The years pass and the links which unite the Argentine capital with Catalonia seem to remain intact. In different corners of Buenos Aires, if you pay attention, it is possible to come across a story linked to this region. This is the case, for … For example, a work designed by the great genius of Catalan architecture, Antoni Bonet (Barcelona, 1913), and located in a corner of Buenos Aires. The building represents a great modernist emblem of importance throughout Latin America.
Thanks to many transformations, the place has since this year housed one of the trendiest bars in the city. Located in the heart of the Retiro district, one of the liveliest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, it is called Acuario and its cocktails – both traditional and creative in their offerings – attract locals and tourists alike.
Appearance of the facade of the property
About to celebrate its centennial and located just a few blocks from the legendary 9 de Julio Avenue in Buenos Airesthere is a building whose historical importance is unknown to most residents of Buenos Aires. This is the House of Studies for Artists, designed by the Catalan architect Antoine Bonet. At that time, the young man was barely 26 years old and was already a disciple of the famous Le Corbusier. Bonet is the author, among others, of La Ricarda de El Prat (Barcelona). Passersby pass through the building’s door every day, many of them unaware of the full history behind this site, which represented a paradigm shift for Buenos Aires architecture in the 1930s.
Located at the corner of Suipacha and Paraguay streets, this site has been the epicenter of infinite reflections and views on the trends of international architecture in the 1930s. It even became considered a symbol of modernism in the heart of Latin America.
The project, jointly designed by Antoni Bonet, Horacio Vera Ramos and Abel López Chas, initially included four stores and seven apartments. It contained two floors. One of them was designed as a resting place for artists. The planning also included a terrace, in order to function as meeting and meeting center.
The building, which at the time represented a novelty for Buenos Aires, was completed in the year 1938. In 2008, the work was declared of National Historic Architectural Interest by the Argentine Congress.
The corner where Bonet’s work is located, in the center of Buenos Aires, came back to life this year thanks to the arrival of Aquariuma bar with a terrace that has managed to conquer the hearts of the inhabitants of Buenos Aires. With a wide variety of cocktails and a few dishes to snack on, the place has a particular aesthetic and benefits from an ideal location in the heart of the city.
What functions today as a bar is located in a place that was called the ‘Bonet Workshop‘, in honor of the famous architect of Catalan origin. Construction work began at the end of 2024 and, a few weeks later, its inauguration took place.
Currently, the building which was an emblem of modernism in the city of Buenos Aires allows you to enjoy two different visits in the same day. On the one hand, it is possible to discover a bar with unique charm a few meters from the emblematic porteño obelisk and the legendary 9 de Julio Avenue. But, in addition, history and architecture enthusiasts can visit the residence-workshop designed by Bonet. Guided tours are even offered for this purpose.
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