The City Bathed in Light and Rain
Photo Feature by Ernesto Gonzalez Diaz
HAVANA TIMES – Magical and eclectic Havana is shown to us bathed in light and rain, covered in a leaden sky. The slenderness of the Someillan building is mixed in the landscape with the rationalism of the Focsa and the beauty of the Hotel Nacional. They were all built in Vedado in the first half of the 20th century.
The Someillan was a project of Cuban architect Fernando De Castro Cardenas and also the architect and structural engineer Jose A. Vila Espinosa. The latter also led the team that calculated the structure of Habana Libre Hotel. The Someillan is located on Calle O between Linea & 17th streets.
Moreover, the Focsa, the Hotel Nacional and the Habana Libre give shape to the characteristic Havana skyline.
The Focsa building is also a Cuban project, considered one of the seven wonders of Cuban civil engineering. It was designed by the group of architects made up of Martin Dominguez Esteban, Ernesto Gomez Samper and Bartolome Bestard. Engineer Luis Saenz Duplaces was in charge of the construction.
The Focsa has 36 floors and is based on the ideas of renowned French architect Le Corbusier. The concept of an autonomous structure within a city. It is made up of 373 apartments, garages, a school, a supermarket, shops, and restaurants.
Old Havana isn’t far…
Additionally, only a few minutes by car is the origin of the city, the historic center. The Plaza San Francisco de Asis, built in 1559, with a convent and basilica that stand out for their Baroque majesty.
The Capitol building and the Grand Theater are essential in the city landscape. The capitol was a project of Eugenio Raynieri Piedra. Located in the center of the country’s capital, between Prado, Dragones, Industria and San Jose streets, it is the “0” kilometer point of the Cuban road network.
Thank you for this great feature.