Description
Kavanagh Building. Buenos Aires, Argentina (1936). Eng. Luis Sánchez, Arch. Ernesto Lagos & Surveyor Luis María de La Torre. Rationalist / Art Deco style.
Made in yellow PLA. Ideal for decorating desks and shelves, adding style and personality to your space.
Dimensions:
Width: 7.5 cm
Height: 16 cm
Depth: 10 cm
Weight: 85 g
(Available in other colors and sizes upon request)
History:
The Kavanagh is an essential part of the identity of the City of Buenos Aires. This modernist building is deeply integrated into the urban landscape and forms a key chapter in the history of Argentine architecture. Commissioned by Corina Kavanagh, construction began in January 1934 and was completed in record time, with its official inauguration in January 1936. At the time, it was the tallest building in Latin America and the largest reinforced concrete structure on the continent.
Designed in the Rationalist style with Art Deco detailing, the building rises 30 stories on a 2,400 m² site. Its proportions, distinctive volumetry, and urban placement made it a model building of its era. Upon completion, it stood 110 meters tall, making it the tallest building in South America and the tallest reinforced concrete structure in the world.
The building includes five staircases and twelve elevators, organized by vertical apartment columns. In terms of services, it was remarkably innovative for its time, featuring central air conditioning, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, fur and carpet storage rooms, safety deposit vaults, and centralized laundry and ironing facilities.
The concept of the modern skyscraper is clearly present in its design. Its façades are resolved through strong vertical lines, wide openings, and the absence of ornamentation—key aesthetic principles of Rationalist architecture. The project had to adapt to the triangular shape of the site. Structurally, it is composed of five juxtaposed volumes: a central mass flanked by two lateral volumes, which in turn are accompanied by two smaller ones, creating a symmetrical composition.
