Banco Argentino Uruguayo Building, Beaux-Arts financial building at Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The Banco Argentino Uruguayo Building is a Beaux-Arts financial structure at Plaza de Mayo standing 56 meters tall with eight upper floors and a distinctive cylindrical corner where Diagonal Norte and San Martin Street intersect. The structure contains two basement levels and features an internal courtyard that brings natural light and fresh air to the spaces inside.
French architect Eduardo Le Monnier designed this structure in 1928 during a period when financial institutions were expanding their presence in downtown Buenos Aires. This growth reflected the city's increasing economic confidence and financial development through the 1920s.
The building displays ornate French academic details like elaborate balustrades, artistic railings, and portraits of architect Le Monnier above the third-floor windows.
The building sits at a busy intersection, so pay attention to traffic patterns when exploring the corners or taking photographs. The internal courtyard is not visible from the street, but viewing it from inside or above gives a better sense of the architectural design.
The irregular trapezoidal shape of the lot at the intersection determined the entire building design and led to the distinctive cylindrical corner. This practical solution for a challenging plot became the recognizable feature that sets it apart from other structures of its time.
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