The Comega Building is located on 222

Avenida Corrientes Avenida Corrientes () is one of the principal thoroughfares of the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires. The street is intimately tied to the tango and the porteño sense of identity. Like the parallel avenues Santa Fe, Córdoba, and San Juan, it ...

in the corner of Alem Avenue, in the city of

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

History

The Comega Building was the first reinforced concrete skyscraper built in Argentina and the first in Buenos Aires to show an exterior fully lined with

travertine Travertine ( ) is a form of terrestrial limestone deposited around mineral springs, especially hot springs. It often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, cream-colored, and even rusty varieties. It is formed by a pro ...

. It was built, in rationalist style, between 1931 and 1934 on a project by Ing. Alberto Stein and architects Enrique Douillet and Alfredo Joselevich. When first built it rivaled another architectural giant, the SAFICO Building, also built in rationalist style just 200 meters to its west on Avenida Corrientes. However, in 1936 the

Kavanagh Building The Kavanagh Building () is a famed skyscraper in Retiro, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Designed in 1934 by architects Gregorio Sánchez, Ernesto Lagos and Luis María de la Torre, it is considered a pinnacle of modernist architecture. At the time of ...

greatly surpassed both buildings in height. It was built for Compañía Mercantil y Ganadera S.A. (COMEGA), in a privileged area which previously had occupied the residence of Francisco Madero, then transformed into Grand National Hotel. At the time of its opening the 19th floor was planned for collective use and assembly, but the place was soon allocated for the renowned ''confitería-restaurante'' (café) "Comega Club", which ran until 1969. That place was specially prepared for major events that could be seen from a height, such as the arrival of the dirigible Graf Zeppelin in 1934, Carlos Gardel's funeral in February 1936, and the final extension of the Avenida Corrientes in 1937. A new restaurant opened on the same site in 2000, followed by the Restaurant-Café "A222 " from 2004 until its closure in early 2012. A notable feature of the building was its five elevators, these being the first high-speed lifts of Buenos Aires, capable of climbing 180 meters per minute. there was also a hair salon in one of its levels, for the use of its office occupants. A declared architectural heritage of the city, the building has recently been renovated with much of its original features restored.

Description

Since its opening, one of the great attractions of the Comega Building was its strategic location, at the corner of Avenida Corrientes and Avenida Leandro N. Alem, near the Stock Exchange, the

Casa Rosada The ''Casa Rosada'' (, eng, Pink House) is the office of the president of Argentina. The palatial mansion is known officially as ''Casa de Gobierno'' ("House of Government" or "Government House"). Normally, the president lives at the Quinta de ...

and other public offices, and headquarters of major exporters. From the building one can see, among other things, the neighborhood of

Puerto Madero Puerto Madero, also known within the urban planning Urban planning, also known as town planning, city planning, regional planning, or rural planning, is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land ...

, the

Ecological Reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...

, the

Rio de la Plata Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

, and much further away, the silhouette of the city of Colonia (Uruguay), and some buildings in the city of Quilmes. Its exterior has straight edges and is devoid of ornaments. It consists of two wings and a higher multi-storey central tower of 21 floors and 88 meters high. Together they surround a central open courtyard, facing Avenida Leandro N. Alem. It also has two levels of underground garage. Its interior features granite cladding and stainless steel counters, extremely novel and expensive features for its time.

References

External links

* {{coord, 34.6033, S, 58.3706, W, source:wikidata-and-enwiki-cat-tree_region:AR, display=title Office buildings completed in 1933 Buildings and structures in Buenos Aires Skyscraper office buildings in Argentina 1933 establishments in Argentina