592. 17 Wylde St. Potts Point N.S.W



Dear Harry,

This modernist curved structure is one of Sydney's 
best apartment buildings. It was designed by 
crimean-australian emigre architect Aaron Bolot 
in 1951. It is one of the first buildings to employ a segmental radial floor plan layout. A little later 
Finish architect Alvar Aalto designed and built 
in 1959-62 a similar but much higher, structure in Bremen, Germany.

Happy new year.
R

591. Villa Bianca. Seveso, Milano.


Dear Cousin Angelo,

I found this postcard of your villa and decided to buy
a copy for you. Take it as a little Thank you Card for
trusting so much in me during the design and building
processes of your new home. I am glad to know you
and your lovely family are moving in very soon.
Rest assure that doors will be properly fixed and
everything will be ready and waiting for you.

Merry Christmas to all of you!
GT

590. Hochst a. M


Dear Sarah,

The administration building for the I.G. Farben by Peter
Behrens, features a large hall along which offices are set.
The design of this hall emulates the spatial layout of the
Larkin Building by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Best.
R

589. Stockholm, Drottninggatan


Querida Cristina,

El edificio para los almacenes Bredenberg en Estocolmo,
fue una obra que Asplund construyó después de la
exposición de 1930. En este edificio funcionalista de
influencia mendelsoliana, el gran maestro sueco demostró
que el cambio que había experimentado su forma de
proyectar con la Exposición había sido auténtico y por
tanto completamente asimilado.
Hoy día este edificio aun conserva la delicadeza en la
composición de sus fachadas, pero desgraciadamente ha
perdido todo el encanto que tenía el interior a excepción
de la gran escalera que aún perdura.

Un beso y cuidate mucho.
R

588. Trencianske Teplice. Bratislava


Dear Tom,

Czech functionalist architect Jaromír Krejcar designed
the Sanatorium Machnác. This building is one of the
most important works of functionalist architecture in
Slovakia. Just a few years later he also designed the
renowned Czech Pavil­ion at the Paris Exposition of
1937.

Regards.
R

587. Budapest. Margaret Island. Entrance of the Spa Palatinus



Dear David,

A Hungarian masterpiece of the Bauhaus movement is
the Palatinus Open Air Swimming Pool in Budapest.
A Simple but sophisticated building complex. One of its
most striking architectural features is the spiral staircase
that provides access to the pools. Its shape shows clearly
its function.

Cheers.
R

586. The New Sea Wall, Canvey Island



Dear Norman,

The cutting edge Labworth Cafe was built in 1933 to
resemble the bridge of the splendid and ultra modern
"Queen Mary" as seen from the beach. Remarkably
enough, it is the only building solely designed by
legendary engineer Ove Arup.

Cordially,
R

585. Alessandria. Corso Teresio Borsalino



Cristina,

Este edificio de Gardella recuerda enormemente al de
la Barceloneta de Coderch. Ambos presentan un nivel
de detalles constructivos exquisito, y ambos se
construyeron al mismo tiempo aunque la Barceloneta se
acabo dos años mas tarde. Tanto Gardella como
Coderch estan considerados maestros indiscutibles de la
segunda vanguardia.
“..... siempre he creído que en la arquitectura hay algo más,
algo inalcanzable racionalmente” (Ignazio Gardella)

Besos.
R

584. Cuba. Ciudad de la Habana. Hotel Riviera


Querida Gloria,

El Hotel Riviera fue fundado por el gangster Meyer Lanski
vinculado con en el mundo de los casinos y las transacciones
mafiosas. Celebridades como Salvador Allende, Johnny
Weismuller, Ginger Rogers, Nat King Cole o Ava Gardner
se hospedaron o llegaron a trabajar en este clasico del
Vedado habanero.

Mil besos.
R

583. Berlin Rudow Gropius Hochhaus



Dear Dan,

"A modern building should derive its architectural significance solely from the vigour and consequence 
of its own organic proportions. It must be true to itself, logically transparent, and virginal of lies or trivialities." (Walter Gropius)

Sincerely.
R

582. Kupalisko Zelena



Dear Emil,

These swimming pool and spa buildings were designed
in such a way that their functionality efficiency and beauty
link the building complex organically to its natural
environment.

Regards.
R

581. Expo 02. Arteplage Biel-Bienne


Dear Gregory,

According to the architects of this project,
"The site of the great exhibition has been
conceived as a roofed platform jutting out
over the lake, ending in a space with three
towers. Its resemblance to an aircraft
carrier is not a matter of coincidence but
fully intended." The "island"of this futuristic
carrier-like structure is formed by those
three twisted towers featured in the picture.

Best.
R

580. Madrid, Autopista Barajas, Edificio Torres Blancas



Querido Javier,

"Fruto del amor del hombre con la tierra nace la casa,
esa tierra ordenada en la que el hombre se refugia
cuando la tierra tiembla para seguir amandola"
(Camilo Jose Cela, Premio Nobel de Literatura 1989)

Un abrazo.
R

579. Parque de la Revolución, Guadalaja, Jalisco


Querido Alex,

El Parque de la Revolución de Guadalajara fue el primer
proyecto de carácter público que el gran maestro Luis
Barragan llevó a cabo. La idea era conectar la ciudad
con un nuevo distrito residencial construido poco antes
a través de un nuevo parque urbano. En ese nuevo
distrito se encuentran casi la totalidad de las primeras
viviendas que Barragan diseñó. En la foto reproducida
en esta tarjeta postal se pueden ver al fondo varias de las
casas de dos plantas construidas por él.

Un abrazo y recuerdos a Maritza.
R

578. Elsdonk Residence


Querido Linus,

Tu hermano Leon es admirador de la obra del gran Le
Corbusier. Tu hermano Leon fue incluso buen amigo
de el. Mira aqui, en Amberes, tu hermano construyendo
un modernisimo edificio de apartamentos de lujo, de
estructura metalica, con escaleras bien iluminadas y
ventiladas, ascensor para cada apartamento,
habitaciones amplias, multiples baños en cada
apartamento, calefaccion centralizada en el sotano...

No, espera. Es solo un sueño, no puede ser tu hermano.
Me han dicho que el edificio Elsdonkse se construyo en
1934. A tu hermano le quedaban todavia casi 70 años
para nacer.

Igualmente un beso a ambos.
R

577. Hotel Quito, Ecuador


Querido Jaime,

El Hotel Quito fue el primer hotel de lujo construido en
la ciudad de Quito. Desde que se terminó en 1960 se
constituyó en el principal referente para la arquitectura
hotelera del país por su funcionalidad, calidad en los
detalles y riqueza espacial. Cabe reseñar el paraboloide
hiperbólico que caracteriza el acceso principal de entrada,
cuyo cálculo estuvo a cargo del ingeniero Alejandro
Segovia.

Saludos cordiales.
R

576. Heerlen, Markt



Dear Wiel,

Heerlen's local architect Frits Peutz built for the Schunck
Fashion House a new department store in 1935 soon
nicknamed Glaspaleis (Glass Palace). This extraordinary
modernist building meant to be respectful to the next door
historic Kerkplein Romanesque church without renouncing
to the necessary simplicity and functionality of a modern
department store. Its elegant glass curtain walls on three
sides of the building are separated from the floor slabs
allowing natural vertical ventilation by means of hatches in
the roof.

Best regards.
R

575. The Embaixador


Querido Paco,

El arquitecto de este edificio compartía no sólo profesión 
sino nombre y apellido contigo. No era, eso si, español
sino portugués, aunque trabajó muchos años en Angola
y Mozambique. En este último país llevó a cabo obras
magníficas como la Estação de caminhos-de-ferro da
Beira. En el estupendo Hotel Embaixador, de gran fuerza
plástica, se hace notar la influencia de la arquitectura
moderna brasileña de maestros como Niemeyer, Costa o
Reidy.

Un fuerte abrazo.
R

574. Dalcroze. Schule in Dresden Hellerau



Dear Ludwig,

“Simple things are not always the best, but the best is
always simple.” (Heinrich Tessenow)
I always cherish this quote.

Best
R

573. Cairo, Kasr. El Nile Street and Immobilia Building


Dear Ivan,

The first scyscraper in Cairo and in
Egypt was the expressionist Immobilia
Building. Designed in 1937 and
completed in 1940, it was then, with
18 floors and 70 meters, the highest
structure in the country.

Best regards.
R

572. Museu de Arte Contemporanea. Niteroi, Brasil


Dear Adriana,

"It is not feminine architecture; it is architecture by an
architect who loves women" (Oscar Niemeyer)

Regards.
R

570. Agadir, La Poste



Dear David,

Thanks to you and to your great blog
archipostcard.blogspot.com I discovered the fascinating
work of French-Moroccan architect Jean-François
Zevaco. It is hard to believe there is not much published
information about his work. Buildings like the
Physiotherapy Center and the Clubhouse both in Tit
Mellil, the Sidi Harazem Thermal Bath Complex in Fez,
the Beni-Mellal Courthouse in Beni-Mellal, or the Fire
Station in Agadir, deserve our admiration and better
knowledge.

Warm regards.
R

569. Patio del Hotel El Panama, Panama


Dear Sam,

"There is too much conformity in contemporary architecture. I like to think of architecture as an individual creative expression; I get more pleasure out of my work if I carry through my own convictions rather than pursue a dogma outlined by some other architect." 
(Edward Durell Stone)

Best.
R

568. Museo de Arte Moderno en el Bosque de Chapultepec


Querido Martin,

"La arquitectura es una disciplina de servicio en la que
se empieza por considerar a la persona que va a utilizarla"
(Pedro Ramirez Vazquez)

Un abrazo.
R

567. Rijkamuseum Kroller-Muller


Dear Klaus,

"I tell you that the time will come when the furnishing of
a prison cell by Professor Van de Velde will be
considered and aggravation of the sentence" (Adolf Loos)

Regards.
R

566. Hotel Xenia. Mykonos


Dear Dimitris,

"We might discover the eternal character of all architecture, that which is expressed differently 
in each age but that is in the end its most interesting aspect" (Aris Konstantinidis)

Regards
R

565. Sarasota Senior High School



Dear Steve,

I hope you enjoy the emotional, yet intellectual nature of
Paul Rudolph's designs. A wonderful architect who also
thought outside the box.

Thank you for everything you have done for us.
R

564. Sauze d'Oulux. Regione Lago Nero


Dear Mary,

"Only when a work is not explainable other than in terms
of itself can we say that we are in the presence of art.
This ineffable quality is the hallmark of an authentic work"
(Carlo Mollino)

Best.
R

563. Greetings from Chandigarh



Dear Tanu,

"The materials of city planning are sky, space, trees,
steel and cement in that order and in that hierarchy."
(Le Corbusier)

Best regards,
R

561. Aalto Theater in Essen


Dear Franz,

The Aalto Theater was finished in 1988, almost 30 years
after Aalto designed it. It is an incredible building that
wonderfully combines functionality and lyricism. When I
was there, I was very impressed with its elegant deep
indigo interiors and beautiful proportions.

Sincerely,
R

560. Richard Rogers. London as it could be.


Dear Ruth,

"Historically, societies unable to solve their environmental
crises have either migrated or become extinct. The vital
difference today is that the scale of our crisis is no longer
regional but global: it involves all of humanity and the entire
planet." (Richard Rogers)

Respectfully.
R

559. Edificio de la Facultad de Ingenieria. Montevideo, Mayo 28 de 1938


Querido Eugenio,

Julio Vilamajó junto con Oscar Niemeyer formaron parte
del selecto grupo de arquitectos que proyectaron el
edificio de las Naciones Unidas en Nueva York. La
Facultad de Ingenieria de Montevideo es la obra mas
importante de Vilamajó y fue contruida entre 1939 y
1948. Este edificio tiene como claro referente la Escuela
Bauhaus en Dessau. Sin embargo Vilamajó planteó en
esta facultad la idea de "integracion de las artes",
concepto muy del gusto de este magnifico arquitecto.

Un abrazo.
R

558. Seville. Espagne. Rames AVE Madrid-Seville


Querido Antonio,

Dicen Cruz y Ortiz que un edificio ha de explicarse por
si mismo y que a ambos les gusta dilatar la percepcion
en el tiempo cuando se esta en sus edificios. Ambas
cosas son claramente perceptibles en su Estacion de
Santa Justa de Sevilla.

Un abrazo.
R

557. Fracavilla al Mare. Cattedrale



Dear Aldo,

"The design of a building like the design of a city, not
only should take into account functional, technological
and aesthetic aspects, but it should make up these issues
so as to achieve an immediate, direct, and meaningful
relationship with each other, the building and the city,
so they are derived from the other, and in any case can
not be separated from each other except through the
artificial forcing of a later analysis." (Ludovico Quaroni)

Best regards.
R

556. Bremen. Haus der Burgerschaft


Dear Hans,

"Beauty is connected with the form of the object, having
boundaries, while the sublime is to be found in a formless
object" (Immanuel Kant)

Best.
R