Antonio Carrasco : Vista Hotel - Villa Gesell

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"The times they are a-changin'"

Conocimos la obra de Antonio Carrasco, gracias a la visita de Manuel Aires Mateus a Buenos Aires 1. Formaba parte del grupo de docentes, encargados de coordinar él Workshop: "Espacio, Vida y Tiempo". Investigando a sus integrantes fue que conocimos su obra, con la que simpatizamos inmediatamente.

Docente de la FADU 2 desde el 2018 y Arquitecto recibido desde el 2007. Antonio cuenta con una impecable selección de Obras, todas ellas visitables en las localidades balnearias del mar Argentino: Costa Esmeralda, Valeria del Mar, Pinamar y Villa Gesell entre otras. Ciudades de veraneo, pequeñas y medianas, fundadas sobre terrenos medanosos y bosques de coníferas.  Hoy queremos detenernos en una en particular: El Vista Hotel.

Una tarde de Diciembre lo vimos alzarse sereno. Pesados muros blancos se perforaban con cuidado. Proporción, equilibrio y armonía, todos ellos rasgos característicos de la obra de Antonio Carrasco. Pero lejos estábamos de la casa MC 603, o la casa NYDS (dos de nuestras favoritas). El vista hotel se encuentra al sur de la ciudad de Villa Gesell. Habiéndola caminado y recorrido durante años, podemos decir, que el "Vista Hotel" ratificó nuestra fe de cambio.

En una ciudad como tantas otras de la costa, donde prevalece la especulación inmobiliaria, suelen escasear las obras de arquitectura. Decía Frank Lloyd Wright, que cuando "conseguir trabajo" se convierte en el primer principio de Arquitectura, esta desaparece. Que al  igual que en el Arte, el trabajo y el hombre son compañeros, ninguno puede ser comprado o vendido al otro. Antonio Carrasco lo escuchó atentamente, y a la hora de realizar su encargo, no relegó al segundo plano la arquitectura.

Los que gusten de su obra, son los mismos que aman y sienten la arquitectura simple, sin excedentes, a la que les ha costado mucho llegar, porque se llega a ella solamente con gran sacrificio y disciplina. Son los mismos que buscan la serenidad en un gran paramento liso. Los qué encontraron su faro en la belleza. Para ellos, es que nace hoy en Gesell una esperanza. La prueba fehaciente de que aquí también se puede hacer Arquitectura.

Estamos en la playa, cae el sol de la tarde, y el viento fresco nos hace olvidar que es verano. A lo lejos se escucha una guitarra sonar:

Come gather´-round people

Wherever you roam

And admit that the waters

Around you have grown

And accept it that soon

You´ll be drenched to the bone.

If your time to you

Is worth savin´

Then you better start swimmin´

Or you´ll sink like a stone

For the times they are a-changin´ 3

Saludos,

1 - M. Aires Mateus: Visito Buenos Aires durante abril del 2018 . Invitado por sus colaboradores Argentinos Tadeo Itzcovich y Agustin Aguirre.
2 - Facultad de Arquitectura, Diseño y Urbanismo de Buenos Aires. 
3 - "The times they are a-chaingin´" - Bob Dylan 1965.  

ANTONIO CARRASCO : Vista Hotel - Villa Gesell

"The times they are a-changin'"

We came across the work of Antonio Carrasco, due to the visit of Manuel Aires Mateus to Buenos Aires1. He, among other architects, was in charge of the coordination of the workshop: "Space, Life & Time". Researching its members was that we discover his work, with which we sympathize immediately.

FADU2 Professor since 2018 and received architect since 2007. Antonio has an impeccable selection of works, all of which can be found in the seaside towns of the Argentine coast: Costa Esmeralda, Valeria del Mar, Pinamar & Villa Gesell among others. Holliday cities, small and medium, founded on dune grounds and surrounded by pine trees. Today we want to talk about one in particular: The Vista Hotel.

One December afternoon we found it serene. Its heavy white walls carefully pierced. Proportion, balance and harmony, all of them characteristic of Antonio Carrasco´s work. But we were far from the MC 603 house, or the NYDS house (two of our favorites). The Vista Hotel is located on the southern side of the city of Villa Gesell. Having walked and toured the city for many years, we can say that the "Vista Hotel" ratified our faith for change.

In a city like so many others on the Argentinian coast, where real estate speculation prevails, architectural pieces are often scarce. Frank Lloyd Wright use to said, that when "getting a job" becomes the first principle of Architecture, this last one disappears. That as in Art, work and man are partners, none can be bought or sold to the other. Antonio Carrasco listened carefully, and while doing his assignment, he did not relegate architecture to a second plane.

Those who resonate with his work are the same as those who love and feel the simpler architecture, without excesses, which had cost them a lot to reach, because it is reached only with great discipline and sacrifice. They are the same ones that found harmony in an extended white wall. Those who found their beacon in beauty. For them, a new hope was born in this city. A reliable proof that architecture can also be done here.

We are now on the beach, the afternoon sun falls, and the soft wind makes us forget of the summer. Way back in the distance we hear a guitar play:

Come gather´-round people

Wherever you roam

And admit that the waters

Around you have grown

And accept it that soon

You´ll be drenched to the bone.

If your time to you

Is worth savin´

Then you better start swimmin´

Or you´ll sink like a stone

For the times they are a-changin´ 3

Greetings,

1 - M. Aires Mateus: Visito Buenos Aires durante abril del 2018 . Invitado por sus colaboradores Argentinos Tadeo Itzcovich y Agustin Aguirre.
2 - Facultad of Architecture, Disign & Urbanism of Buenos Aires. 
3 - "The times they are a-chaingin´" - Bob Dylan 1965.