Palacio Raggio, Academic art building in Almagro, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Palacio Raggio is an eight-story academic art building featuring French elements with symmetrical designs and ornate stone decorations across its exterior walls. Inside are residential units, an art showroom, and a restaurant on the mezzanine, accessed through a renovated lobby.
Swiss architect Lorenzo Siegerist designed this building between 1907 and 1910 for the Raggio brothers, who operated their general merchandise stores on the ground floor. It was built during a period when Buenos Aires was expanding rapidly and European architectural styles were reshaping the city.
The building displays French academic style as it appeared in early 20th-century Buenos Aires, showing how European influences shaped the city's look. The ornate exterior tells of a time when the city drew inspiration from European elegance.
The building houses multiple uses across different levels that are easily accessible from the main entrance. Visitors should know this is a mixed-use building with residences, so public areas are somewhat limited.
The building preserves an original interior passageway on the ground floor, designed specifically for goods delivery to avoid street congestion. This visible detail shows how the architecture thoughtfully addressed the needs of the business that once operated there.
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