1709. MIT's Ray and María Stata Center

Dear Sarah,

"The Stata's appearance is a metaphor for the freedom, daring,
and creativity of the research that's supposed to occur inside it."
(Robert Campbell)

Regards,
R

1708. Hotel Xenia, Poros

Dear Dimitri,

"You have to become laòs (the people of God) yourself
first before you can show others what is valuable from
your own people" (Aris Konstantinidis)

Sincerely,
R

1707. The Kruševo Makedonium, Macedonia

Querido José,

En 1903 un grupo de macedonios hizo frente al ataque del
Imperio Otomano iniciando un movimiento que desembocaría
en la creación de la República de Macedonia.
En 1974 se levantó este monumento-edificio que recuerda
extrañamente a las válvulas de un corazón, quizá inspirado
por los corazones de aquel grupo.

Un abrazo,
R

1706. Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan

Dear Toyo,

"I just shake the buildings out of my sleeves"
(Frank Lloyd Wright)

Respectfully,
R

1705. The Juilliard School building at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Dear Marcel,

"The most important features of architecture are space, structure,
and scale" (Eduardo Catalano)

Best regards,
R

1704. Vouksenniskan kirkko

Dear Raili,

"Yet a harp might be constructed
Even of the bones of fishes,
If there were a skillful workman,
Who could from the bones construct it"

(Elias Lönnrot, The Kalevala)
Respectfully,
R 

1703. National Bank of Denmark, Copenhagen

Queridos Luz, Manolo y Gabriel,

"Los dioses no regalan grandeza. Nada verdaderamente
grande se obtiene gratis" (Soren Kierkegaard)

Besos,
R

1702. Bermeo (Bizkaya) Batzoki

Cristina,

El Batzoki (Sede política del PNV) de Bermeo es un edificio
que oscila entre el racionalismo y el expresionismo dominante
en Europa en la época de su construcción.
Las referencias naúticas en las formas redondeadas de la esquina,
balcones y barandillas son claramente distinguibles.

Besos,
R

1701. Landesschule Klotzsche

Dear Alvaro,

An old postcard depicting the Saxon State School in Dresden.
When I looked at this picture beautiful memories of my visit
to your Teachers Training College at Setúbal came to my mind.
A similar sense of elegance and harmony are shared between
these buildings.

Gratefully,
R

1700. Alvar Aalto Museum, Jyväskylä

Querida Cristina,

"En una ciudad había una mujer tan feliz que se la expuso
en un museo, ahí ella sonreía. Irradiaba una felicidad tal que
la gente parada en la puerta tuvo que usar anteojos de sol, no
se permitió la entrada a los niños. Cada hora recitó un aforismo
sobre el amor, la gente llegó y escribió en sus pequeños cuadernos
cuadriculados, también suspiraron felices. Ellos no vieron cómo el 
celador por las noches llevaba a la mujer al cuarto de atrás, le abría
una tapa en la espalda, le recargaba las pilas, cambiaba su falda, le
lavaba el cabello sedoso. La boca de la mujer, más profunda que
ninguno de los lagos del país de canciones tristes, se abría y 
cerraba, tragaba todo y sonreía" (Kati Neuvonen)

Besos,
R

1699. La Cité Universitaire de Paris. Collège néerlandais

Dear Rosa,

"Architecture is the art of defined spaces"
(Willem Marinus Dudok)

Best regards,
R

1698. Algeciras, Mercado de Abastos

Mamá

Concepto mondo y lirondo
suele ser cáscara hueca;
puede ser caldera al rojo.

(Antonio Machado, Proverbios y Cantares)

Un millón de besos,
R

1697. Balfron Tower

Dear Amy,

"The whole object of building high is to free the ground for
children and grown-ups to enjoy Mother Earth and not to cover
every inch with bricks and mortar." (Ernö Goldfinger)

Regards,
R

1696. Centro Botin Centre, Santander

Cristina,
Sáenz de Oíza citando a García Lorca decía que el esfuerzo, la
técnica y el oficio son las tres premisas que requieren el oficio
de arquitecto (o de cualquier artista).
Al visitar este edificio el verano pasado noté que los tres estaban
presentes.

Besos,
R

1695. Aalto Theater, Essen

Querida Siby,

"Sin el encanto, lo demás es inútil"
(Jorge Luis Borges, Una, La Divina Comedia; Siete Noches)

Besos,
R

1694. Fondation Louis Vuitton

Dear Frédéric,

"I see my building as if it were moving through the forest,
tracing an alley, a fluid liquid element, an entity whose unity
and direction from whatever side, always seems different, not
easy to determine whose nature and ephemeral quality blend
with the clouds, variation of the sky and rain being factors
constantly changing the perception of the building"
(Frank Gehry, talking about Fondation Louis Vuitton)

With gratitude,
R

1693. Atrio del Museo Guggenheim Bilbao

Mamá, Louis,

"...el mundo entero es un Bilbao más grande"
(Miguel de Unamuno, Rimas de dentro)

Besos muchos muchos,
R

1692. J.K.K. Kirjasto

Querido Roberto,
.
"...,pero biblioteca es pan o pirámide o cualquier otra cosa..."
(Jorge Luis Borges, La Biblioteca de Babel)

Con admiración,
R

1691. Tallinn, Hotel Olümpia

Dear Indira,

One of Tallinn's most noticeable building, this 26-story
hotel building was built for the 1980 Summer Olympics
sailing competitions occasion. It was renovated in 1997
and most recently in 2017 and renamed Radisson Blu
Hotel Olümpia.

Sincerely,
R

1690. Fagus Werk

Dear Karl,

"The role of the walls becomes restricted to that of mere screens
stretched between the upright columns of the framework to keep
out rain, cold and noise." (Walter Gropius)

Sincerely,
R

1689. Centro Botín, Santander

Dear Luis,

“I feel truly honored to have taken on this project for the city
of Santander because it is yet another example in my repertoire
of open, tolerant, and accessible cultural spaces, joining the
Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Auditorium in Rome, Foundation
Beyeler in Basel, the Morgan Library in New York, and the Art
Institute of Chicago; all urban spaces loved by the people”
(Renzo Piano)

Regards,
R

1688. Sabaudia. Casa del Balilla

Dear Florestano,

"Frezzotti's one story Balilla building is perhaps the most
interesting building in Sabaudia, in spite of the later downgrading
of his reputation. It is kept in a sober size, but nevertheless
monumental in style. Its clean geometrical shapes are articulated
in an ochre yellow brick, with travertine details and generous
amount of glass"
(Hanne Storm Ofteland,  Sabaudia 1934, Materializing the Fascist 
Corporate Town, 2002)

Sincerely,
R

1687. House 14-15, Weissenhofsiedlung, Stuttgart, 1927

Dear Hans,

"House is a machine for living in"
(Le Corbusier, Toward an Architecture, 1923)

Sincerely,
R

1686. Oesterreichisches Haus, Cöln 1914

Dear Lucius,

"Beauty is the result of centuries of care and ordering."
(Josef Hoffmann)

Regards,
R

1685. Bata Store, Reichenberg, Tuchplatz

Querido Walter,

Este elegante edificio de los famosos almacenes de calzado
Bata te resultará familiar de tus tiempos en Liberec.
El arquitecto, Vladimir Karfík, construyó muchos edificios
para esta compañía incluyendo el renombrado Edificio 21 de
16 pisos en la ciudad de Zlín, sede principal de la firma.

Un abrazo,
R

1684. Edificio Siboney, Puerto Chico, Santander

Querido Rafael,

Hermoso edificio expresionista el Siboney con sus fuertes
referencias naúticas como las esquinas redondeadas, las largas
tiras horizontales de ventanas, las ventanas en ojo de buey, los
colores blanco y celeste, como si fuese un gran transatlántico
amarrado en Puerto Chico...

Saludos afectuosos,
R

1683. Hotel Panorama, Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia

Dear Peter,

The impressive Hotel Panorama was built in 1970 to accommodate
visitors to the World Ski Championship. Since 2008 the building
has been remodeled as a mixed-use complex including besides the
hotel, private apartment units, and common areas and facilities.

Regards,
R

1682. Abidjan, Cathedrale Saint Paul.

Dear Patrizia,

The shape of the windows recall the form of a powerful elephant.
The structure is supported from above. The power from Above.

Sincerely,
R

1681. Svenska Dagbladets, Stockholmsutställningen 1930

Dear Gustaf,

The charming Svenska Dagbladet's press office was a small
pavilion that worked as a corner as well as a starting point of
the neighboring long side flank of the Paradise Restaurant,
Asplund's most brilliant building of all he designed for the
Stockholm exhibition of 1930.

Best wishes,
R

1680. Rudolf Mosse Pavilion, Pressa Exhibition, Cologne, 1928

Querido abuelo,

Dijo Frank Gehry que si Erich Mendelsohn hubiera tenido
los ordenadores y la tecnología de hoy en día, él hubiera
tenido que figurarse otra cosa para hacer porque Mendelsohn
la hubiera hecho antes que él.
Llevaba años buscando ésta postal. Por fin la encontré.

Besos,
R

1679. Rapla KEK building, Rapla.

Dear Uno,

This is one of the most recognizable and admired buildings
created by Toomas Rein, the Alvar Aalto from Estonia.

Regards,
R

1678. Maison à Gradins, 13 Rue des Amiraux, Paris

Dear David,

"Uncaring, I passed for a happy man! Poor creature,
whom misfortune might have rendered a great genius..."
(Henri Sauvage)

A vintage postcard depicting the set-back working-class
houses project in the Rue des Amiraux under construction.

Best,
R

1677. Hotel Xenia, Iraklion, Crete, Greece

Dear Dimitris,

"And here I am, where I have been looking for ways to have
standardization for the construction, and also for the functional
configuration, thus each architectural work not to be a
unintended incident, but to be a work of thought, something
that aims for being complete and perfect"
(Aris Konstantinidis)

Regards,
R

PS. This building was totally demolished and therefore is not
standing any longer.

1676. The Teaching Practice School and Gymnasium. University of Jyväskylä

Dear Tapio,

“Central Finland frequently reminds one of Tuscany, the homeland
of towns built on hills, which should provide an indication of how
classically beautiful our province could be if built up properly.”
(Alvar Aalto 1925)

Regards,
R

1675. Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Smithsonian Institution

Dear Henry,

"a fortress of a building that works as a museum"
(The New York Times)

Best,
R

1674. Wiipuri asema

Dear Enzo,

The Vyborg Railway Station was inaugurated in 1913 and almost
destroyed during the Continuation War in August 1941. Only ten
percent of the building remains standing since then. This station
was very similar to Helsinki railway station that was built six years
later.

Sincerely,
R

1673. Villa Nuuttila, Island of Kuusisto, Kaarina, Finland

Dear Marco,

Located in a  site with scenic view Villa Nuuttila rises on a slope
like an Italian mountain lodge. This charming villa awoke attention
already during construction. This is one of many small buildings
Bryggman designed that shows the tremendous talent and ability
this architect had to create both humane and nature-friendly
architecture.

Sincerely,
R

1672. Hilversum. School Schuttersweg

James,

A delicate, modern (but not too much) school by W.M. Dudok.
Notice its "Wrightian" arched entrance with red and blue glazed
bricks.

Best regards,
R

1671. Rothschild Boulevard, Tel-Aviv

Querido David,

A la izquierda de la foto se puede reconocer uno de los edificios
que el arquitecto, urbanista y periodista israelí Salomon Gepstein
diseñó y construyó en Tel-Aviv en la década de los años 1930 en
estilo Bauhaus.
Afortunadamente el edificio todavía se conserva en perfecto estado
ya que ha sido recientemente renovado.

Paz,
R

1670. Edificio de Correos, Santa Rosa, Argentina

Querido Roberto,

Como el resto de la serie de edificios para Correos y
Telecomunicaciones construidos en Argentina entre los años
1947 y 1955, éste en Santa Rosa está claramente inspirado en el
edificio Gustavo Capanema inaugurado en Rio de Janeiro en 1945
y proyectado por Costa, Leão, Niemeyer, Reidy, Vasconcellos y
Machado, con el asesoramiento de Le Corbusier.

Afectuosamente,
R

1669. Caja Colombiana de Ahorro, Bogotá, Colombia

Querida Mónica,

La fotografía de esta postal antigua muestra un escorzo casi
completo del edificio de 15 plantas que la pionera firma
Cuéllar Serrano Gómez levantó en Bogotá en 1948. Se da la
circunstancia de que en la segunda mitad de la década de los
40 Gabriel Serrano viajó por Brasil y tuvo ocasión de conocer
y dejarse influir por la arquitectura de Oscar Niemeyer.

Abrazos,
R

1668. Dobříš. Masarykovo sanatorium

Dear Walter,

The sanatorium for the treatment of pulmonary diseases was built
between 1936 and 1938 according to the functionalist architectural
plans by Ferdinand Fencl.

R