Carlos Raúl Villanueva Astoul (May 30, 1900 – August 16, 1975) was a
Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
n
modernist
Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
. Raised in Europe, Villanueva went for the first time to Venezuela when he was 28 years old. He was involved in the development and modernization of
Caracas
Caracas ( , ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas (CCS), is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the northern p ...
,
Maracay
Maracay () is a city in north-central Venezuela, near the Caribbean coast, and is the capital and most important city of the state of Aragua. Most of it falls under the jurisdiction of Girardot Municipality. The population of Maracay and its ...
and other cities across the country. Among his works are El Silencio Redevelopment which included 7797 apartments and 207 shop premises and the
Ciudad Universitaria, the main campus of the
Central University of Venezuela
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
. The Campus was declared a
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
in the year 2000.
Early life and education (1900-1928)
Villanueva was born in the city of
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
on May 30, 1900. He was the son of Carlos Antonio Villanueva and Paulina Astoul from a family originally from
Valencia
Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...
,
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
who had settled in
Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
in the 18th century. His father was sent as an envoy from Venezuela to the
Exposition Universelle of 1889 in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
where he met Paulina Astoul and married her in 1893. A few years later, in 1896, he was appointed
Consul
Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...
General of Venezuela in
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
by the government of
JoaquÃn Crespo. Carlos Raúl was born four years later near the Venezuelan Consulate and was the youngest of the five children of the family. In the following years his family moved back to Paris, where he received his basic schooling at the
Lycée Condorcet
The Lycée Condorcet () is a secondary school in Paris, France, located at 8, rue du Havre, in the city's 9th arrondissement. Founded in 1803, it is one of the four oldest high schools in Paris and also one of the most prestigious. Since its inc ...
. Later on he moved with his family to
Málaga
Málaga (; ) is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 591,637 in 2024, it is the second-most populo ...
, Spain, until 1919 when he returned to Paris. In 1922, following the footsteps of his brother Marcel, Carlos Raúl was admitted to the Second Class of the Department of
Architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...
of the
École des Beaux-Arts
; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth centu ...
and entered the workshop of
Gabriel Héraud. In 1925 he entered the First Class of the Department of Architecture and worked closely with León Joseph Madeline. During that time he collaborated on a project for a ''Hôtel d'ambassade a construire dans un pays d'Extreme Orient'' with another student of Héraud's workshop, Roger-Leopold Hummel, which won the Second prize of the Grand
Prix de Rome
The Prix de Rome () or Grand Prix de Rome was a French scholarship for arts students, initially for painters and sculptors, that was established in 1663 during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Winners were awarded a bursary that allowed them t ...
in 1928. On June 6 of the same year, he received his
Architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...
degree and traveled for the first time to Venezuela and the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
where he joined the architectural firm
Guilbert and Betelle with his brother in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. ...
. Yet in 1929 Villanueva returned to Venezuela and started working in the Ministry of Public Works as Director of Buildings and Ornamental Constructions.
First Modernism (1929-1944)
After gaining some experience in France and the United States, Villanueva arrives in Venezuela full of enthusiasm and ideas; in particular, thanks to the influence of his close friend
Auguste Perret. Both men shared a profound conviction that architecture was the art of organizing space. Consequently, Villanueva sees himself as a man of action and will work countless hours to fulfill his passion. His first jobs were on the city of
Maracay
Maracay () is a city in north-central Venezuela, near the Caribbean coast, and is the capital and most important city of the state of Aragua. Most of it falls under the jurisdiction of Girardot Municipality. The population of Maracay and its ...
, a city which became the de facto capital of the country under
General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
Juan Vicente Gómez
Juan Vicente Gómez Chacón (24 July 1857 – 17 December 1935) was a Venezuelan military general, politician and '' de facto'' ruler of Venezuela from 1908 until his death in 1935. He only officially served as president on three occasions d ...
. He received his first important assignment in 1929: the "Hotel JardÃn". In his reform of the building it was possible to already observe some features that will become common in his designs. Among them were the use of covered galleries to provide protection from the weather and the use of interior courtyards and gardens to harmonize built and unbuilt spaces. On January 28, 1933, he married Margot Arismendi Amengual, a member of the prominent Venezuelan
Arismendi family, and had four children with her.
His first important commission came in 1935 with the project to build the
Museum of Fine Arts of Caracas. This project allow him to create a space for the exhibition of art, one of his most important passions. Already at this time his devotion to the artistic vanguards of the century could be seen in his library, where his large collection of books on architecture was complemented by those on art. It was also during this time that he met the sculptor Francisco Narváez with whom he collaborated in the Museum of Fine Arts as well as in a series of other important projects like the "Natural Science Museum"(1936–1939) and the "Gran Colombia School" (1939–1942) which became Villanueva's first attempt to bring into fruition the guiding principle of career: the synthesis of the arts. The buildings also showed Villanueva's application of some of the most defining ideas of
modern architecture
Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural movement and style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco and later postmodern movements. Modern architectur ...
like the simplification of form and the importance given to functionality.
Ciudad Universitaria (1944-1970)
The Campus and buildings of the
Universidad Central de Venezuela are considered to be Villanueva's masterwork. Built on the site of the old
Hacienda
A ''hacienda'' ( or ; or ) is an estate (or '' finca''), similar to a Roman '' latifundium'', in Spain and the former Spanish Empire. With origins in Andalusia, ''haciendas'' were variously plantations (perhaps including animals or orchards ...
Ibarra - which originally belonged to
Simon BolÃvar's family - and connected to the new city center around Plaza Venezuela, the project meant a massive undertaking of both urban planning and architectural design. The administration of
IsaÃas Medina Angarita
IsaÃas Medina Angarita (6 July 1897 – 15 September 1953) was a Venezuelan military and politician who served as President of Venezuela from 1941 until 1945, during World War II. He followed the path of his predecessor Eleazar López Contre ...
bought the Hacienda Ibarra in 1942 in order to give the University a larger location than the San Francisco Convent, giving Villanueva a unique opportunity to applied his conscious integration of art and architecture on a grand scale. This vast urban complex of about 2 square kilometres includes a total of 40 buildings and it remains one of the most successful applications of
Modern Architecture
Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural movement and style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco and later postmodern movements. Modern architectur ...
in
Latin America
Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...
. Villanueva worked closely with all the artists who contributed with their oeuvres and personally supervised the project for over 25 years until the late 60's when his deteriorating health forced him to leave some buildings in the design stage.
Quotations
Synthesis of the arts
In 1954, Villanueva described the guiding principle behind the Ciudad Universitaria in the following way:
Works
1920s
* Banco Obrero and Banco AgrÃcola y Pecuario (Maracay, 1929); (currently the Museum of Anthropology and History)
* Hotel JardÃn (Maracay, 1929–1930); (currently the Aragua State House)
1930s
* Sports Club (Maracay, 1930)
* Plaza BolÃvar (Maracay, 1930–1935)
* "La Maestranza" Bullring (Maracay, 1931–1932)
* Bolivarian Museum (Caracas, 1931)
* Mental Hospital (Caracas, 1931–1933)
* Plaza Carabobo (Caracas, 1934)
*
Museum of Fine Arts (Caracas, 1935–1938)
* Museum of Natural Sciences (Caracas, 1934–1935)
* Venezuelan Pavilion at the Paris Exposition (Paris, France, 1937 - Demolished)
* Plaza Simón BolÃvar (ValparaÃso, Chile, 1938)
* Los Rosales and El Prado Residential States (Caracas, 1938–1940)
* Gran Colombia School (Caracas, 1939–1942); (currently the Francisco Pimentel School).
1940s
* Headquarters of the Venezuelan Chamber of Commerce (Caracas, 1940)
* Plaza La Concordia (1940)
* Buena Vista Preorientation Boarding School (Los Teques, 1940–1942)
* Passenger Terminal (Valera, 1941–1942)
* El Silencio Redevelopment (Caracas, 1941–1945)
* Radio Communications Building (Caracas, 1943)
* General Rafael Urdaneta Development (Maracaibo, 1943)
* Unidad Vacacional Los Caracas (1944)
*
Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas - Campus of the
Central University of Venezuela
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
(1944–1970)
* Plaza Rafael Urdaneta (Caracas, 1945)
* University Hospital (Caracas, 1945)
* Anatomical Institute (Caracas, 1945)
* Rafael Urdaneta School (Maracaibo, 1945–1946)
* El Hipódromo Development (Maracay, 1946)
* Las Delicias Neighborhood Unit (Maracay, 1948–1952)
1950s
* Hacienda La Pimpera House (Barlovento, 1954)
* Diego de Losada Development (Caracas, 1954)
* Atlántico Norte Development (Caracas, 1954–1955)
* Lomas de Pro Patria (Caracas, 1954)
* Cotiza Housing Estate (Caracas, 1954)
* Artigas Residential Estate (Caracas, 1954–1955)
* La Vega Residential Estate (Caracas, 1955)
* 23 de Enero Development (Caracas, 1955–1957)
* Simón RodrÃguez Development (Caracas, 1956)
* Altos de Curia Residential Estate (Caracas, 1954)
* School of Petroleum Engineering (Maracaibo, 1956)
1960s
* La Salle Foundation (Caracas, 1961–1962)
* Caomita House (Caracas, 1962)
* House for Alejandro Otero (San Antonio de Los Altos, 1965)
* Plaza Estrella Building (Caracas, 1964)
* Venezuelan Pavilion for the
Montreal Expo (Montreal, Canada, 1967)
1970s
*
Jesús Soto Museum (Ciudad BolÃvar, 1970)
References
* Carlos Raúl Villanueva (1980), Textos escogidos. Caracas : Universidad Central de Venezuela, Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo.
External links
Villanueva Foundation - Official WebsiteDedicated to the Centenary of his birth
*
ttps://whc.unesco.org/en/list/986/ UNESCO World Heritage website on the Ciudad Universitaria de CaracasExhibition on the Covered Plaza by the Architectural Association, LondonVideo on the life of Villanueva with interviews of his daughter and collaborators
{{DEFAULTSORT:Villanueva, Carlos Raul
Venezuelan architects
Modernist architects
Modernism
Academic staff of the Central University of Venezuela
1900 births
1975 deaths
École des Beaux-Arts alumni
Lycée Condorcet alumni
20th-century Venezuelan architects
Architects from London
Architects from Caracas