At the beginning of the 20th century, Buenos Aires was a melting pot of academic architecture that reflected the aspiration to resemble Paris as much as possible, the Mecca of good taste and savoir-faire of a powerful cattle aristocracy that shaped the spirit of a time of plenty. But when the First War ended, the curves soon straightened and the aesthetic canon turned to an unexpected asceticism, the start of a movement that would express the change in direction: the art deco.

The past November 4th The exhibition opened“Art Deco in Argentina” on the walk The cisternthe archaeological site in the historic center of Buenos Aires. Organized by CedodalThe Library of Congress and the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Museums and Historical Centerthe sample agrees with that 100th Anniversary of the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris (1925)Launch pad an aesthetic movement this has left deep marks on the world’s urban modernization. Although the exhibition proposes a very short documentary tour of the first manifestations in Argentina through a selection of architectural, graphic and ornamental works, the initiative contextualizes the impact they had on the local landscape. The chapters include regional studies – Buenos Aires, Bahía Blanca, Rosario, Santa Fe, Concepción del Uruguay, Córdoba, Mendoza, Tucumán – and highlight the influence of key figures such as the architect Alejandro VirasoroPromoter of the movement in Argentina, and his colleague Francisco Salamonewhose work changed the appearance of several inland cities.

Paris and the origin of a style that sought to redefine world taste

On the occasion of the anniversary, Paris reflects with the exhibition “1925-2025, Cent Ans d’Art Deco“ in it Museum of Decorative Arts.

The French capital returns to the period after the First War, when a new concept of luxury emerged that permeated all artistic disciplines. from architecture, entertainment, literature, interior and furniture design and graphics to fashion and jewelry. Its shapes are organized in straight lines, marked angles and patterns Zigzag and staggered volumes intended to convey order and dynamism; The ornamentation is at once abundant and subtle, somewhat cold, but it expressed the ideals of a time dazzled by archaeological finds and technological advances. Radiant suns, rays, simplified human figures and abstract plant motifs coexist with symbols of progress such as gears or electric rays, clearly visible on the facades of many buildings in Buenos Aires, their most visible and monumental expression.

The movement combined classic materials such as marble, lacquer and wood with other industry-made products including glass, chrome and stainless steel.. This blend of craftsmanship and technology defined an identity completed by influences from various rediscovered cultures, for example ancient Egypt, Mesoamerican civilizations, African art and oriental aesthetics, reinterpreted from a simplified perspective.

The simultaneity between the large Paris exhibition (it can be visited until April 2026) and the local exhibition opens the possibility of discovering the location of the art deco in the cultural history of Argentina, as we adopt and reinterpret it here. It’s not hard to see the power of his legacy on the streets of Buenos Aires. Just walk around the city and look up carefully.

Notable examples include almost all of the architect’s projects. Alejandro Virasoro (1892-1978)whose work shaped a significant part of the city’s modern profile. His family home at Agüero 2038, declared a National Historic Monument, is an inescapable symbol of his vision, and the building designed for him is equally important. Banco El Hogar Argentino (Bartolomé Miter 567), in which pure geometric forms and a clear preference for cubes and squares stand out, a logic that he also applied in the Theater house (Av. Santa Fe 1243), where he used marble, fluorescent lamps and aerodynamic volumes. For the attentive visitor it will be a discovery to look at the facade with its pyramid and masks that refer to drama and comedy.

Another iconic structure of Virasoro is La Equitativa del Plata (Diagonal Norte 570), a seemingly austere building, much criticized at the time, characterized by its dome with a drum and successive cylindrical volumes ending in a superposition of rings. For years it was the headquarters of the French company Aéropostale, headed by Antoine de Saint Exupéry, and today it is part of the fabulous domed circuit that crowns the north diagonal (ideal for admiring the Equitativa from the first floor of the Green Eat restaurant opposite).

For those who want to learn more about this great architect and listen to good jazz at the same time, there is the Virasoro Bar in a family home that bears his signature.