Font–Ubides House, Art Nouveau residence in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The Font-Ubides House is an Art Nouveau residence in Ponce with three arched entryways and Corinthian columns arranged in a three-quarter circle formation. The structure features pressed metal ceilings, ceramic tile floors, and interior spaces designed to display wealth and refined taste.
The house was built in 1913 by architect Blas C. Silva Boucher during a time when Puerto Rico's wealthy class was embracing European design styles. This construction reflects how island architecture was changing as people sought to express their prosperity through modern design.
The name comes from two families who made their home here and shaped its story. Inside, decorative pressed metal and ceramic tiles reveal what wealthy households valued and how they chose to surround themselves during the early 1900s.
The house sits on Castillo Street in central Ponce's historic district surrounded by other notable buildings. Plan time to wander the neighborhood's narrow streets and see the many other architecturally interesting homes that share this same area.
The house contains an observation point with a groin-vault ceiling and circular openings that rises above the main roofline. This elevated space gave residents a private vantage point for viewing the city and surrounding areas.
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