Casa Ruiz de Velasco, Art Nouveau revenue house in Madrid, Spain
Casa Ruiz de Velasco is an Art Nouveau building in Madrid whose facade displays intertwining flowers and stems along the balconies, with large shop windows on the lower floors and lateral bay windows. The structure combines metal frameworks with load-bearing walls, creating spacious commercial areas on the ground floor while luxury apartments occupy the upper levels.
The building was constructed in 1906 when textile entrepreneurs Bonifacio and Pablo Ruiz de Velasco commissioned architects José López Sallaberry and Francisco Andrés Octavio Palacios to design it. It emerged during a period when this style was gaining importance in Madrid and merchants were creating buildings that displayed their commercial success.
The entrance portal displays a Mercury symbol representing the god of commerce, marking the building's origins as a textile business. This emblem reflects how the structure was shaped by its commercial purpose from the start.
The building sits on an irregularly shaped plot in central Madrid, meaning its architecture is adapted to the constraints of the location. Visitors can view it from Calle Mayor and Calle Postas, making it easily accessible from multiple perspectives.
The irregular plot forced architects to design four separate sections, some running parallel to Calle Mayor and one facing Calle Postas. This creative solution shows how designers had to adapt to challenging site conditions in the heart of the city.
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