Located in the La Serena neighborhood of Mar del Plata, Argentina, the well-known yet now abandoned Ariston Hotel was designed and constructed in 1948 by the Hungarian architect Marcel Breuer, a great diffuser of the modern movement in architecture. Originally meant for housing social reunions, dances and cocktail parties, this project is notable for its elevated volume with a curving, clover-inspired form that permits maximum glazing.
The Ariston Hotel is an icon of modern architecture in Argentina, distinguishing itself with its curved forms that allow for constant visual contact with the diverse landscape of dunes and sea.
Thanks to this form and the large windows that cover each curve of the building, it is possible to look outward in a continuous and integrated manner. With openings on every 3 panels, the hotel also receives good cross ventilation.
The concept of the geometry of the clover, which came about from the collaboration with architects Carlos Coire and Eduardo Catalano, was accomplished by overlapping panels along the form of a rounded cross.
This rounded volume is elevated on 4 pillars, a recurring motif in modern architecture, where form follows function. Unlike other buildings of that era, however, Breuer decided that in order to lighten loads, he would use tiles made from volcanic lava.
The faculty of Architecture at UBA contacted architects to generate a project that would revitalize the area south of Mar del Plata and return it to its previous prestige.
Currently students of architecture are working towards the recovery of this architectural landmark through the Facebook page: Recuperamos el Ariston - or Bring Back the Ariston.
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Architects: Marcel Breuer
- Year: 1948
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Photographs:Plataforma Arquitectura
Reference: Plataforma Arquitectura
