1173. Wroclaw. Hotel Turystyczny
















Dear Werner,

"One wishes to see something of the boldness of 
modern ship structures transferred to the design of 
houses and thus hopes to overcome the fussiness 
and narrowness of today's housing" (Hans Scharoun)

Best regards,
R

1172. Ruissalo-Runsala, Villa Warén.















Dear Tim,

The serie of villas that Erik Bryggman designed in the
1930s were key to his later work and a testing ground
to study contemporary ideas and trends on a small 
scale. For example this postcard shows a nice view of 
Villa Warén which expresses quite explicitly the main 
features of early Functionalism.

Regards,
R

1171. Imatra, Kotmen Ristin Kirkko

















Querida Cristina,

"La auténtica esencia de la arquitectura consiste en una
reminiscencia variada y en desarrollo de la vida orgánica
y natural" (Alvar Aalto)

Besos,
R

1170. Tsentrosoyuz, Москва

















Estimado Pelayo:

"Entonces se asomó por la ventana, y sorprendió al
ángel en las primeras tentativas de vuelo. Eran tan
torpes, que abrió con las uñas un surco de arado en
las hortalizas y estuvo a punto de desbaratar el cobertizo
con aquellos aletazos indignos que resbalaban en la luz
y no encontraban asidero en el aire. Pero logró ganar
altura. Elisenda exhaló un suspiro de descanso, por ella
y por él, cuando lo vio pasar por encima de las últimas
casas, sustentándose de cualquier modo con un azaroso
aleteo de buitre senil. Siguió viéndolo hasta cuando ya
acabó de cortar la cebolla, y siguió viéndolo hasta
cuando ya no era posible que lo pudiera ver, porque
entonces ya no era un estorbo en su vida, sino un punto
imaginario en el horizonte del mar."
(Gabriel García Márquez-Un Señor Muy Viejo Con Unas
Alas Enormes)

Suyo,
R

1169. Ristinkirkko, Lahti















Dear Jochen,

"What is Aalto's legacy today? The human factor
and respect for ordinary people. The big tree does
not only cast a big shadow, it could also be
considered an allegory of teaching and learning"
(Samuli Miettinen of JKMM Architects)

Regards,
R

1168. Cristóvam Dias. Casa de habitação. Matosinhos, Portugal














Dear Manuel,

"Style does not count; what does count is the 
relationship between the building and life. 
Architecture will become effective in terms of this compromise only when, in a radical step forward, 
it is able to position itself outside the common denominator of worthless and gratuitous gestures
or the dominant nexus of the culture industry that conditions them" (Fernando Távora)

Warm regards,
R

1167. The Mikkeli Concert and Congress Hall

















Querido Jean,

Este bello edificio de lineas aaltianas fue diseñado
y construido por Arto Sipinen en 1989. Este arquitecto
colaboró en su juventud con Alvar Aalto y Viljo Revell.
Posteriormente ya como arquitecto en solitario ganó
numerosos concursos y construyó edificios como el
ayuntamiento de Imatra, la biblioteca central de Lahti
o el centro cultural y de congresos de Kuusamo.

Saludos,
R

1166. Armée du Salut. Le Louise-Catherine. Asile flottant.

















Dear Louise,

Old barge Liège was renovated by Le Corbusier in
1929 to create a floating asylum for the Army of
Salvation to provide shelter for homeless people
particularly during the winter months.
The refurbished barge was renamed Louise-Catherine
after the german painter Louise-Catherine Breslau.
Le Corbusier itself explained the project:
"The barge was 80 meters long. We built, from the
bottom to the top a vast space divided into three
compartments. We added 160 beds, a dining room,
kitchens, toilets, sinks, showers, private apartments,
and a hanging garden on the roof of the barge"

Best,
R

1165. Casa Baletti. Lesa (Lago Maggiore)














Querida Blanca,

"La verdad no se alcanza sólo con la razón"
(Ignazio Gardella)

Saludos cordiales,
R

1164. St. Joseph Hospital, Tacoma, WA
















Dear James,

"I hope that what my architecture has done is allowed
enough freedom, enough creative potential from the
people who are using my buildings to develop their
own architecture, to develop their own activity,
their own patterns of living, their own exploration
of how to use space for living." (Bertrand Goldberg)

I believe that this is the way all architects should think
about their buildings.

Best regards,
R

1163. Tbilisi. Palace of Solemn Ceremonies.





















Dear Bill,

As Claude Nicolas Ledoux created a plan for
his famous "Oikema" back in 1779, here Viktor
Djorbenadze devised and built a scultorical
"hermaphrodite space" in 1984.

Regards,
R

1162. Stockholm, Sjohistoriska Museet















Dear Henrik,

Although not as popular as Stockholm City Hall,
the Stockholm Maritime Museum, was also designed
by Ragnar Östberg. A graceful cupola-crowned rotunda
can be seen at the center of this structure that was one of
the last monumental classical building built in Sweden.

Best wishes,
R

1161. Montferri





















Querida Cristina,

"No podemos amar nada si no lo concebimos
con la palabra del corazón (verbum cordis)"
(Santo Tomás de Aquino)

Besos,
R

1160. Toronto-Dominion Centre. Toronto, Canada
















Dear Sean,

"Architecture is a statement of the way of life of its occupants"
(Mies van der Rohe)

Best,
R

1159. Government Museum and Art Gallery. Chandigarh.
















Queridos Rafa y Luis,

"El propósito de la construcción es mantener las cosas
juntas y el de la arquitectura es deleitarnos" (Le Corbusier)

Besos,
R

1157. Foire Internationale de Marseille















Querido Daniel,

Le Corbusier y su primo y colaborador Pierre Jeanneret
diseñaron a finales de los años 20 un estante publicitario
desmontable para la compañía suiza Nestlé. Este pequeño
pabellón de metal y cristal fue concebido como una gran
cartelera publicitaría que permitía a los paseantes pasar a
través de él. Fue montado, desmontado y vuelto a montar
hasta en tres ocasiones en las ferias comerciales que
tuvieron lugar en Paris, Marsella y Burdeos en el año de
1928.
La fotografía de esta postal tomada en Marsella lo
muestra nítidamente a la derecha de la imagen.

Afectuosamente,
R

1156. Universidad Laboral, Sevilla
















Querido Manuel,

La antigua Universidad Laboral de Sevilla, actual Universidad Pablo de Olavide, constituyó una gran operación urbanística para la ciudad que incluyó la apertura de la Avenida de Felipe II y sus conexiones hasta el nuevo campus. El conjunto se desarrolló a partir de dos partes fundamentales: las edificaciones centrales mas representativas que incluían el rectorado, la administración y los distintos Colegios, de carácter
formal y funcional gracias a su extrema linealidad y reiteración; y las edificaciones perimetrales dispersas para talleres y pabellones deportivos. La imagen de esta postal ofrece una vista desgraciadamente desaparecida de dos de los tres pabellones deportivos perimetrales con sus audaces cubiertas de hormigón armado, así como al fondo de la imagen algunos de los Colegios del área central y más allá la torre de entrada con sus 67 metros de altura.
Este conjunto, ejemplo notable de la modernidad arquitectónica en el sur de España, ofrece parecidos formales con algunas operaciones urbanísticas racionalistas italianas del segundo cuarto del siglo XX.

R

1155. Frederick C. Robie House, Chicago, Illinois
















Dear Daniel,

"Architecture is the triumph of human imagination over
materials, methods, and individuals, to put man in
possession of his own world." (Frank Lloyd Wright)

Regards,
R

1154. The Philippine International Convention Center.





















Querido Francisco,

"La arquitectura moderna filipina es el
producto de dos grandes corrientes
culturales: la oriental y la occidental,
que juntas han producido un nuevo
objeto de gran armonía"
(Leandro V. Locsin)

Recuerdos,
R

1153. Suomi Kalevan Kirkko





















Querida Zenobia,

(...)
La mano con la luz
sobre el alma con forma.
Melodía del tacto,
eternidad redonda.

(Juan Ramón Jiménez, Redondez)

Agradecido,
R

1152. Roma - Citta universitaria. Istituto di matematica
















Dear Marcello,

The Istituto di Matematica at the Campus of La Sapienza
in Rome, is a remarkable example of functionalist
architecture designed by Gio Ponti. It comprises a cubic
front structure that houses the offices for the faculty and staff, and an u-shaped rear building that contains drawing rooms and some lecture halls. This graceful building is the only one that Gio Ponti erected in Rome.

Best wishes,
R

1151. Residential Blocks, Brasilia

















Caro Eduardo,

"“é o jogo de três escalas que vai caracterizar e dar
sentido a Brasília... a escala residencial ou quotidiana...
a dita escala monumental, em que o homem adquire
dimensão coletiva; a expressão urbanística desse novo
conceito de nobreza... Finalmente a escala gregária,
onde as dimensões e o espaço são deliberadamente
reduzidos e concentrados a fim de criar clima propício
ao agrupamento... Poderemos ainda acrescentar mais
uma quarta escala, a escala bucólica das áreas abertas
destinadas a fins-de-semana lacustres ou campestres”.
(Lucio Costa)

Cumprimentos,
R

1150. Imatra. Kolmen Ristin Kirkko















Dear Göran,

"Be rational, but do not put your faith in rationalism.
Distrust all theoretical systems, sustain your contact
with nature, learn from practical experience, always
be prepared for new difficulties" (Alvar Aalto)

With appreciation,
R

1149. Riihimäki, Maauimala















Dear Martti,

The Riihimäki water tower, built from August 1951 to
August 1952, was Erik Bryggman's last significant 
project. The tower is a multiuse building that 
originally included, besides a large water reservoir, 
a museum located at the lower levels, and a scenic 
cafeteria on the roof. The large windows on the lower 
part and the small square apertures of the reservoir 
above are consistent with the disparity of uses.
Along with the water tower, the Yrjö Lindegren's and
Aulis Blomstedt's sports facility and swimming pool 
are seen still under construction on this aerial picture.

Regards,
R

1148. Turku-Abo. The Resurrection Chapel















Dear Tapio,

"The entire design of the Turku Chapel is carefully 
calculated and finely tuned to achieve a lasting 
balance between what is positive in modern 
functionalism and what persists as reinforcement from 
memories of past structures." (Malcolm Quantrill)

Best wishes,
R

1147. Teologado de Dominicos San Pedro Mártir. Madrid





















Estimado Luis,

(...)
Difíciles barrancos de escaleras,
calladas cataratas de ascensores,
!qué impresión de vacío!,
(...)

(Miguel Hernández, El Silbo de 
Afirmación en la Aldea)

Gracias por tu sabiduría.
R

1146. Geneve. La Maison Ronde
















Dear Pierre,

Maurice Braillard, the designer of the Round House,
had in common with Alvar Aalto his strong professional
interest on housing and his refusal of strict functionalism.
This well-known semicircular building in Geneva was also
as typologically experimental as it was the Schönbühl
residential tower that Aalto, along with Fleig and Wandeler,
built in Lucerne some 30 years later.

Best wishes,
R



1145. La Sextant. Les Mathes. Charente-Maritime
















Dear Corey,

This summer house in Les Mathes, near to La Rochelle,
was built by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret back in
1935 under such limited budget that the architects
couldn't afford to travel to visit the site neiher before or
during construction for inspection and supervision.
Nevertheless a well-thought project from the architects
and the honest work of a small village contractor made
possible the construction of this stone masonry home in a
more than satisfactory way.

Regards,
R  

1144. Ferrara. Palazzo Aeronautica





















Dear Guido,

"We feel that this is our architecture, because
we are the inheritors of Roman building
power. Profoundly rational, utilitarian, and
industrial as they were the characteristics of
Roman architecture".
(First Exhibition of Rationalist Architecture,
Rome, 1928)

Cheers,
R 

1143. Caracas, Venezuela














Querido Juan Carlos,

Esta asombrosa casa colgada de la colina de Bello 
Monte en Caracas tiene para mi el mismo carácter y vivacidad que los maravillosos e irrepetibles muebles construidos por Carlo Mollino o Ico Parisi.

Un abrazo,
R

1142. Lahti Starckjohann
















Dear Malcolm,

The Starckjohann Building in Lathi is one of the first self-service wholesale and over-the-counter stores in Europe. This eye-catching functionalist building has many common features with another important commercial building of the 1930s in Finland: the Latsipalatsi Glass Building in Helsinki.

Kind regards,
R

1141. Joao Pessoa, Brasil. Hotel Tambaú

















Estimado Eduardo,

"La arquitectura es la forma más sencilla de articular el
tiempo y el espacio, de modular la realidad, de hacer
soñar." (Gilles Ivain)

Con todo mi afecto,
R


1140. Centro de Convivencia, Campinas, Brasil















Querido Roberto,

"Nuestra propuesta consistia en crear un espacio de
encuentro. Separando los distintas partes y ámbitos del
teatro queríamos que el espíritu del lugar fuese capaz de
atraer al ciudadano común y corriente, que al cruzar
entre esas piezas se viese sorprendido de repente por
un grupo ensayando una pieza de ballet, por unos músicos
afinando sus intrumentos o por una compañía de circo con
sus malabares. De esa forma el ciudadano imaginario sería
despertado y podría comezar a iluminar su vida con las
cosas de la cultura" (Fabio Penteado)

Un abrazo afectuoso,
R

1139. Chrysler Building, New York























































































































































































Dear Noah,

When completed in 1930 the most admired Chrysler Building was one of the most recognizable built expressions of the myth of modern luxury already embodied in the sumptuous and innovative 1930s classic cars. After more than 80 years the Chrysler Building is still the highest steel-supported brick building in the world. The light and dark grey bricks, more abundant in the lower and middle levels, let the "Nirosta" stainless steel to become the main cladding material as it rose toward the secretly constructed 125 feet-long steel spire.

Best regards,
R

1137. Buenos Aires. Edificio Safico





















Querido Ricardo,

"La arquitectura debe dar forma a lo que en el mundo
contemporáneo tiende a desaparecer" (Louis I. Kahn)

Abrazos,
R

1136. Heladeria Coppelia, La Habana

















Querida Gloria,

Decía Alejo Carpentier que él luchaba por ser nacionalista
y vanguardiasta al mismo tiempo, aunque era consciente de que lo primero significaba defender la tradición y lo segundo erradicarla.

La popular Heladería Copelia, en el tradicional barrio de
El Vedado, es una féliz reinterpretación vanguardista del
clásico sistema gótico de contrafuertes y arbotantes.

Besos,
R

1135. Sanatorium Zonnestraal, Hilversum















Dear Katherine,

It would better to greet you as water,
To embrace you as light
And know you as wind.
Be brushed and buoyed by me,
Held and washed over, my arms long to know you
Differently.

Make me into league-like depths,
And the air I no longer need to come up for.
Leave me of another likeness,
And I will know you still.
I will love you better,
I will be fulfilled.

(Katherine Orloff- Another Likeness)

(The underlined font is mine)
Thank you Katherine,
R