Rogelio Salmona

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Rogelio Salmona (1929 – October 3, 2007) was a Colombian architect. He was noted for his extensive use of Colombian red brick in his buildings and for using natural shapes like spirals, radial geometry and curves in his designs.His art work and architecture was presented in the Mundo art gallery. This Mundo gallery also presents a magazine, Arte Joven about 4-6 per year to coincide with the art in the gallery.

Contents

[edit] Awards

  • Colombian National Architecture Prize (1986, 1988 and 1990).
  • Honoured with the Alvar Aalto Medal (2003)
  • Honorary Fellow of The American Institute of Architects (2006)
  • Prince Claus Award
  • Manuel Tolsá Medal, Autonomous University of México (2004)
  • Professional Trajectory in Architecture Prize II, Iberoamerican Bienal of Architecture and Civil Engineering (2000)

[edit] Personal life

He was born in Paris, but moved at an early age to Bogotá, Colombia, where he studied architecture at the National University of Colombia. He interrupted his program due to the Bogotazo and returned to Paris again. He worked as an assistant to the French architect Le Corbusier for about a decade. He went on to study with Pierre Francastel. In his thirties he returned to Colombia, where he spent the rest of his life (see Public Works, and Private Buildings, below).

He died from cancer in Bogotá on October 3, 2007.

[edit] Quotes

"I am just an architect. Nothing more. Or should I say: somebody who is trying to be one. Because becoming architect is very difficult. You never know what you do have any validity. Time tells it. A good architecture will become ruins. A bad architecture disappears. But for you to know it is a ruin you have to wait a lot of time. I hope the [Parque] Towers not to be ruin today but one thousand years from now."

"That about the time is gold is a big stupidity. the time is life. interests me to live it."

[edit] Public Works

Salmona designed the following buildings in his native Colombia:

[edit] Private Buildings

Some of his works were considered part of Colombia's national patrimony, such as :

  • Del Parque Towers, Bogotá - Colombia (1964 - 1970)
  • El Polo urbanization
  • Nueva Santa Fe urbanization
  • Christian Foundation for Housing
  • Timiza urbanistic development project
  • Libre University High School (1962)
  • Colombian Architects Society headquarter (1961-1970)
  • Alba house (1969)

[edit] Links

  • [1] Article about his life (Spanish)
  • [2] One of his last interviews (Spanish)
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