In the 20th century, modern architecture thrived in Cuba and a wealth of buildings was realized prior to the revolution 1959 and in its wake. The designs comprise luxurious nightclubs and stylish hotels, sports facilities, elegant private homes and apartment complexes. Drawing on the vernacular, their architects defined a way to be modern and Cuban at the same time – creating an architecture oscillating between tradition and avantgarde.
Audacious concrete shells, curving ramps, elegant brises-soleils and a fluidity of interior and exterior spaces are characteristic of an airy, often colorful architecture well-suited to life in the tropics. New photographs and drawings were specially prepared for this publication. A biographical survey portraits the 40 most important Cuban architects of the era.
Pages: 344
Language: English
22 × 28 cm
195 illustrations, 108 col. ill.
Victor Deupi, Ph.D., is a senior lecturer at the University of Miami
School of Architecture. His research focuses on the art and architecture
of the Early Modern Spanish and Ibero-American
world, and mid-twentieth-century Cuba. Dr. Deupi was also
the President of the CINTAS Foundation dedicated to promoting
Cuban art and culture from 2016–2018. He is President of Docomomo US/Florida.
Jean-François Lejeune, Ph.D., is a professor of architecture,
urban design, and history at the University of Miami School of
Architecture. His research ranges from Latin American architecture
and urbanism to twentieth-century vernacular modernism
in Spain and Italy. He is the secretary of DoCOMOMO-US/
Florida and was an Affiliated Fellow at the American Academy
in Rome in 2007.
"Let me say up front that this is an excellent book; not without weaknesses and bias (about which more later) but, overall, an admirable production. […]The volume is beautifully designed and generously illustrated with new photography by Silvia Ros, reproductions of vintage images, and newly created drawings. [...] I enjoyed reading this book and learned a lot from it." (Belmont Freeman in placesjounral.org, 07.2021)
"The rarity of texts on the modernist architecture in Cuba alone makes this book a critical addition to the architecture collection of any public, museum, or academic library. It would also be of interest to scholars of Latin American art and history. The prose is clear, and its narrative is straightforward, making it appropriate for all levels. Extensive footnotes and citations, a selected bibliography, and a thorough appendix of biographies make the text an effective gateway to further reading on the subject." (Nicole Santiago in ARLIS/NA, 07.2021)
"Vor der Revolution 1959 und in den Jahrzehnten danach ist in Kuba eine aufregende und eigenständige Architektur entstanden. Dieser erste umfassende Überblick zeigt luxuriöse Nachtclubs und Hotels, Sportanlagen, elegante Privathäuser und Apartmentgebäude. Geschickt verknüpften die kubanischen Architekten althergebrachte Bauweisen mit der Moderne und schufen eine Architektur zwischen Tradition und Avantgarde." (RSWB®plus, 07.2021)
"The publication highlights virtually unknown and previously inaccessible visual material, both from university and family archives. The stunning contemporary photographs were taken specifically for the book and new drawings were prepared for it." (dekomomo, 08.2021)
"Cuban Modernism. Mid-Century Architecture 1940-1970, es una radiografía tan amplia como precisa de este periodo clave de la arquitectura cubana, dilatándolo para indagar en los antecedentes y en las reverberaciones que se fueron disipando a partir de 1959." (Francisco Gómez Díaz in ZARCH No. 17, 12.2021)
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"Cuban Modernism maintains a careful balance between heritage and avant-garde. In doing so, it retains and broadens the notion of cubanidad.” (Joseph L. Scarpaci in New West Indian Guide, 04.2023, https://brill.com/view/journals/nwig/97/1-2/article-p164_24.xml?rskey=fXkCIr&result=2)