Architect and painter · Argentina · 1923-2013
Clorindo Testa Biography, Buildings and Best Books
Italian-born Argentine architect and painter (1923-2013), author of the Bank of London and the National Library in Buenos Aires, two landmarks of Latin American Brutalism.
Photo: MRECIC Argentina, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Biography
Clorindo Testa (1923-2013) was an Argentine architect and painter, born in Naples, and one of the most original architects of Latin America. His Bank of London and South America in Buenos Aires and the Mariano Moreno National Library, held up on four giant concrete supports, are key works of Brutalism, and as a painter he was part of the avant-garde around the Instituto Di Tella.
Naples and Buenos Aires
Testa was born in Naples in 1923 and came to Argentina as a baby. He graduated in architecture from the University of Buenos Aires in 1948 and spent time in Italy in the early 1950s. He painted throughout his life, moving from abstraction to informalism, and exhibited at the Instituto Di Tella and the São Paulo Biennial.
The Bank of London
With the firm SEPRA (Santiago Sánchez Elía, Federico Peralta Ramos and Alfredo Agostini) he designed the Bank of London and South America in the narrow streets of the financial district (1959-1966). Its concrete screen facade and open interior of suspended floors made it one of the most celebrated buildings of its time.
The National Library
With Francisco Bullrich and Alicia Cazzaniga, Testa won the competition for the National Library in 1962. Construction dragged on for decades and the building opened only in 1992: a massive reading block raised high above a park on four piers, with the book stacks underground.
Later work
With the artists Jacques Bedel and Luis Benedit he converted a Franciscan convent into the Recoleta Cultural Centre (1980). His studio, later Clorindo Testa and partners, continued to build hospitals, offices and the Andreani Foundation. He died in Buenos Aires in 2013.
Clorindo Testa: Architect
An English-language monograph on Testa’s buildings, from the Bank of London to the National Library, with drawings that show how closely his painting and architecture were linked.
View on Amazon
Timeline
- 1923Born on 10 December in Naples.
- 1948Graduates in architecture from the University of Buenos Aires.
- 1959Begins the Bank of London and South America with SEPRA.
- 1962Wins the National Library competition with Bullrich and Cazzaniga.
- 1966Bank of London is completed.
- 1980Recoleta Cultural Centre opens.
- 1992National Library opens in Buenos Aires.
- 2013Dies on 11 January in Buenos Aires.
Best Books on Clorindo Testa
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Clorindo Testa known for?
Clorindo Testa is known for the Bank of London and South America and the Mariano Moreno National Library in Buenos Aires, both landmarks of Brutalism, and for his work as a painter.
Who designed the National Library of Argentina?
The Mariano Moreno National Library was designed by Clorindo Testa with Francisco Bullrich and Alicia Cazzaniga after a 1962 competition. It opened in 1992.
Was Clorindo Testa a painter?
Yes. Testa painted throughout his life and exhibited with the Argentine avant-garde of the Instituto Di Tella.
What is the best book on Clorindo Testa?
Clorindo Testa: Architect (nai010) is the main English-language book on his buildings.
Is the Bank of London a Brutalist building?
It is often counted among the masterpieces of Brutalism for its exposed concrete, though its sculptural forms also make it hard to classify.
