Parador Ariston: a new step to find a hidden gem in Mar del Plata

The work, near Playa Serena, is the only legacy of the Hungarian architect Breuer in Latin America; According to Conicet's experts, the restoration of the abandoned building, built in 1947, is viable

MAR DEL PLATA.- The sea and its corrosive action are 200 meters on the other side of Highway 11 and in the ravine. They left their mark on the irons hidden in the four columns that support the
Ariston hostel, in the neighboring Playa Serena. But not enough to complicate the ongoing restoration project of the famous Marcel Breuer, only legacy left in Latin America by this reference of modern architecture and one of the best values ​​that he has given
Bauhaus School.

Two scientists from Conicet have just prepared a report based on a study of the texture of these beams that support the two clover-shaped concrete plants that constitute this simple but exquisite construction that has existed for more than 70 years, despite the fact that it has suffered of laziness.

The conclusion of the researchers is that the materials are in an optimal state. It is therefore possible to rebuild this property which, at its best moment, functioned as a confectionery and a discotheque, has spent the last two decades protecting itself from vandalism and is now part of an initiative to make it a museum or a cultural reference for the region.

"We hope that it will be another icon of Marplatean, a trigger for a very calm zone and a beauty different from that of the urban area of ​​the city," Miguel Ángel Donsini, a real estate operator, told NATION owner of this property. He admits that at the time of acquiring it he had not attributed to him the value of the equity he possessed.

"The decision is to work to condition the property, restore it and make a contribution to the cultural heritage of
Mar del Plata ", Donsini said, who is also chairman of the local Public Hammers and Brokers College.

The Ariston Parador is the only work left by the Hungarian architect in the subcontinent. This is his contribution during a brief stage that he lived in Argentina to teach a course at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), a combination of its lines and execution by his local colleagues Eduardo Catalano and Francisco Chur. .

Horacio Goyeneche, architect and professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning of the National University of Mar del Plata, emphasizes that this Breuer design "includes volumes, spaces and games. and light that can directly visualize an entire environment. In 1947, during its construction, the landscape surrounding the building consisted of sea, ravines and open landscapes.

The two four-leaf clover-shaped slabs, which seem to float and are supported only by four thin columns that can not be seen from the outside, were made with volcanic lava to allow a lighter structure . The original speakers, made of wood and full of curves, were made with large windows to enhance the feeling of "floating" on the upper floor.

It was born as an afternoon confectionery that changed the night in the nightclub. Part of this activity continued until the 1980s and by the end of the 20th century it was already abandoned. In a local limit, a grid worked; It was the last moment of intense movement around the place. Today, it is the unavoidable number of architectural professionals who come to admire this jewel of modern architecture that some specialists place even above La Casa sobre el Arroyo, Amancio Williams' conception of valorization that could be recovered after years of work. deterioration

Donsini told LA NACION that his personal intention to restore and give new life to the Parador Ariston had found the obvious interest of international institutions concerned with the preservation of cultural heritage. Without giving too much detail or names, he stated that they had already received two emissaries to adjust a plan of action. In the meantime, he maintains here other advice and collaboration of the municipal authorities and the national universities of Mar del Plata and Atlántida.

"We are on the right track to look for good carpenters who can work on the existing openings and start the repair process," he said in this first step.

Doctors Marcela Vázquez and María Beatriz Valcarce, specialists in concrete structures and researchers at Conicet, agree that the building is very good. "We have to make major repairs on the roofs, where the water accumulates and where there are leaks, but the columns are in good condition," Valcarce told LA NACION. As marine corrosion is a permanent threat, it is evident that the building has been resilient because "it is well designed and built".

Along with the special efforts of the current owner of the Ariston Inn, other attempts continue to ensure a good destination for the building. A new campaign on the Change.org site has added more than 20,000 accessions to the Breuer National Historic Landmark Declaration project. The possibility is offered by a bill that has already been approved by the Senate and is awaiting the support of members.