2016 National Awards of Monuments Restoration and Conservation to be presented

By: Freya Matos

The Francisco de Arango y Parreño House and the Güines Chalet, private house built in 1951, were the winner buildings in the categories of Restoration and Conservation, respectively of the 13th National Award for Monuments Restoration and Conservation, which the National Council of Cultural Heritage celebrates since 2003 coinciding each year with the International Day of Monuments and Sites and Monuments.

The Francisco de Arango y Parreño House, example of the national architecture of the 19th century also received the award of the Vernacular Architecture Chair and of the National Union of Architects and Construction Engineers of (UNAICC), white the Güines Chalet also obtained the prize of ICOMOS-Cuba.

The handed in ceremony took place at the Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso that was recently inaugurated after three years of intense restoration and was attended by Gladys Collazo, president of the National Council of Cultural Heritage (CNPC), Mr. Phillip Laird, president of the American Institute of Architects and Mercedes Elester Savigne, president of the UNAICC, among other guests.

The restoration of the house where was born the illustrious Cuban Francisco Arango y Parreño, present seat of the Havana City Historian Office included the rescue of all original spaces, the reconstruction of the façade and the first section of the main stairs, the restoration of the mural paintings and the substitution of bad arches in the lower floor. The Guines Chalet built as the balloon frame style, has maintained its use as a house. The building original decoration and other elements harmonizing the group are in a fine state of conservation.  Its unique typology turned it a city’s reference point and milestone since its construction.  

Among the nominees in the conservation category, special mentions were conferred to the San Eugenio de la Palma Cathedral, inaugurated in 1951, in Ciego de Ávila and the San Antonio de Padua Parish Church, built in 1857, in Cienfuegos. Mention was also given to the Gonzalo Lima House, example of the Modern Movement in Matanzas. In that same category, the National Center of Protected Areas awarded the National Park Los Caimanes and the Vernacular Architecture Chair gave the prize to the San Antonio de Padua Parish Church and the restaurant Don Tomás, wooden house built between 1887 and 1888 in the town of Viñales likewise a mention to the UNEAC seat in Holguín built between 1845 and 1859.

In the restoration category, mention was given to the old sugar factory Triunvirato, in Matanzas, now the seat of the Rebel Slave Museo del Esclavo Rebelde, while special mention was conferred to the 19th century Palacio de Blanco y de la Artesanía, in Cienfuegos, at present seat of the Cuban Association of Artisans and Artists of the province.

Source: Cubarte