 'e\ enhdc ........ , beyond Ihb Tlusk undcrlic .. a \\..:tt bid out architecLlIrc with eert;lin ..... pir::l1ion ... to modern fllnclionalily. eman:Lting hOlh fmm Iht· original de,ign and Ihe later eon­

,¡nl<.' lion m.Ln,L~eruenl ,

'\1ü ... le:"\.. u." lO ... urnmarbc Ihe ,lrelchL-d Oln

COn.,lrllCl ion proec,¡.,. beginning with Ihe demoli­lion in 191M 01" th\.· ~,111 Agu,>,fn cOIwcm church. Ihal g:IVt' name 10 Ih<.· plaza \\ here the pre:-enl Post and Tcle~mph huilding ri.~c.,. By then Ihe eorupclilion was .dready opcn irwiting Spanish architL'CtS 10 ,uhmit preliminal)' <.k·,i¡..:ns. Tht' entr}" hy Cayo Ikd6n Tapir :lI\d Ibbcl Pérez

\ 'aldé:-- \\ ,L'" dl<N.·n 10 pa ... .s lo Ihe' .sccond ph:"" ...... Ikdún \\3' .In ;¡rehiten ... ¡nee 191/ and ]:¡ter IX:GLme full profe ..... or 01' C:L1elllll~ in Ihe $<.·hool of An:hilL'Cture of \1.ldrid. But it ... e .... ·llb th:lI lhi'> fin~d pha'o(..· of the compclilíon \\ ':" dt-cI:lrL-d ,"oid,

I\nr "¡I}·. Il1is dc,ign mtht han.· Ix:en left al Ihe 1110.,1 .,uil;lhle, a .... il \\ as e\ .... ·ntually execuled by thl' Rioja ¡¡rehill.'<.·\ Ag;lpito dd V:lile. gmdu:l1t'd from the \Iadrid School in 1922 and ;11\ :Ls....cx:i:Lte of C:.lyO Ikdún in hi, \1:ldrid offiee hetWt"'eLl 1922

and 192 t. Th .... ·n dd \¡¡Ik- mO\ed 10 Logmño and \\":1' eOTlHni, .... i<lnl.·d to carry out the works of the P(ht Qmce in 1<)2"', which he did lIntil thcir ded­

icllion in 1932, Likc m;tn}' Other huilding:-- 01" Ihe ~:une gener­

:I\ion, thí:. of I.ogroi'lo (x·cupil..'.s a whole hlock.

Ihu:- :lIIO\\ing 10 div\.'r:-.ify the aeee.ssc.s. Ihe puh­lie entram:e on th..: m:lin I"acade :lI\d Ih .... · baek one rOL' \·chicle .... ancl Inading d<)(."ks. with emplo)'ee:-.

entr:mn.:'" on Ihe ... idl..' ~lrcel',

GRANADA Thlo' l1r..t mail and Idegraph hou.se., \Verc in

Rl're .... Católi<.'{).s "'In:et. in :1 plol Ihat disaplx:arl'd "I\\.'n th ... halx:1 la Cllólica Plaza "as open, ·n\c ... e \,,-·re tlw )ear.. 01' a ch::ep urhan refonn thal affe<.·led tlw \¡¡uhing o\'l,;r Ibe Darro ri\er. \1:1l1iglU Bai,1 .. tr\.'"(:t .md Pm::!1;\ Ikal Plaza , ",here

Ihe ne\\ l'o~1 omc .... · \\ a .. 10 Ix: huil!. 11 ... 1 :Uld~ in a ~h:lrp <.·orn .... ·r of the pbza cre;lIed "'hen Ihe ;11\::1 \\ ,h r\.·llloddled ( 19 11 l. t\rchilect.s Joaquín Olamendi :md Lui... Lozano I..o.silla made Ihe de,ign for Ih .... · huilding in 19 ¡] and the "'ork ... \\"ere C;lrrk'd out from 1911. The conslruCl ion '-;0011 r:1Il ¡nto rOllndation p1'oh1cm<¡ due lO Ihe :-:lnd .. 01' Ihe l):lITO ri\'er Ih:11 run .... Ihrough Ihe :--ilt:

in ib \\:I) 10 111\.'cl Ihl.· Genil. :1l1d lhi.s dclayed fur ... c\er:11 }l..',u ... th:11 fir..1 and c ......... ·ntial '\.age. Once '01\1:0 Ihe prob1cnh. Ihlo' huildin!-( W:h uedicaled

un 13 Jun .... ·. 19SH. Th\.· thr ..... e b<':;ldc ... of the huilding ar .... · Ir..:at .... '<.1

in the lypiC~¡1 d".sit· ... 1)1<: of "pani ... h Pllhlic archi-"-'eture in the '~,. I kre il i ... ha-.cd on pila,!e,..., rlo',ting cm ;LIl impun;mt plinth crowned hy :m attil.', in k .... '\.·ping \\ith Ihe cnlcl . discipline<! lo'xprc., ... ion of tht· irbtitutional building~ of Ihal time. 1'he u:>\'" of ... IOrllo' in ... harp-edged :hhlar, :md rnouldings contrihull.·" 10 the monum ... nlal Ch:LL~ l cler of the building. íb m:Lin f:K::lde empha-.,i ... ed hy other 11\.:1' .... e' :110p in 111<...'" .s:Hlllo' "'ay Iht·., .... · arcllitecb h;¡d don .... ' in olhlo'r po,lal huilding ... of

Ih:1I rx:riod.

GERONA ( GLRONA) \X' h(x:\,cr ... trol\.. by \\"luI i., no\\ Ihe Gr.m Vi;¡

,Jaime l. "iIl hardl y 1>lhpcCI the :I\cnul..' i., \aid o\'er Ihe I~ L lllpan Ih"l in medie,";ll til11\:.·') prote<.·t­ed Ihe \!creadal hOfOlIgh on Ihe other h:mk or

Ihe rin:r Onar. In one cnd 01' the :I\enulo', ne"r Indqx:ndencc Sqllare and \\ith it ... b;LCk 10 Ihl' rher, on th .... · ... ite 111:11 one .... · W:l':> the Figuem];¡ Bul"ark ... t,1I1<b the impo..,in¡..: Po..,t ;md Tl.·l ... gr:Lph

Qffiee If \\e did not kn()\\ th(;' funnion of Ihe build+

ing \\lo' w(luld ¡hink it \\a.~ allothc:r in~lilutinn .

.,ince it look ... more lik<...· a DijJ/lttlci6n (provincial go,"crnm\.·nt) or a O>urlhou.,e. and dep:uh fmm Ihe l"ommon ... I}'k· of PO,¡ Offke ... , \\ith lo'\ .... ·n ,1

dOll\\.'"(1 fa(":ade thal recalb :11\ a.stronomy ob~el"\:l-

1(1)'. Indeed. Ihe nobilit y of the huilding. it.s ",dI h:lbneed 111:'" o n an irr<"glllar sh:lped plol. Ihe sillcerily of exprc.,.,ion 01' Ihe Lll:lleri:d,. tlw <.·olollr derÍ\cd from tht· cOl11hin;uinn 01' grey 1\ lontjuieh .stone wilh r .... ·ddish brick. Ihe colllmn

fr::1I11ing of the cenlral haleon)'. the- e.sculcheon:--. reHef~ and :-t:Hue ... , rl\:Lke Ihis one of Ihe m01>(

nouhk' building ... in Ihe dI). c\cn il bck~ Ihc ¡\lidd1c Agt: IXl tina or other dt) hOlLse~,

Thi~ POsl Omec ,,¡¡, included in Ihc city li .... 1 of thlo' fir .... t 19 1:; p);¡n for po.,lal corl'>tnlction:--. :In

inilíal hudg\.'1 01' 29.\.'50 ¡:x::--eta, h;l\'ing heen as.. ... ign\.-d to il The \\ork, mu ... l ha\ ... Ix.-tn under­t:lken "el)' "'oon :Iftl·r. a, the)' ,,"ere finished b} 1920, Th\.' de.,igncr., wer .... · th\.· Cat,Lbn,., Enriqulo' Cal :í y Cat;1 ;lnd Eu.,d)io Bona Puig. gr:ldllaled from the B:Lrcclon,1 S<..'hool of Architcl"tlIre in 1903 and I<)IS. rt:sJX.'<.1Í\·dy. who \\"orkt:d in 'llch "'¡gnificanl hlli1din~, :1'" Ihe National Pal:lC<o" in \loT\ljuich. ror ti\\.· 1929 Exhihilion. :¡nd the Pedr:IIIx:., 1':1 1:1<:\.'. hOlh in Iltrc .... ·lona.

Arnong:--I olh..:r inl .... ·rc'ting a'peets of thlo' Gerona ]lo.,1 Ome\.·. de ....... ·f\c I\lenlion th\:.· reHef:-.

figures :md Olher slaluary delll\..'OIS dlK' 10 Ihe not:lble snllplor Federico Marés, who inlerpreh:d lile allegorics ;\nd ~ymbols in lile pure:.1 cbs:-.ic and Medilen'anean Imdilion.

DONOSTI (SAN SEBASTIlu~) The 1\\"0 imponant building~ u~cd by Ihe ("enl!";ll po:.tal scrvke of Ihis eil)' \Vere nOI initi:tlly <:on­ceived for Ihis purpose. AClUally. bolh were hefore Ihe munici¡xd School 01' Ans and Tradcs. The firsl one \\':IS Ihe building Ihis School had in Andía Slrecl corner 10 Garillay, in Ihl:: back oflhL' Dipulación Provincial p.LIaCC Ihal prl::sides de Pina de Guipüzcoo. in the he:lI1. of Ihe firsl exlcnsion sector. Jos~ de: Goicoa \Va:. Ihe ,ll'Chi­leCI for ¡he School :tnd Ihe ael:lpl::l\ion \Va::. Glr­ril.:d OUI by ::Irchilecl l{amón Alela)'. 11 \Vas no d oubl a belO\'ed building for Ihose of us \Vilo knt:\V il before il \Vas dcmolishcd 10 unify Ihe fronls of Ihe block. Thl:: "'Iyk: was ecJcclic, amI ;¡

good one, with a noble .~Ionc f::¡~ade ;\nd COI11-bined order colunl11S running in its cntire ht:ight. bUI il resullcd lOO ... mall ;md inadequatl' fro Ihe funchon il perfonned unlil 1965.

In Ihis ye;¡r the pOSI \\'as moved, by:l whim of de~tiny. lo Iho.: second Al1S and Trade::. School building, in ¡¡ privilcged :11"e:l of Ihe d !y. al Ihe b¡¡ck of Ihe Good Shepherd Calhedral amI Illak­ing a pair \\,¡Ih Ihe Provincial !-ligh SchooJ. Ihal c101ied the plaza on ils soulh side. Thl' building. although Ir::msformed 10 convert inlo posl:!1 facil­ilie<; Ihe dr;¡wing, industrial mech:tni(·s. conslruc­lion malerials. garmenl manufacture. horticullurl.:. Cle.. c1ass rooms. lme! the museut11 :md libr::lry. ele .. conserves inlacl il~ magnificent o.:xlerior.

Thc Hulhor of Ihe desig11 \V:I::' Ihe San Sebastián :lrchÍlect Domingo Aguirrehengo:l, gradu:ned in 190 1, \Vho \Von Ihe C0111pClilio11 o rg:l1lised by Ihe: munidp;11il)' in 1905 fOI" Ihe I1e:W School nf A11.:; amI Tr::!(les. The comer slonc \Va ... set on 22 Janll:lIy, 1907 :lnd on 4 OCloher. 1909, Ihe buildin,g W:LS considcred finished.

The fa~adcs, covered wilh local :.:lndSIOne frOI11 Ihe 19uddo quarries. sho\\' :ln edecticism m::lrked \\'ilh note:. fmm the ViennCbe SeCession. o\\"ing [O Iheir venicllily. hUI Ihey coh:lbil wilh elements of c1ear ltali:m hl)urce. as is Iho.: hand­some relicf Frieze in vitrified ct!ramics. modcl1t:d by Ihe expen hands of Daniel Zuloag:1 in his shop of San .Juan in Segovi:!.

ZAFRA. In Z:lfr::1. 13ad:ljo% province, l he :.ervices of ¡\!:til. Tckgr:lph and POMa) S:lVing1i Bank are ioined in :1 buildin~ tha!. although buih in the 'SO:.. :.cem~

to n.:l;lin Ihl:: former criteria thal guided Ihl.: con­:-;truc(Íon of pOSI officl':-; bcfore 1936. WI.:' an:' spc:lking of the Ixdanced \Vay lO arrango.:: Ihe building :ll"Ound an axi~ 01' ::.-ymlllo.::lry, \\'ilh per­feclly compen:-':Iled mas:.es. bOlh in pbn :m de­val ion. A f¡vc-arch ponico opo.:ns in (he centre of tlle main f:u;ade providing access of Ihe public 10 Ihc interior.

The buil ding. designed in 195- :ln<llocaled in Plaza de Esp:ui:1 on municipal 1:lIld don:lIed 10 lile SI:lIC (1955), h:lS :111 aspcct of :ln 'lbsoIUle. elemental cliscrelion. The conSll1.Jclion COSI amounled Illen 10 Iillk~ more Ih:ln fivt.: mili ion pesCt:ls, :md Ihe :.ervicL':' :md offices lllovt!d Ibcn:' from ilb former borrowed location on 30 Novt.:mbcr. 1960.

CIUDAD REAL This is Ihe youngesl of the Post ,md Tc1cgmph building1i inc1l1c1ed hcre. blli1t in La ¡\bncha cap­it:tI dI}' in lhe cad}' ·90s, afler lile design 01' :trehi­le<:t Albeno Barbcrá plata:-; ( 1989). In the out­side, brick and ::.tone pUl a plea!'ant nOle of colour nn the elc:!r fa(,:ade:. "'¡Ih relicular ",ood­\\'ork in Ihe windows. in kecping ",il h Ihe ll1{xl lIlar intention Ihal overl:tys all pbnc:. and masse:. of Ihe building. Tlle prcsence of brge vertical .... pan:. of variou¡., I1cighls anu proportions is vcr)' ch:lr::lcterislic of lho:.e yt:ar:.:. as ",eH as Ihe ;unple ]¡nld~ Ih;ll SllppOrt noth¡ng. bur are lIseful 10 pro­vicie conlinuity lO adjacent volu111es, so con­Iribuling 10 ;l ceJ1a in :-;¡;¡ge setting of :lrchileclurc ilself. as if Ihey \\'crl.: thl':l\re nies.

Allhough Ihe building consisls of b:lscmenl and six :-.lOric::.. nothing allow~ 10 rclld Ihis from Ihe ou¡:;ic!t:, :1:' the br;:Ldc b conceivL'd as ;¡ sin ­gle, indepcndent elt..'menl Ihal does not renect Ihe dif fen.'nl leve].." Some feature::.- of lhe Ciudad Rc:d dcsign are somcwhal peculiar \Vhell ¡malysed from :¡ hi:>loric vic\\'poinl. for cX:lInple Ihe carpa rk in Ihe b:ISclllcnt. Thi¡:; \\'a:. cxpressly forb¡dd<:n in tlll.' firsl pO:.1 offices. as the vibrJlion ofthe mOlors di::.lurbed Ihe lelegr::lph equipnll:nt. [n [um, Ihe building beh:lviour n.'garding sclvic­ing the public i::. rcsolved :b usual: a Iarge hall arOllnd which the enlirc building re\'olves, Ihi:. one co\'ero.::d by ;¡ gbs~ cciling providing light. A:. in Lhe old times. one finds Ihere Ihe more frc­quentl y uso.:d COllnler~, :lIld Ihe ::.Iairway le~ldi ng

10 tl1e office:. in Ihe upper O(X}f:>.

SANTA CRUZ DE TENERU:E After Ihe old Custom IloL1se \\":1:. demo!i~hcd in 19"13, and to c'ontrihllle 10 Ihe mOllulllCm:tI Ch:ll'­:lcter Ihal \\'a::.- lo he dcvdoped :11'ound Iht: l'la za

de 1:"p:1lia. formc<.l on Ihe silc 01' Ihe disaplX':lrcd Ca:>!le of San Crislóbal. Ihe POSI and Tclcgraph Office \Vas blli1t on a 1"101 Ihal Ihis Ilmc was nol elonalcd by Ihe ¡\ltl11icip::llil)'. bul by Ihe C:lbildo Insular (Jsbnd Guvernmenl) inslc:ld.

The archilecl \\;IS ¡he ;" ladrileni:!n Luis Lozano Soldevilla. :¡ Illelllber of Ihe DireClor::lle General of lile POSI amI aUlhor or olhcr POSI Offict:::.. sllch as Ihose of A\' ila <lnd Gr.anada. Thc :lLllhor [ried lo eslablish in Santa Cnl% de Tenerife :1 form:tl rcblion¡:;hip wilh Ihe t:difices sUlTounding his. the Cabildo In:.ubr, by architecI José Enrique ;" Iarrero Regalado. who had 111:1de pr('\'i()u,~ly a dcsign for :L Post Office commissioned by Ihe l~land Governmenl. and o lhl.:r major buildings. slIcl1 ns 11ll.' HOlel OrotaV:l, the Círculo Mo.:>rc:111I il. Ihe Casino, etc. Lozano recurred to a b:lSic das­sicislll ancl. in lile grollnd Ooor, 10 Ihe S:lIne Gr::lnaJill:t Slo ne: Ihat can be seen in the conligu­OllS buildings thal sil with cena in aUll10rity along Ihe sea-fronl promenadc.

Lozano's design \Vas daled in 19-'3 and 11lJ"{~e yt::lr:<i lalcr IllL' \\"ork.s \VefC in full coursc. Tbe}' \\"ere finishl::d in 1957 lInder Ihe dircction of arc.:hilecl Tomás t. l:ich:ldo. intcrvcning :dso Enrique fhl11lL'u de Arma~ in Ih(.· lasl ~Iagc.

The five-::.-lorL·y building wilh a grc:H ct"ntr:tl hall for Ihe public ha::. a rcinforccd concrelc ::.-11l.1Clllre. The f:t<,:ade:. :11"1.: covercd wilb Iht: ahovc 1l1t:nlioned Gr.IIl:1dilJ:¡ Slone, fmm Ihe :.oulh of Ihe is1:tnd. :md :Irtifici:!l Slone. T he bct lh:u Ihe building 1::lkes up :1 full b lock allo\\'s 10 org:lnbl.: 11lc access separatcly, The public enlr:111('e is on Ihe fronl fa~;¡de. the enll")' for Ihe employees and Ihe hou::.ing unils ror ::'Ol11e oft1-cel":> is on 13r::1\'0 ¡\[uri l lo and Gem:r:¡1 GUli0rrez Slrl::eb, and Ihl.: lo:¡ding d(}("k i:. IOC:llcd in Ihe back :ll1ey. propcrly n:l1lled P:l:<i;¡je: de Correo~ ( PO::.I p:¡ssageway).

LAS PAUtAS D E GRAJ·: CANARIA On Priml::ro de ;"1:1yo Avcllue of L:L~ Palma:; in Granel Canary island, .sland::.- one of lhe mosl char..lcleristic 1J o::.t Office 01' Ihe ·6Os. one of Ihe fir::.l thal hroke \\ ill1 b0 111 Ihe moclc! 01' Ir::1dilion­:11 and 111:11 01' public archilectllrc lben in vo,gue. Indeed. architecI Luis G;\mir buih, IX:lwcen 1960 and 1962. Ihis Canari:!n POsI Officc ll."ing :¡ h:Jre functiollalbm in it1> .slruclural grid. m:lybe inspi re<:1 in some Ilalian ralion;¡listic model:<i.

TERUEI. The Com!llunic:llion.s P:llace, :-;0 \\'a." Ihis .,;implc building Lhcn c:¡lk'd. \Va::. built on Ihe land \\ here Ihe city Ihe::l1re :<[ood, ~()me\\'h:u wilhdr:'L\Y11 from

165

Ihe mO,,>1 :IClh'e p:lrt o f Iht.' cily, a .. \vas crilicised in ¡\!:lfch 1930 Ihe local magazine Esfam/xls "/iun/el/ses \\hen informing alx)u\ il:-- dediC:.IIion: ~ h 1:-. a p il )' Iha\ Ihe dark place wherc Ihe il b IOC::l1ed doc.. nOI pro"ide Ihe ~ph::ndoll r Ih1:-, heauliful building o f nux lern Terud ju~tly

de~ene,>~. In Ih:1I d:III.'. IhOllgh Ihe lek'gr.:lph :-;('r­vice arca \\,:1., ret 10 Ix: cornpk'(c{l.

The O ..... , dala \\ e ha"e al){)ut ,he conslruc.:lion bcgin \\ ilh Ihe don:uion or th o.:: J;¡nd 10 Ihe Slale hy Illt.' i'llunidp:llily in OClober 1915. 1110.:: dale of ¡he de~ign ¡~ lenl:Hin.:ly 1922. :md Ih,,-' :mlhor of Ihe de~ign ma}' be Enrique Huhio. Thi~ de~ign,

in racI. ha:-. n.!:-.t.'mblance wilh other Tl.::ruel build­ing:-. by Ih:lI :Irchilect, like Ihe Ca~ino in Plaza de San JU:1Il ( 1922). In o lher \\'orcls, Ihe postal building was sim i1:tr in maleri:ll~ and forms 10

ol ho.::r ci l y con . .,lruclion.... Then: is common Ihe hrickwurk :ti lirlle~ wilh in rubble :--tone frall1e~,

and largl.:: :m:he:. in Iheir difTe fenl It.'\'c\:' , The rnain fa (,.'adl.' 01' Ihe huilding. on Y:lgüe de Sala.., slreet, ~h{)\\'s Ihc abilil}' of Ihe archilecl \Vho, ",ilh fc\\' malcrial n::-.ource:.. wa .. abll.:: 10 makc Ihe lllosl of h rick. "ilhoul falling in Ihe Irile regionalbrn 01' h¡"!orici~t wa)':-.. Each of ils three noor:-. :m.: Ire:tled d ifferently. in sollle C:t'>t::.

expres:.i ng !he ex!r:ldo.s of the :ll'ches, m~lking

Ihelll nu .. h with Ihe f;¡(";Kle in OIhcr C:lSL'"S, :lnd n:du<:Jng Ihe higher une.s Wilh rCSIX"(:1 of Ihe gen­er.ll plane. SOllle hrick p:meb in Ihe cornen. :md :1 hrick band nmning Ihe l!nlire heighl of Ih(: four f;¡~ lde.s. changing dircction al certain points. arc Ihe only d l.'cor:lI i\ e freL-dtlm~ Ihal Ihb r.l l ionalisl bui lding ;t11(),,:-. il:.df.

Thi:-. mainly funclional concept oflhe.! building is :11 .. " per(.'c1ved in il-,' interior bUI. although 10

lile eyc:. of !ht.' 19.10 u~crs st.'e111t.'d o f Ihe "rure.'>! good ta .. lc and COI11 (O I1 ", w:t:-. Ihe objecl of a !olal renmalion in 1992.

CORDOVA The Posl Omce i .. no\\' in Cnlz Condt.' :.trcet. madc in !hb ccntury lo CO/ln('(:t Ihe PI:tZ;t uf Claudio i\ l:ircdo and Ronda de lo:. Tejares SlrL"C1. impo.sing a " ide '>Ir:lighl :t\enue urban sollll ion :11 Ihc cxp('n.se of de.slroying Ihe defence worb. winding :llle)'s and hou.,e~ of Ihe i\1t.'die\'a l hlamÍ(' pa:.1 of Ihb horollgh, The po:.tal :.cr" icc~ Ihal once \\el\,: in :1 bu ilding :11 Ihe 10\\ end of Alllbm .. io ¡\lor:L!(' .... lrL"t'l , were moved 10 Ihe :o.i le lhey occupy no\\', in Ih(' chamferl.'d corm:r of Cnlz Conde ane! Romero Hoblt.-do :.trcels.

Thi., ¡., Ihe :-.:tme cond ition Ihal occllrred in Gr:.mada. The urban reforlll allr:lcled :'>ever:11 public M::rvice,s to Ih1:-. art.':l or Cordo\':1 lo be in:.lalk'd in r,ew building. .. crecled on Ihe !:tnd

166

plol" ~ent.'r.lI L'(1 by :-.uch rcfonn, Fo r Ihis build­ing. agaill Ihe ard¡ilecl" Joaquín Ol:lmendi :lnd Lui .. I..()/..tno of Ihe Direclor.lle Gener:11 of Ihe PU.s1 dCH:lo lx:d in 1930 a do.:::--ign o f \ 'c l)' st:\'ere char.K1er .lIld solid :Irchileclurc. ",ilh Ihe public ent r:HlCC on Cnl/. Conde ~If('el \\hile "chicle .. r('al'hL-c! Ihe loacling dock:. Ihmugh Ihe brge arch of ROlllero Rohk'do .,trí.. .. c l.

I:ERnOI. The \ery aur.:¡cth·e PO:.I and Tí...'legr.lph b u ilding in Ferrol lake., up (lIlí...' of Ihí.." mo.sl unique blocks of Su:mce., A\enue -:11-.0 called Abmeda- in Ihe ,Jo fre The:llfí..' e:-.pl:m :ld e. The designo by :uí..'ll iwcl Agu:.líll Eyrit.'s, is dale.!d in 19 18. bullhc OireClor:IlC Gener~¡[ 01' Communications did nOI nOlify Iht.' Ferrol Cily Counci l il~ :lpproval for Ihe l'on.,lruc!ion of Ihe building unlil ¡\lay 1929, The m:lI1d:uory local l nspt.'clio n and j\ lo nitoring Board wa:-. formed Ihl" following JUIlC, 10 dutiful­Iy meel í...'\'ct)' mon!h in Ihe To\\'n 11:111 to conlrol !he con.sl nlClioll. Thl.' work., openl.'d 0 11 15 Jul}'. 1929. afler Ihl.' conlr.lct \\:1 .. :IW:lrdl-c! 10 Juan Bouzón Figu(-'roa. for a 100al of 116,096 peM':la:-. :md 61 cen!~ .

The CQn.,l nlclion m:magl.'menl W:IS undcr Pedrn \larii'lC) unlil hi., dcalh in 1931. when Ihe l:t<;k p:b~-d lO Ihe h:lTld.. of anOlher grC'.l1 G:¡lician :lrchil('('1, S:lIll iago lky Pedreir.:l, who cornpleled Ihe huilding in 193/. althollgh ¡he fin :t1 ;ICCepl;IIlCI.' did nOI lake place unlil Occemlx:r 1939, Thi., i":1I1 :m:ht.'lypal <;:II11ple 01' Ihe habnct.'d layoul of PO:.I ancl Tde~r:lph build­ing:.. ; l ~ if Ih:1( ... )'mmell)· in Ihe arr:lI1gc t11l.'nl of mas:-,e.,. opening:.. adornmenl:-. :Illd olher ele­mt.!nl~ forming Ihe IWo h:¡[\'e~, repr'\:."!)cllled Ilw po:. t -ldegt~l ph duali!}', From il ~ main fa,ade, 1\\'0 lowered hlock., emerge. in:-; ide \\'hich Ihl.' :;t:li ..... lO read1 tlw llppcr noor :lre placl.'d . 1'0I1ico..,. ()\'erhullH C( Jfl1Cr h:lkon ie~, broad e:l"es and olher Sollllion ... taken or :ldapled from Ihe Galici:m \'CrnaCULlr archileclure, a:. can be M.'en in tlw silk' f:I(;:lde.,. m:lkl.' up one of U1t.' mml imercsting Po. .. 1 huilding ... of Ihl.' .,erics WL' :-.i lJ cal1 n:glonali .. m rt.'\ hal. althou~h il:' complclion \\';¡~

ddayed a .. .,.lid alxl\'e .

Il()NTEVI~DRA

'l1 li~ i .. Iht.' fiN impon:tlll po.sl :ll building made in Galicia. It .. Iand.s in Ihe comer o f wh:H \\ere Ihen Ihe highlr .U1imaled hll~ine .. ~ .slreí..'I . ., of Oliva :lI1d Garda Comha . \ ery ne:lr of Plaza d e la PI.'rt.'Hrin:1. Tho.:: building wa:; de~igned by :111 :l rchilecl from i'l lad r id. Cario:. GalO Soldev i1la. gr:ldU:llt.'d in 1907, wllo had Ihe ([¡~Iw i ngs rcady

b y 10 Augll.,1 19 13 and :1\ Ihe .samc time \\':t~

preparing Ihe d e:.ign fo r Ihe Burgos Po.:,1 :Ind TeleJ.!r:lph amce, I le \\'a!'l able 10 1ll:lke Ihe 1ll0!)1 OUI of:1I1 irre¡..tubr .,haped plol. p1:tcinJ.! Ihe main l:ntr:lncl.' in Ihe í..'orller Ihal \\:1" m:lde inlo a Ch:lTllrer. I Ie :'Cl.'m:; lo have doní..' an effon 10 lie Ihe t.'xlerna l ;¡ " lx'Ct lo Ihc archite{'(urc 01' Galicia. huI the í..:'clecl ki'>m \\'ith GOlhic r(':.onances USí...-'d here h)' Cario:. GalO dnc., nOI come OUI 100 [ocal. althouJ.!h b jU,>lificd by c!imaclic cun:-.idemlion:;.

In Ihb re~pect, '>!>!HC p:tr:'lgr.:lph:. of Ihe archi­lecr~ repon It.':l\'e few dOllbl~ as 10 Galo':,> inten­lion.,. ~As Ihe miny \\C:1Ihl.::r requires highly slopcd r(x)f:-.. :lnd ¡., similar to lh:1I of Fbnd,,-'r.; ami Ihe enlin: nonhern Euro¡)C ~lrí..': 1. where pt.!r­:.isten! r.:¡in:-., :.Irong \Vind:. ancl rrequent rog:'> make ;t :I(l\i:;a11le 10 rcducl.:: Ihe opening ~iz(':-.

and fadlilale waler run o lT from Ihe roofs. Ihe alllhor Il,I~ found reason:lhle 10 find inspir:llion in Ihe 1110. .. 1 char:lclerislic buildings 01' those rl.:gion:., w hich :.Iyle c;mnOI be absolulC[Y defined ;¡~ forcign. since !he be~1 con~tnJClions of the Flemi .. h Iknab~:lncc \\'(,'re el rril,xl OUI during Ihe Sp:1I1bh d orninal ion. It b. therefore, a 1r.:It1!)itioll .,Iyle IX:I\\t::cn Ihe GOlhic :md Ihe J{en:lissann.', Ihi., 1a~1 dominalin~ Ihe arr.mgenlent and lile fir:;1 Ihe delai]." :111 adapIL'{1 10 Ihe modcrn net.'{b :lI1d thü:.c of Ihe huilding, "ith a vcr)' .. oher orn:l­l11el1l:lIion in"pirL-d in Ihe i\1iddle Age r.l lionalbm. ",herí...' form i.s ;1 1\\ .Iy:' :1 col"'equ~ncí..' of Ihe í..'on­Mntcth'e fllnc(ion~.

'J11t.' works \\ere :1\\':lrdOO in 1915 10 Ihe ¡\bdrid C()T1 t ~lí..'tor C:índido C:ls:lld elrey. who undcnook 10 c.l rt)' Ihclll OUI for 3 18,967 1)t:~l.::l a., . The conMruction IX'J.!:ln in 19 1'5 :ITld wa:-. finished in 191-:'.

G ijON Among:.1 lile m:lI1)' building.., d e:.igned :md ex\..'­clllt.'d by Joaquin Ot:lmcndi :lnd I.uis Lozano, archiIL'{·I:. for Ihe Direclor:lle Gener:11 01' Ihe 1'0:.1, \\e fi nd Ihe Gijón 1'0 .. 1 Offií..·l.'. Allhough Gijón i~ nOI a provincial ca p ilal. \Vas indu{k'd in Ih(' nop[ Order u f 1908 :1 .. :ITl (·xccpl ion . logclhí...'r wilh Can.lgena , \lahón. Heu:., Vigo :md La~

Palm:l'). '\'c\t.'nhclc .. ., Ihe building look ~omo.:: lime 10

he under \\ .1)', .. inee Ihe design d:tle b 1927. l1w \\ork.,. :I\\arded 10 contr.:IClor COll',latll ino Cada\'ieeo ~1cnendcz. bcg:m (In 1 Junl.::. 192:8 :11 :l gcxKI¡XICI.' and \\L'rc finbhed on 13 ¡\1ay. 1930. So. in 1"0 }'ea r ... a fine L-'di fke \\':I~ L'rL'Cled in 6 dc t\go:.!O :.qU:lre, in Ihe ct.'ntre or Ihe cit)'. \Vi.: Ond in Ihe huilding dCla il., of good la~le t.'xel·ut­L'{l in ')IOl1e. lendinJ.! 10 reca l1 some aspccls of Tl1:tTlnt.'ri.-.1 :lrcllilccl ure. In Ihe Pllhlic entrance 10

Ihe grcal hall. wilh plcntiful n:l\ur.ll lighl entt:ring Ihrollgh Ihe gJ;¡zcd roof. \vc admirc Ihe marhlc Meps and lhe forgcd iron p:mle. The esculcheon on lhe d(X)f\\ay. 0[1(;: of Ihc f1nesl 11l3de lho~e

ycars, h;¡~ fortllnalcly nOI been :dler<:d or removed.

An in-d<:plh interior rehabililalion was ('arried Out in 199{), reinforcing the SlruClure and chang­ing Ihe old spacc layoul 10 adapl 10 11lL' ne\\' rcqllirt-'nlenlS of Ihe cOlllmunicalions services.

PAMPLONA Although il is \cxby asphyxialed by high-rise nal bui1ding~. lhe PO.sI ami Tc1cgr.:lph building of Pamplun:1 i.s a fine example of Wh:11 we can call postal archileclure. It occupie~ 11 whole block on Ihe soulh side of P:lseo de Saras:l\e, comer 10 Vínculo ... 1rCel in Ihe firsl !ine of \Vh:1l \Vas lhe enlargemerll 01' Ihe dI)' in Ihe early 20lh century, fa<.:ing Ihe i\k<.!icv¡ll borough of S:tn Nicol:is. The Vínculo name 01' one of Ihe sidt: Sl rCeb rcmimb Iha\ Ihe building 1:lke.s up :1 pon ion 01' Ihe plul bc!onging 10 one 01' Ihe 1ll0~1 relev:lnl and pres­ligious local in.sl i\lllion~, Ihe Vínculo, Ihe p l:1CC where lhe bread \V:ts h:lked as :1 municipal l11o!lopoly sincc the 16th cenlury. Thal pon ion of Ih<: pl"t \Vas sold 10 Ihe Slale in 1918 for 68.000 thous;.lIld p(!scla~ 10 build Ihe ne\\ PoSI Officc:-. and lhe relevant half of Ihe Vínculo W:I.S

dcmolished thal .'lame y .... ar. The ck:sign w:t~ made in 1919 by Ihe i\ladrid

Architect Joaquín Pal L:.lpona , gr:.ldu:lled in 1905. \\"ho \Vas :lble 10 :In;ommooale in Ibe \"olunll's, maleri:lls and expressiol1 o f the building :1 cCl1:tin Pamplone~e spiril. The mOSI signi fical1l e lemenl of the discn:le fa0ldL' b the Nl!o-Ibroque pona!. slighlly .sL'1 back rd:uive 10 Ihe laleral budies and made wilh of good C]u:llily quany Slone, \Vhils\ Ihe sIricll}' fllnClional windo\\'.s o f gcncrou~ siz<..: in Ibe ~ide f~l<;,aclt:s are no\iccablc. Slone csculcheons sland out on Ihe brickwork back­ground of Ihe main naor. A b:\ck a1ley provides ;ICCCs~ to Ihemail b:lg IO:lCling :md unloading dock. ThL' inlCrior, :lS usual, is dominalccl by a brge public hall lil lhrough Ihe roof. ils stnlClure supponecl by rom piles. Ihe w ho le conc:dved \Vilh Ihe &1.1111;: diserele spi ril Ih:1\ presides Ihe building.

SEVIl.LE. (ClDEP) In Ihe Seville Univer:-;al Exhibition of 1992 a numeroll~ group of pavilions mel in La C:lrtuja, 01" which only a ft.·w .sllrvived l/U;' eonclilion of ephL'1l1era/ archileelllre conck!mn<..:d 10 Ix; clernol­i:-;hed afler Ihe show was closed. Some of Ihc

sllIviving on<..:~ \VerL' disassemb1ed ane! r\::~ls:,..:m­

b1cd dsewht:rc. ane! olhers remain in Ih..: .s:lme p!:tce. Among.sl Ihe Ihose 01' risky innovalivc archÍlt:ClUre \\'e can sli ll see ill si/u, is Ihe pavil­ion of Pucl10 Ricu Free SI:lI..:. designed by Pueno Rican archilcclS Sierra, Cardona and Ferr<:r in col­labor:.lIion of lh<: St"villbn Itioja $mdio.

ThL' building was pUfch:ls\"d b~' lhe Spani sh Post in 1993 :md is a pan ofwhat has bcen c;dlcd Clt1uja 93. a corpor:.ue cst:Ue de\'oled 10 R+D. Private and public eoneerns have laken :Idvan­lage of Expo '92 building.'> 10 set up Iheir facili­lies. M> saving some .significanl pa\' ilion.s, like Ihis on..:. now canvened in a Cenlre of Pn:-.I:d Ikse:lrch ami Devt:!0plllcnt (CID[P). The p:lvil­ion \Va~ acbpled by archileCl Inlllaculacb I\kstr..: Súnchez. respecl ful of Ihe original line~. save for sm:dl ch:lIlg<:s Ih:lI do nm affeel Ihe ovcrall de-;ign.

Thc noor plan of Ihe proj,,:cl consisls of 1\\'0 very .simple geomelrÍl' forms. a circk: and:1 righl­:Ingle triangle, from which a cylinder :lnd :\ prism gro\V up. The expo.sed m :lleri:lls. slonc. c:oppcr shecl ancl glass. projecl :111 imerc.sling highly impn.:s.,ivc im3ge nI' Ihe archileclure of th .... ·90s. Th..: cyli ndcr contains Ihe brgcr spaces. as :m exhihÍlion g:llIcry anc1 an audiloriulll ahove il. whilsl Ih" Iri:lIlgular based prislll llOuses in ils difft.!renl noors Ihe leaehing facílili<..:s, aside from lhe m:l1lag<..:menl :1I1d admini.str.ltion office.s of Ihe Centre.

SANTIAGO DE COMVOSTELA As lhe cily 01' Santiago de Composlela is nol ;¡

provincial c:lpilal. il \Vas cxcluded from Ihe PO.s1 :l11d Telegr:.lph Ikforms Acl of I ·¡ Junc. 1909. BUI Ihe clclCrmina\ion of Ihe ci ty ancl Ihe zcal of Corunna rt:presemali\'es m:ln:lged 10 m¡lkc Ihe Senme VOh.: :\ L:l\V giving Sanliago in Ihis re.specl Ihe Cllegor)' of a capila l. wilh Ihe Slale bui lding :11 ils expense a ne\\' building in ;1 Sile chosen by lhc municipalilY.

The Law W:IS pllblished in t.l:tdrid's Gazell<..: on 31 1)l-'<:<:1111)l.'r 1915. bUI some monlhs earlier a local bo:\rd \Vas airead)' fonn..:d 10 deal \Vilh Ihe Ihomy maller of Ihe Sile. The IX):lrc! Ihoughl of o ffenng Ihe Stale lhe C:.lmpo de S:1Il CIt.·mentt:, bUI tl1l.' fin:d sile \Vas anOlher. boughl by Ihe City Council from Ihe Viscount o f Siln Albel10 in 1926. local<..:d in Ihe 1'1:1."_:1 de Enlr..:cerC1S. no\\' 1'1:1:1.:1 de Rodrigo de Padn.\n. corner 10 Tra"c::.Í:l de Fo nseca, in ~l very bu::.y :l rca in lhe he:1I1 of Ih..: di)'.

The follo",ing }'ear Iht:: SI:1Ie acc<:]"}t\.·d Ihe site, but .sinee Ihe Telephonc Compan}' had bOllghl anolher adjacenl plol for ils own building. Ihe POSI :mllexed anolhcr sllla l l piece of bncl and SO

in 1929 Ihe final fonn of Ihe POSI amI TclegrJph plo\ was definecl. Thc new byolll affeclcc1 bltxk alignmenls and Il!<..: widlh ofTravc.'>b ele Fonseca. The design of Ihe nc\V building was cOllllllis­sioned 10 archileo.s Joaquín Olamcndi ::ll1d l.uis Loz:mo l.o,silb \Vho prcsenled Ihe drawing::.. reporl :md COSI cSl imale (499.760 pI a) in Seplernber 194j. The conlracl \Vas :lwarded 10 Perfeelo Fonl:'n in Fehru:uy 19j5. The constnlc­tion wenl o n il11medbldy, bUI Ihe Iroublec1 limes madc lhe works slow do\Vn unl;1 lhey beca me 10la1ly paralysed. COnl'lnlClion was resumed afler Ihe Civil War :lIld \Vere full y fini.shccl in Fc])nl:IlY 1947.

The building i5 of a nOlable fUllctional sim­plicily, \Vilh a we1l re:-.olved porticocd fa~:lde.

amI Ihe interiors wcre refonned in 1964 :l1lcl again in 1978.

11Al.MA OF Mt\jORCA In Ihe beginning of 1111.' 20lh cenlury Ihemail ser­vice was 10ClIed in S:m Fdio Slreel. very ne:lr the lively P:I,.;eo del Borne (promen:ldc). unlil Ihe space bec:u11e insufficienl and Ihe service \Vas moved 10 the olher side of Ihe Paseo. on the cur­renl sl reel of Ihe Conslilulion 1)(.':lween Soledad ami Tous y ¡\brOlo SlreelS. The plot \\':IS bought

by Ihe municipalil}' in 1925 for Huk !llore Ihan one hundn:c1 IhOu.sand IX'Sl:'las. The building wa.s designed by ¡he le:lI11 fo rmed by archil<..:el i\ l:tnud Cases L:ll1101b :Ind Fr:lnciseo POli y POLI. enlonel of Ann y Engineers and Chief 01' Fortificalions \\1orb in I\bjorc;.l.

The fe:lIures of the building, op\::nec1 in 19-15 willt some changes from Ihe original ide:l. belong nc\'<..:nhelcss 10 Ihe previolls p<..:riod lInder Ihe Second Hepublic, as il main1ains a difficlllt h;11-:Hlce belwcen Ihe Majorean slyle, specifiC:l 11y requircd by Ihe eompelilion. nOI very suil~lbk for ;¡ POSI Office. and Ihe clesirc of lhe aUlhors lO do somelhing more in a¡:cordance wilh Ihe limes. Al the end. il resll lt ed in a comer building. cnlcred Ihrough Ihe chamfen:d comer with a lo\\'..:r aCl ing a.s a hingo.:' betwel.·n Ihe IwO side faCldes. of which Ihe main o ne has a Ihree arch pol1ico Ihal k ;¡ds inlo ¡he public h:lll. Winclows, ba1conies proleeled \Vilh iron grillwork ancl :111 0 1X'n g;¡llery lInder :1 wide canlilever e:lve, altcmpl 10 connccl with Ihe signorial archileclure of old Majorca, sincc fro111 her ancienl pabccs Gllne Ihe d<..:\;¡ils for c:olulllns. capitals. mould­ing:,>. :lrcht:~ :Illd grill.s.

The intcrior \\':IS 101:(11)' renov:necl in 1967. :mcl 1;l\cr o lher enbrgement.-; w(:re :Idded. Ihal make,s us fed nostalgia fOr Ihe Case." and POLI designo

167

11EKM IGUA (1 ... , Gom er a) I It:rmigu:1. a ,~m :¡[1 [own in lhe nOl1h of GOlllera, :m isl:md o f [he W'cslern C:l!laries, .. ils in lhe par­:ldbiaC:11 valley of Ihe s:lme na me, In o ld lime,,>, [he 10WIl rivalkd, bOlh in populalion :lnd \\'ealth, wilh S:tn Scb:I~li:ín, lile island C:lpil:ll , In Ihe ,.,ec­ond h:llf o f Ihe 18th cenlury. José Viera y Clavijo dcscribed lhe fen ile va lley a,.,: "A deliglllful place, slII'round(,.,<:1 by high hills from wher<: Ihret' Sl l'eams Gll'lying Illuch he:dlhy waler run down 10 irrig:i1e Ihe v:llley .. , The t'nlire va lley b h,,.,h wilh vineyard,>, 1>:1I1:lI1a Iree,." different kineb of fig trL"C,." dragos, lemo n [rces, palm trce,." fmil Irees, and all sons of garden vegel:lblcs .. ,-

Amidsl such bndsc:l¡:><'::, Ihe lo\Vn has sincc 1990 :1 ncw PO,.,I omce building, designL-d ¡he prcvious year by archilt'CI Enrique SoJan;1 Qucsad:1. 1I is a moclesl Iwo-slorey building, intended 10 h:4\ 'c :1 quite C lIlarian look, w ilh whilewashed fa~;¡de corners and window ami <loor fr:.1Il1eS reinforced wi¡h local reddish ,>¡one, [n :111 [he,.,c, Ihe archileclu ral fe:Hurc,,> seen in Ihe island o f Tenerife secm 10 weigbl more Ihan Ihose of La GOlller:.l proper, in :1 line 1>:l l':.llIel to ¡he rcgion:¡lislic cxperienn.'s of Ihe POSI O fficcs o f Ihe fin.1 Ihird o f ¡he 20th cenlury,

TOLEDO The c:Il'liesl infonn:l¡¡on aoolll the po.'>t scrvices localion in Ihb eit y IC:lds to wha¡ \Va,., Ihe " Iinl :md bler arms faclor'}' in NlIñcz de Arce ;,Ireel. which W:I~ known a,., "bil s[reet in Ihe 181h cen­tur)', bec-.lllSC in the .s:lme bu ilding, with o ne of Ihe be,.,t counya fds cxisti ng in Tok'clo, Ihe l~oy:11 " 1:lil \\':1:; e,.,tabl¡.,hed in Ihe limes of C:.lrlos 111.

[n ollr days, Ihe PO,.,I :lnd Tdegm p h serv iee:'> are inslallcd in a purpose-buih building on I'lala Slreel. 111is i:-. a livcly artery of '\Icdieval and Iknaissance Toledo, where si l ver and gokbmith ~lOn1('S a~d shOI~ \\'ere concelllr.I[(:.-d, expl:t ining liS Il<lme, So Ihe soil under Ihb building ha.; :1

long and noble hislOI)'. Enough 10 rec:\ 1I Ih:1I IheI'C \\'as tht' housc of ¡he cOlwen ed Je\\ Rodrigo de la Cuadra , vi('lim o f a deadly Inquisilion Irbl. In Ibe 161h cent ury Don Francisco I~uiz , bisho p of AviJ:¡ had :1 llOuse [hel'e. And in Ihe 18th cenlluy, in lhe sile ( X 'CU­

piec! by Ihose old homes, Diego de B:íb:lmo founded :1 hospi l :l l, popul:lrlr :me! :Ipproprialely n:lmed ~C:I .sa dd U:í.IS:lmo·· ~,

In Ihe 19th ccnlury Ihe bu ilding pa~ed on to pri vale hands, ;!¡.. a I'e~lllt of the 1835 la", confis­caling church propenie:'>, :1Ile! then it Ix'cune 111(' propeny o f Ihe SI:ilC ¡11:11 demoli..,hcd [he o ld buildings in the '3Os of our ccntury, There Ihe p resent poMa l ecli fice \\':15 b uill , moving ¡he por-

168

1:11 prc\iollsly on Ihe nt:a rby :-':m Vicente ""Iuare 10 tlle preM:nl ¡X>1>ilion on PJala 1>ll't.'et. 'I'h:1[ por­tal callle from Ihe lime the hu i lding \\-:1 .. Ihe re_ .. -iclenee of Ihe hl,>hop of A\'ila :lnel js '>lII'l'Ounclt:d by Ihe SI. Fr::IIl<:1:'> cOl'd, as hí.' wa'i ;¡ Fr.m<:15C:ln friar am i :l5Sbh.."C1 C:lrdin:¡1 Cbnero, .. in Ihe reli ­~iou:. reform he u l1elt.:rtook. This i.., Ihe only cle­ment or Ihe pabc\'" ~lilI sl:mding, 01' \\ hich \\1..'

kilO\\' il a[so conl:linee! rkh coffered cciliTlg~, The ponal is :1 varialio n 01' ¡he Iypical Toled:\Il plaler~ .. qlle of Ihe e~lrI)' 161h ccnlury ,

• pLlu ll1ean~ :-11\ \,.'r, ··¡UIS:lOlO Illc:m s 1);llm

HA KCELONA In Ví:I Layetana, one of Ihe main :I \ 'elllll;':-; Ir::l­\ 'er:;ing Cerd::í' .. Ens:mchc·, \\hcre ~e\cr.11 impor­tanl office buildings Wl:l'e credce! in the ' 20~, :'>uch a:,> the Cornp:u"iía Tr:.II1~medilcrr:.íne:I, CI.'>;I C:lmbó 01' C Ija dL' Pt'n .. iones, Ihe main B:lr<.'d o n:l PO~I Offic!.' w as built in 1926-27,

lt occupit',., Ihe firsl block, on ¡\ monio López PI:iZ:l, wit!~in vicw of Ihe \ cner:.lble Lonja ele Barcelona , Tlle archilcclS \\ere Jo.-.é Gocby y C:I-.::des :Incl J:lime Torr\"'~ Gr.llI , gr.tdualed fro m liT<.' School of Archilec'lure of Barcelona in Ibc ela",., of 1905 :lIlel 1903 rCSllCCli\ 'ely, 111e build­ing has:lll Ihe Iypicd fe:llure .. or Ihe Cal:II:I Tl 11011-

, -.. celll lsme , forccfully combining archilCctUr.11. slaluary :lIld painling cJa:'>.'>icbt ekmcnl.s, of :In ambi liOlls monlllllenl:d :md r-, Icelilerr:.mca n mien, Column.s, pila~ler.-., pex ,limen\.'. :lnd venical 'oCulp­ture,." wilh a IOllch of B:mxluc, ,.,ervee! Ihe :mthor:; 10 o rche"tr::lIe Ihe building in.:.idc ancl OLlbklc, h b \'cl')' \\dl bid out. \\ilh br:.l\ 'e con-1r:. I.sts l:>cl\\'cen Ihe bare wa Jls o f the 111:1in fa~;ldt' :lnd the L'''pre .. :-;ivity of Ihe lonic arcade :lIld Ihe :llI ic loppcd by:111 excellent C{):1I of arms, NOI 10 be mi!). .. ecl are Ihe s"clte CI'\;',>b 01' Ihe fa('aelcs, pr'(')\'iding :1 cenai., piclur<.'sque air, but e!em:lnd­ed by lefegr:lph rcqlliremcnt .. , Ol ller ek1>ign.:. enler(,:'CI in Ihc fil"ll Barcclon:1 PO:'>I Office COlllpe­lilion ( 19 11), like [he \ery \\'ell kno\\n by./osé Pllig }' Cadafa k h, incorporaled ,>im il ar e1ement..;,

The allegoric fif(lln .. '" in Ihe IC[f:..I .. lyle po nico, Ihe royal <.'0:11 of ::11'111 ,> ,lile! other clecol~ l ti \'e mOlifs üu'n,." garbneb, elc.) wc::re Ibe \\'ork o f sculplon. Pedro Jou, I\lallllcl FlIx:i :me! El hebio Arnau, w hibt Ihe inlerior p;¡inting:'> are d ue 10 Fr:.mcisco ClIlyc.::lles, :lIld abo 10 Ihe gre:1I 1ll1lr:.ll­i,.,l~ Fr:IIlc1SCO Galí, .losé Obiob and Fr:.mcisco L:ib:1I1:1. \"\ ho by Ilwlll \\'ere beginning 10 \\'ork in the lllur:.ll .. uf ~ Iontjuich P:lbcc for the 1929 Exhibilion,

pr h\,., En~Uldl\"', 0 1' [¡X:II11ph: in C:H;11:m, ¡, ,1 cit} eXlen, ,ion (.'re,II\"1:1 hy Ihe ~.'nginL'Cr ,md not;lblc urban pl:1I1111: r IIdl'fol1!'o() Cerdá.

- rhe \[l'(lic \;¡1 de;¡ring hou-.e - rhe nlnle\,.'o hundrL'(1 rC:lr1> orlllt: [91h l't:ntllry, when

IllI.-' ... o-called C'tllaklll moden/6111 \\ ..... de\doped, Amonio G3ud. hcing Ihe b(.'tlcr kno\\ n repr\,. .... (..m::¡. live of Ih:l( 1>1}'Ie,

CADlZ In onc of Ihe m01>[ hu,.,y pIaCt:'> of C:.ídiz :lne! :.haping up :1lI irregular 1'101 left !)l;lwcen lhe pre­,>enl pl:l/.a~ de 1:1" Flore~ :Ind Libenad, w herc t/¡l' Central ll1arkel lL .. ecl 10 Ix:, ri"e:-; Ihe \ertic:1I 1'0:.1 Office, Thi ,., 1<X'alion, ;IS a hinge lX:lwc.::en Iho1>e 1\\'0 urhan spaec~, made Ihe archile('I.s lO pl:lcc ~pac1al elllpha:'>is on Ihe ehamrerec! cOl'l1er crownecl by :t lower \\'ilh ;¡ gbzL"<I-in b:llconv: wilh the int('nlion [O :Idopl :1 I}'pical C:íd iz .. ;oI~I ­lion, :lhllOUgh Ihe building:l:-.:t \Vhole hardly h:l~ :lny link.. of 1<X":ll I r:le!il ion~, eilher in \ 'o !unle 0 1'

lhe Ire:ilment o f m:lIl.-'ri :I¡",

A budgel 0 1' '520,{)(x) pc.;el:t .. W;h appm\\"'(1 in 19 1"i for Ihe PO ... I :md Tclegr:.lph omce in C;ícliz, one of Ihe highe~1 al Ihe l ime, only \"'''ct'edcd by Barcclon:1. \'alelKia :md Uilhao, ::hide from Ihe ¡\ I:ldricl P:tlacc, l)oubtle~,.,I}'. Ih\! service req ui re­menb in a pon eil y forCL"C1 the pro\'i~ion of more c(Nly facililic:., ·111i.'> \\ ould :Iho explain Ihe pro­gr:l1llmt' developecl by Ihe :lfchilCCIS, a~ [hc building conccpl :md Ihe number of '>Iorey '> \\'a~ nOI habilll:ll. TITe dale and nalllc of ¡he :llllhor,., of Ihe de .. i,!.m ¡,., nOI known, bUI from lhe minute .. of ¡he panel in <.'harg(' of :1\\ arding Ihe nc\\ PO:'>I Onkes, w"¡eh fOl' Ihe II1celing hde! on ti .luly. 1919, mcmion .. Ibe ('()mIllL'nt~ m:ldL' lO ¡llI.-' dcsign entcrecl by G6mez Ilom:in amI Vi<b l. thefe b nOlb ing to pre\el1l u, .. 10 Ihink tlll.-'y mU:'>1 h:n 't' been Ihe :mlhor:. of IllI.-' building th:u \Va,> con1>truclCcl in the follo\\'ing ye:trs, I f Ihi, .. ¡~ ( '01'­

rcCl, we \\'iI] rememlx:r Ihal ¡\lanuel Gú mez Rom:in wun :-.ome yeal"o bler Ih\..' COllle .. 1 for Vigo' ,> PO"'I Oftlce. \\'hih( Vida) mar \\'ell he I.uh Vicla l Tuas6n, f(r:.ldU:UL"C1 in ~l:idrid in 1906,

\\:Iilh Ihi .. building, of unu, .. u:d hl:.'ighl :1111ong .. 1 1'0,"1 Omce~, lhe :luthor:; lried lo :-.:ty lIl:my Ihing'> :11 111<..' S:lmc lime, It re~ult,., frolll Ihe acldi¡ion of di\'er'oC,:' demenh, coming OUI wilh ,>Irenglh Ihe rok' pbycd by ¡11I.-' brid\\\-ork in "qU:lre co lllmn .. and proje<.'ling hands o n 101' o f :1 "[Onl' plinth, Al'>o\'(:.' Ihe b rf(L' cnlr)' :Irch, \\'ilh lo uche .. o f coloured cer:.lmÍ<.':-., ri~e'" ;¡ I\VO :'>101')' bl<Kk \\ ilh same inclu:'>lri:ll archileclure o\enonc,>, ane! ()Il

lop an :lII ic crO\\nt,"C! hya dock.

1)IEORAHfli\ In 111(,' m.lin thoroughLIrI: of thi~ Aúb to\\n, \\ hl'n,: thl.' Grcal Duke of Alba \\':1" hom in lhe 16th L:cnlllry, \\l' can find onc of Ihe ll1;1ny 'kdmicd Communicalion OOke,' lhal h:I\'e Ix>t:.'n cre;ned in old n:..:habilit:ued buildin¡..:', M) con­Iribulin¡..: lO the pres(,'I"ation of Ih!.: rur.11 :II1(J ,.,GII­

lered archilectural heril<lRc, Thi:. wOl1h} la,k \\01' repcaled in Pit;.-dr:'lhila, \\herc 111\.' ,\I:l il St:r­\ in: o(:nlpie" one of Ihe t\\'o"lorc}', ..,tone con· "lrllC[ion h()the~ ('haracleri,in¡..: Ihe :.mcient 10\\ n,

Ik'pih: Ihe ,implici[} of Ihe huilding, it doc~ not bd; nobility, a" prm en hy thL' coat of amb 0\ er lhe entran<.:e lintd, Ihe unl} fea[u re th:1I !t:mh sl.!'/" ;lnd biSfOl)' lO ih rlhlic granile con­~lrtKli()n, aCluaHy doser 10 \\ Iml i.., commonly kn()"!l :1:-; folk archil!.:ctllre,

MADRID. CHAMARTL"'i \\'llhin 11ll:' long hbtory of de\cloplnl:nl of the Ibit\\ .Iy Connections Pbn :md the dirt;.'<..1 mil line \Lldrid·Uurg(h, lhe fir.1 Ch:lmal1ín SI.llion \\a~

opcn in 19-8, But Ihe pre'>Cnt largl.' 'talion ¡., the re">lllt of;1 difren.:nt design, made neo.::~:.ary ",hen Ih!.: r.lillraffic W:b deloured fromlhe.: Alocha and Príncipe Pío :-;I:llion:-. :lml Ihe Delicia,,> :.Ia[ion \\'a,,,, <,'Io,-.;cd, and "al> pul in ">l'r\'ice in 1972, Th('n rol­lo\\cd Ihe.: COIl"lruclion of Ihe Chamartín Po!>I:11 Comple:>. (197'1·-8) after the.: de,ign of .. rchil .... cl Luh Gonl.;ílel. CnlZ,

The c()mpk·x (:on!>i"'h or a nine-,lOl't.'y hcx;lg­onal 10\\ e.:r, .111 indu!>lrial huildin¡.; :.Ind 11ll.' IXJ!>t31 "t;ltion propc.:r, ",ith fOUT ~r'\'ice 1r.ICk", all con­cein:d with a discrele funclion;L! ,cn~l.·, \\ith uninterrupted horil.onlal continuilY in b(,'adc!> amI Ilex)r-cei l ing con:-.lruclion,

PALENCiA 1'hc Palencia PO!>I Qffice huilding, de~igned in 1916, b \\itholll dOllbt on(' of tlle he:-.t r .... pre'>Cn­lali\(!, or tho~ huih in Ihe earl} PO!'>I Oflle .... peri­lKI. Ikfon.' Ihis building, th:1I no\\ oCl,:upic:-. one.: full hltx'k, Ih .... ¡\I:1i1 :lnd Tclcgl':lph M..'r\'1ce:-. \\,('re hOlN:d in 1\\0 building"> in El Cuho :-.lrcct and S:m Fr.md~co !'>lreCI. re,,>po,xtivcly, Sine!.:: thlo: ,lhO\'e dale, bOlh \\ere.: uniled in a 1llonumcnl:d hi:-.loricbl huilding de.:~igned hy )acolxl nom..::ro Fern:'indez, municipal :l1ld <" pi~cop:11 :m.:hitect o f \';IILldolid, ,lftl·r :1 hard-rollghl eonle~l in which Jo,..,(· A\clino Díaz, Joaquín \Iuro, Lui, F(.'rn.'ru ;md t\ntonio Alclldt.: abo panicipall, .. d,

Tht.: nOlable far,:ade.., comhine ~Ione with hril:kwork llnd~r \\'()(xlen l.·:I\e.." [he ",indow!> lx'in).l pro\'ided \\ith fOl}{ed iron grilb in Ihe .~~xlltlsb !asbiol/, in olhef wor<.b, lhe architt.:ct

:Iplly u ...... ,d 11ll.' Imdition:11 m:IIL·ri:lb Ih:1I in!>un.'d, ori¡..:in:IIlY,:1 \\arm and l:olourful rt;.·"ult, Thl.· ..,I}'I .... of the huildin¡..: manir!.::,t, Ihal TX:\ j\'al of Ihe ~p:lIlbh Hen:li">.,;¡nce which, ,in<.:l' Ihe ~p:mi .. h pavilioll in tll<." 1900 1':11';'" l 'niver..:tI Exhihition, Ix:clllle lile nalion:di!>(1c :,.ource of our .Irchilec­lun:, \'el)' ll,>ed in olTici:ll huildill}.:'>, harracb. ctc, hUI abo pl'e~elll in renlal n:lI:-. :mu clegant 10\\ nhou,l." ,

Thh '\eo-PIa[ere:-.que :-'Iylt.:, in fac\. IXlrrowed cle1llent' frOIll Ihal Renai:-",';Ince ,>Ioek, ;llwa}'!> ,uhmittl."(1 10 an adaptation pnK'e'!'>, a, \\:1' lhen ,:lid, Thu", Ihe Pfllleresqll(! motif, round hOlh in Ihe l.':.:lerior and Ibe imaginali\'e puhlic hall \\ould be better undel"'>tood, 1 kre, a ... if it \\:I.S :1 Henai .... 'ance cotU1yard of the fir:.l lhird of lhe 16111 cenlll ry, he.: arran¡":t;."(1 Ihe l\\'O Il~\eb \\'ilh column,,> on which C:lpil:ll, 1\\'0 :Irchilr.ne:-. rllll \'L'ry d()~e lO l.·ach Other on Iheil' c;lpilah, in lhe line \Vhkh the.: aUlhor klle\\, and prob:lbly ~aw in lhe Duei\a,> Colwenl of Sabm:mca,

VITO RIt\ 11\e Po:-[ and Telcgraph building ..,t:ltld, on PO:-.la~ :-.lreel and doS<.' lO P!:Iza Nue\'a, facing lile B:tnc() de.: E,..,p:t ib, in olh('1' w(}rd" an out:-.tanding l(x,:lIion, 1X:1\\'(,'cn the hbtork :-.... oi()n of Vilori:l­G:I,I{oi1. and Ihe m(x!ern dly l.':.:len.,ion. The dt.:~ign i, dUl' 10 lub Díaz Tol()~ana :lIld Fr.UKi,<.'o Javier Ferrero, '111e fir.1 n:unt;."(l b Ihe alllhor uf othcr "¡torian building." :h the & 11001 (lf An, and Trade~, hur none of them rdk-cI !>O

openly Ihe re~i()nali"tic cha~lCt~r of the IX)!>lal huilding, 11c.:rc.:,;I:-, in many olhe.:r in..,l:lIlce.." the ~ Iunicipatil}' donal t;.-d the bnd in 19 15 and Ihe fotlowin~ year Diaz To lo:-':In:t 1'0mplcled I lw de..,i).ln, ahhough Ihe initi:llion of Ihe.: \\urk:-. W:I!> :-ome\\'Il:1l debyt;."(1. They beg:1Il in 1921 :lI1d \\efe.: fint,hiXI in 1927,

Tlll' fmlll f:I("<lde i.s formed by twu Iater.11 lO\\'­er.. ;Ind a Ct:ntm l bod}' of le,~r height. The building .lrmngelllent is n!r)' ,imple, \\'ilh Ihree ' Iorey', c:il'h ",ith :1 differcm \\indo\\ byout. bUI all \'el)' dean and '11100Ih, :1:-. :1 l.'enain anlicipa­lion ()f r:n ionalÍ'>m , -rhe gr.lccfullrt.::nlllenl úf Ihe [\YO PO:-.l anrJ Tdegr:lph e!>culch..:on', ",ilh :In :lir of Al1 IX'co, dc"t:I'\'ed bcing poinlt:d out.

In open Cunlr.l ~t with Ihi" centr:ll core, 1\\0 (."(llIal luwer-;, IXllh airy and hea\')', rbe Ihelll­,c1\'e, \\'ith all Ihl:ir ft::llurc!> ">}'tllmetric::11 in re'I'X.'C1 to Ihe r:l(;:lde <.:cnlre I¡'k', The,t.· are 1\\'0 regionali'l im:lge.., of the way B:t "o{lue <lrchitccture wa, unde.:r.lood in tho"C lime.." althou¡..:h :l lIlhe,e fl.':lItl ..... ·~ were reworkcd pbcing mon.' \\'l.'Í¡..:hl on lile de,ign intl.·nlion Ihan on tlle .Ictual hÍ'>loric :-.Ollfce (JI' Ihe c!ements, '111ey :trl.' in e!'>:-.cnce

fred)' mixed dichc~, ::I~ ,een in the I()\\ IX>I1ico. the rough bond uf the \\'alk tlll.' lal}te O\erhang of Ihe e:l\e', :lnd the ~pire" o\'er Ihe roof~ a~ :1 comir1U:l\ion of Ihe comer rcinforl:Clllenh, BUI thl.' conct:pt. the ]ll'Olx)nions :lnd Illl.' \\'ay all lhe:-.e delllenl' an.' cOlllhined, do nOl follo\\' Irue modd" hUI \\'hal \Vas Ihen cllled regiolla/i,"1 s~)'/(', I\rchik-ct 11hz Tolo..,~ln:1 W:h forld or pl:lc­ing in hi~ huilding., large half-cirde arche' \\ilh Ca:-tilian Henai..,~ancc rorg<.:d iron grill.." wllich he :11 .... 0 u'e:-. in olhe.:r arca" of Ihe huilding,

MADRID. OFFl e lAL SCHOQl The Tdec()1llI11uniC:lIion., Engineering $chool \V:I,' huih in J9 tS in lhe Sal:J 11lanc:l dI)' ~ection of ~ l:l drid, Thi~ huilding :Ipll)' houM..'''' no\\ lile.: Post

and Tdc~r:lph S<.:holl. The Si:.:-'I01 ..... y high rront i" unbpi rl.'<.1. hut :11 the S:Ulk· time, \ el)' mllch in line \\ilh ()f Ihe peculiar lIerrerilfl/· :.lyle Ihat ch3r.tcteri">l."(1 Ihe.: public archilecture of Ihe ';(h"

Pib:-.ler:-;, pt:dimenl,> !OPI'X..'(i hy lile trite ,.,tone.! ball ornalllent.., u~t;.'(1 hy Herrer:.1 :.md 111:-' follo\\ er., all fl\led in :m elemental cb:-. ... ichl composi t ion ord cr, \Vere the.: \\'ell-worn formula!> 01' Ih:1\ peri­(xl.

CI:h~ 1'(XJI11:-., lihr:l1y and 0111('1' te:lching fad1i­lie ... normally found in school, :ll'e di'l rihulL'd Ihrou~houl the intl·rior of Ihi ... hui lding Ihal , thmugh time :lnd in difTercnl gmde", ha\'e Ix-en the 'Ia~e Ihal from Iclccommunicllion enginl.-er:s [O amateur r:.tdio opcr.lton; h:ld ha<.l lO mandato­ril}' :utend,

,\fter Ju,1Il de IlcrrcrJ., one of lhl· chief :Irdlitecb of 1~1 I;;'·,(.'orial Ihat domin:lt\:.'J :::,p:lni,h 11:1I'(XIlIe ror 1\\'0 ((.:nturie~

LEON \\:fhen Ihe 1908 Royal Order c011\'ok<..'(1 a hidding for propcrty to be purch:l-;ed by Ihe Stalc 10

propc.:rly hml'e the l>o'lal :lml Tclegr.lph :,cr­vice~, León could nOI m:lke :.m)' offlo:r :¡~ no I:md o r u,:lble huilding~ wc;:rc availab lc, Ne\'enhdt.:ss :tnd :lgrcclllenl was cnlCred with Ihe ;-' l ini~(r)' of Ihe Inlerior, ,~i m ibrl}' as Barcdona ami Vak:ncia did, \\'hcrt.:hy Ihe ~ [unicipali l y of I.e.:ón I lIldenook lO hu}' an :1<.Iequalt..' plul appf(wed by Ihe Difl."('IOr.Hl.' Gen.:.-r.ll of Ihe 1'0.:-1. ami tu bu ilel the huildin¡..: :11 ih eXJ'l<;'n!>e, \\ hibt Ihe Slate commil ­[ed it:-.elf 10 make fift<.."Cn }6,000 1X.'~cla" :mnu:iI p:I}'lllenl"

lInder Ih;,., financing proccdure, Ihe \\'ork!> "'efe initia(l'd afler Ihe pbn, of ,\1.td r ileni:m :lr<."llÍle<.:1 ¡\1:Inud de C:'irdena" gr:ldllaled from

169

Ihe School of ArchilL'CturC o f l\bdrid in 1900. bUI \Vho resided in León. as Illunidpal, p rovincial and episcopal arcl1ilecl unlil 1920. 111e 1'101 wherc Ih..: interesling pO~lal huilding slands is Ihe fir:-.I one in Ihe Cllbc.:dr.d P1:tza, looking frolll ils com er lowcr 10 Ihe imposing C:llhedr::d pi le, w lh.:re C::írdenas also work in sonw rCSIOl1l lion work.... T he dcsign \\':15 :lppl"O\'e<l in 19 14 and four yt:ars 1:lIe1" Ihc building W:IS ful1y finished. 1I b, Ihereforc. one of the olde!'>1 in ou r counlry.

Al Ihe same lime, Ihe cily of L .... -im has o ne of Ihe newesl Spanish commlmicalion~ building..,. designed in 1980 by Alejandro de la Sola in co­oper.uion of Ihe PO:.I archilecl Carlo:-. Isidro de la Puerta. \Vho \Von I/W compelilion for Ihe Calhedr.1l of L::I Almudcna in Madrid. Tbis build+ ing, conceived from a 1110re Illodcrn slandpoint, is OTlc of lhe most signilk:uivc of Spanish :Irchi+ lecture in Ibe second h:llf of the 20lh ccnlury. De J:¡ SoI~1 made realily Ihal sentence of the r-. l odern Mo\'ement : A cube rnu:-.I fundion . In

o ther words. lO incorpor.ue purc geomelry lO a functional s)'slem w¡¡hom abandoning abslr;lC+ lion. Thb occurs in l.eón. whefe \Van and Ii':r.-.C fa,ades hide a luminous inler ior Ir.L\'erscd by lighl-looking slair.-., lensed h:Lrrier.-. and counler:. growing from a purblic approach. allhough a~~blcd by lamps, w h ich cIt.:"ign. convcr.sdy, m:lkc~ us think of Willi:lm ~Iorris.

OSORN'O (Palencia) M:ldoz, in his well known Dictionary ( 1849). descrihed Ihe vill:lge or O ... orno, in Ihe province of P:tlencia. saying Ihal il had H one hundrL--d :lnd cígh!)' nine houscs, Ihe majoril)' on ly one slorc)' high, ... ave for Ihin~' Ihal h:L\'C 1\\'0 noors

M

, :lncl

added Ihat .. Ihemai! i~ rec<::in,;d by ~\ privale car­rier \\'ho brings ji from S:lI1lan<.k;r··. NOI ~urpri:.­

inAly. a~ Ihe main Slreel of Ihe vilJage W~IS abo Ihe highway linking Santander :lnd Palencia.

The ~ilu :ll ion is no\\' quile different :lI1d Lhe PO~I ser\'ice use.s now olle o f tho:.c Iwo-,>Iore)' ~I(lne hOU::;L"'S. Thb (me rnake ... u~ remember lhe vill:lge \Vas 111<.:"" seal of Ihe (."Ounb of Osorno. and a_~ ~uch. il dales from lhe 151 h ccnlury. \"ilh Elln-

170

i1y rdalion::; with Ihe lordl)' do mains of Villalc::ízar d e Sirga and Aguilar de Campoo. Thc e:.culeheon~ in Lhe pre ... elll PO ... I omce givc nOlice of all Ibese. in partic ular Ihe formidable C0:11 of :tnns held by 1\\'0 !ions :m Ihe corner o f Ihe house, which lllonumenl:t! siz\.' is dispropor­tio nale lo Ihe 181h cenlll l)' pa 1:tcc.

SEGOV1A The PO~I Office is 011 Pbza San Facundo ",ith P!:t7..;:1 DOClor Lagun:1 around Ihe comer. \Vith the growlh cxpcrienccd by aJl Ih¡... eil)' section in Ihe lale 191h century, in Ihe ca dy 20lh cenlury an impon:1I11 urban reform \\':IS carried OUI by Ihe municipal :t fchilecl Joaquín Odriozob. \Vho cre­:1\ed Ihe r.Lpid acce:-.s 10 Ih(..' Plaza Mayor Ihrough S:1I1 A¡'¡;llslín Sl reel. This mac1t..' il necessary 10

c1(;:l11oli ... h Ihe S:1Il F:lcundo pari.,h clllI rch. (¡Ill.: of Ihe oldest Olllsic1e Ihe cily w:Llb, 10 make Ihe p1:l 7':1 of Ihe S:1Il1C anc1 e~t:lhlish new a¡¡gllrnenl~ :md ~1n.'Ct widths. '111e po.,lal huilding wa~ huill O!l o ne side of Ihal plaza.

An initia! Co.-,I e ... lim:lI<: of Ihe SegO\'ia build­ing. made in 1908. :ullounted 10 155.000 pcsela~. :11\ amOlLnl Ih:LI did nOl change in Ihe nexl years. :1Ilc1 Ihe conlr..ICI m usl have heen ;Lwarc1ecl al Ihal price. :Lftt.·r the plol \\":1-. clefim:d in 1922. The huilding \Vab excrulcd in 1932- 193-1 aflt'r a Vl.'ry elemenl:d design Ih:L1 Irk:-. to harmonisecl \\'ilh Ihe lypic:11 cil)' archilectufL' Ihrou~h a relÍ<:ubr ~gr.lffiIO of rel:lli\'l' :'lICCl·"!lo.

SA.tYIi\I' IDER The PO~I and Tdegr.lph Office of Santander is 1<X.'!Lled in une o f Ihe mO~1 \.'mblemalic mea:-. of Ihe dly. 11 shoulcl su ffice lO obselve lhe size of Ihe open spaces Ih:1I :-.urrouncls il and Ihe signif­icmce of Ihe !lear by hui1din¡.¡;~. :.uch :1:' Ihe C:llhedr::11 and Ihe Bank of Spain 10 under.-.land ~lg:Lin Ihe inlereSI place by Ihe Cily Council :md Ibe Slale 10 make Ihes\.' huilding~ true elllhas~ie ... of Ihe ne\\" \\"orld uf commun iCllion:..

The dt"sign execulcd i ...... igl1ed hy Fern:'¡ndez Quinlanilb and S\.'cundino Z U:IZO Ugalde, 1\\'0

)'ou n¡.¡; :trchill.·CI~ frOI11 11u: xh(x)1 of l\l:idrid th:L1 formcd :t ... ucceSl)fu[ Il.':lm in 111:111)' o f Ihe compc­lilions held. unlil Ihe fir:-.I o ne died. '111e Santander 1'0:.1 OmeC \\,;1 ... one of Ihem. ancl :1I11ong.~llheir ri\'al~ \Vere M>me of Ihe 1110:.1 :.ifnif-

• ka nI represcntali\,(;:. of Ihe II/OII((lIlés region:tl liIY!"::, slIch as J:L\'ier GonóleZ de Hiancho \\'ho, althoLt~h p:l~sc.'d Ihe fi rsl preliminar)' design SLL·p. did nOI gcl Ihe fin:ll :lw:l rd. 11 \Venl lO Fern{¡nc!ez Quinlani11:1 :md Secunclino Zu:tzo. P:LI""3c1oxically. tlH::y U"'L'"d ekment:. of Ihe I"t.'¡.¡;iomdbt /a .!IOlllflllll

archilccture. bUI in a 1lll.·:l~lIr .... "(1 do~l.· ami well incor1'or.llc<1 lO a unmi ... takahlc modcrnil}'.

·T1lU~. regionali~m is reducL'(1 10 Ihe pic­ture'-<.Iue char.lCter 01" Ihe building a~ a ",hole, wilh a dominaling polygonal lo\Ver :md anolhcr lower lower breaking Ihe rigid :-.)'mlllelry sCt:n in o lllL'r buildings of Ih:1\ lime. t\sidc I"rom Ihe c m ­lilL,\'cr .... 'C1 roofs :md M)I1lC other delail. Ihe resl :lIh\VCr.-. 10 :In ;¡rchilecl ufC :.earch ing ror a com­prombc 1X'1\\'een Ir.ldition ~lTld mooernit)'. "cr)' \\dl rt:~ol\'L'X1 by Ihe archileCI:-.. The ma:..:.c~. Ihe column pon.ico, Ihe di\er.-.il)' in ... ize :md sha[X' of Ihe opcnings. Ihe eolou r :md COIllIXl.. .. ition of Ihe uppcr noor. incorpoF.tling Ihe dock. revcal :1 wxxl under~I:Lnding ()f Ihe philo ... ophy o f Ihe ne\\' postal bLlile!ings in Ih:LI e:lrly SI:lgc. ane! so Ihb of Sanl:lIlder. ( l:ttcd in 19 1'). cune 10 be one o f Ihe 1110S1 dblingubhed olles.

::'ctnlander is :1 mounUinou ... pro\ ¡nec nicknam...,d !tI IIOllfll/la (Ih..., moum"in) ,lnd \\ hale\ el' per1ain" 10

Ihe prO\ince i ... l.' lll<.-<.I II/UII/(1I/6 (moumainl."Cr).

SANTA URSUlA (Tenerife) 011 Ihe old highway linking 1";:1 L:lguna 10 l:I 01'01:1\1:1. in Ihe nonh of Ihe b!:md o f Tenerife, sil !lo lhe HIIle ham!el 01' Sanla Llr ... ula. Ihal sinee 1996 ha:-. a Technical Communicalion Office. :md Ihu .... onc of the !le\\"c~1. Thi .... ¡ ... a dÍ'>lribulion centre concci\'L'X1 in prol"Xmion 10 Ih..., local n .... '(..'Xb. 11 i:. a conlempor::Lf}' huildin~ de .. igned by Enrique Solana de Que ... ada \\ ho. in Ihe detail~ ancl 111..: IreaUl1t.'nt of matcri:¡[~. adhl.'rt: ... in lht'

!1l0 ... ¡ ¡.¡;ener..11 fashion 10 Ihe "'o-C:llIecl m<xlcrn designo

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, Villa de Madrid, nLun. 24. 1968, pp.6s-70. NAVAscut<; P,\LAC10 , P.: " Regionalism o y arquilectur.1 en Espaib ( 1900-1 930),

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