Vilamajó and Villanueva: Latin American Architects' Houses

Introduction: Architecture as Cultural Expression

The Latin American architecture of Carlos Raúl Villanueva from Venezuela and Julio Vilamajó from Uruguay represents a combination of several different influences and ideologies — from Bauhaus to Utopianism to Latin American culture — that manifests itself in a mixture of geometric and spirited Latino modernism reflective of a social doctrine embracing broadly humanistic principles. This paper compares two houses by these two architects to show how their work is inspired by both the dominant world architecture of the 20th century and the culture of Latin America in which they lived.

As the American architect Louis Sullivan famously stated, "Form ever follows function," and there is much truth to be said for this statement with regard to Latin American architects and their works, as well as the influence and impact of their cities and countries on their architectural styles. The function of the homes of Villanueva and Vilamajó is not merely to provide a dwelling space, but also to say something about themselves as artists and about their view of the world — the history of architecture and culture as they saw it. Thus their homes reflect dynamic currents of thought and change across time and space. The function of these homes is to transcend the here-and-now and take the viewer to a different realm; form follows function in that it presents a dynamic vision — a hybrid construct of arresting dimensions, traditional throwbacks, cultural accents, and modern motifs.

Jean-François Lejeune notes that for Villanueva, a number of influences give the architect his distinctive flair. Among these is the political scene in Caracas, which affected his work in Venezuela, along with the history of the nation and its European influences: "the synthesis of formal rationalism and Baroque plasticity, classicism and functionalism of its architecture and urban interventions constitutes a model of classical proportions."¹ Villanueva was born in London and moved to Venezuela later in life. His particular tendency in constructing housing in Venezuela was to use space and color to make his houses stand out from what he called the "demon city" that encased them — a city from which he sought escape through architecture. One sees in his houses El Paraíso (1952–1954), 23 de Enero (1955), and El Silencio this tendency to use color and space to set homes apart from their surroundings and to transcend the civic and public turmoil in which they were situated. Traditional European Baroque sentiments are infused with Bauhaus styles — flats and horizontals — effecting a dynamic hybrid of old-world and new-world architecture.

Annotated Bibliography

Bethell, Leslie. A Cultural History of Latin America: Literature, Music and the Visual Arts in the 19th and 20th Centuries. UK: Cambridge University, 1998.

This book explores two centuries of Latin American history and culture from music to literature to art and architecture. It discusses the wide ramifications of ideologies and methods and how they interact across mediums and artistic expressions. The architects are discussed in the context of their origins and national backgrounds.

Carranza, Luis. Modern Architecture in Latin America: Art, Technology, and Utopia. TX: University of Texas, 2014.

This book examines modern architects in Latin America and how they use technology to advance ideological aims regarding utopian visions of society. It highlights how architects are influenced by social doctrines within their countries, which are then reflected in their architectural works.

Hernandez, Felipe. Spaces of Hybridization: The House of the Architect.

This book gives examples of how various Latin American architects create hybrid houses drawing on multiple cultural influences to produce original works that are vibrant and alive with aesthetic activity. It discusses Villanueva's homes with photographs and addresses his inspirations, which is helpful in understanding his approach.

Cody, Jeffrey. Exploring American Architecture, 1870–2000. NY: Routledge, 2005.

This book describes American architecture from the mid-19th century through the 20th century and highlights the diversity of styles across that period. It is helpful for pointing out differences and interactions between South American and North American architectural styles.

Haidar, Sylvia. Beach Houses of South America. NY: Image, 2003.

This book explores how beach houses in South America are designed and built and the reasons behind their architectural choices. It is helpful for gaining a broader understanding of South American architecture and what it signifies for individuals in that region in terms of leisure and comfort.

Johnson, Paul. Art: A New History. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2003.

This book surveys the entire history of art around the world from the earliest periods of human civilization to the 21st century, encompassing all expressions from painting to architecture. It is very helpful in understanding how ideas and social movements underlie and support architectural developments.

King, John. The Cambridge Companion to Modern Latin American Culture. UK: Cambridge University, 2004.

This book discusses the history of modern culture in Latin America and is helpful in understanding the influences shaping Latin American architects. It describes Villanueva's work of the 1950s and the inspirations behind it, offering another perspective on these architects and their contexts.

Korom, Joseph. The American Skyscraper, 1850–1940: A Celebration of Height. Boston: Branden Books, 2008.

This book discusses American architecture and the skyscraper in particular, which is useful for understanding Latin American architecture by way of culture and contrast. It provides a counter-depiction of American architectural thought and is helpful in generating ideas for comparative analysis of similar works in different contexts.

Lejeune, Jean-François. Cruelty and Utopia: Cities and Landscapes of Latin America. NY: Princeton Architectural Press, 2003.

This book explores the relationship between ideology, culture, art, and architecture. It presents two opposing views of Latin America — the idealist fantasy (utopia) and the reality (cruel cities of decimated communities). The architecture thus embodies these two contrasting elements and is at once brutal yet optimistic.

Pfeiffer, Bruce, ed. Frank Lloyd Wright: In the Realm of Ideas. IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1988.

This book examines the work of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, whose flat surfaces and horizontals are also visible in the work of Latin American architects such as Vilamajó. It stresses the idea that beliefs and ideologies are genuinely reflected in personal works of architecture — a principle that translates across borders to the Latin American context.