Banco de Londres y América del Sur, Brutalist bank building in San Nicolás district, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The Banco de Londres y América del Sur is an eight-story bank building with three underground levels in San Nicolás. The rectangular concrete structure features suspended elements, geometric patterns, and open spaces that connect the interior to surrounding streets.
The building resulted from a design competition in 1959, which architects Clorindo Testa and SEPRA won and completed in 1966. It was built as the headquarters for the Bank of London and helped define modern architecture in Buenos Aires.
The building shows how Argentina embraced Brutalist ideas, using raw concrete and exposed structural elements as design features rather than hiding them. It represents a time when modern architecture broke with tradition and created new forms of beauty.
The building is visible from the street and located on a main avenue in San Nicolás, making it easy to find and view from outside. The architectural details are best seen during daytime when natural light highlights the concrete surfaces and structural elements.
Steel tie rods hidden within support the main hall, while perimeter columns serve two functions at once: structural support and sun protection. This thoughtful design merges engineering necessity with practical comfort for daily use.
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