John: Architecture Dominican style

John:

Your put down of Dominican architecture and houses in the Dominican Republic have brought you down to almost ridicule. In response to your nonsense about asking for US$1,000,000 to build a house in Santo Domingo, or for that matter in Boca Chica I replied to you that if I were to commission a million dollar house from a Mexican-graduated architect I would rather choose world class Architect Ricardo Legorreta than go with an unknown quantity like you.

Your reply was that you know Legorreta and that he has stated " I would only build a house for someone who deserves it" as meaning that $1,000,000 is small potatoes for him and that Dominicans could not afford him, or even be considered by him.

It so happens that Ricardo Legorreta builds for middle income people in places like Santa Fe, New Mexico a small little desert town with only 65,000 people, hardly a match for Santo Domingos monstrous apartment spread, and his condos, although beautifully designed with the greatest of taste and simplicity would be considered small potatoes here in Santo Domingo. Logarreta project company called ZOCALO is just another real estate venture like any other, nothing special. Anybody can buy one of his housing units. In fact, some of these condos in Santa Fe are quite small in comparison to high class Dominican Condos in the Piantini and Anacaona Avenue. For instance he has a 1022 sq.mt. apartment for $195,000. That is only 94 mts. Some of the Anacaona apartments have rooms that small. The largest unit called the "Dorado" model for $425,000 is a mere 2265sq.ft. or 210mts. That would be considered a low size unit in a high class neighborhood in Piantini. The 3br top of the line unit, the "Esquina" has bedrooms so small, Dominican high class families would not even consider it.

John, if any Dominican calls Logarreta and his Zocalo outfit to come to DR to design and construct, he would come running like a roadrunner. True he has some real expensive mansions in Hollywood, but he also builds where the money is. And DR has plenty of that. It is just that we do not need him. As far as you are concerned, if you think DR is so small and tacky for you, what are you doing here? Looking for any business?

TW

TW, I dont want to get into personals offenses, but if you want to talk about architecture, lets do it in person, not reading some books before posting. most of your posts are just taking from newspapers, magazines and internet.
If you know that much about Ricardo Legorreta, lets just have a meet and talk about him. I have his phone # with me, so i can invite you to talk to him whenever you want.
For you information. Dominican architecture doesnt exist. but there is a mexican architecture, and very rich.
Mexican houses has Character; dominican houses dont.
it is hard to say this, because i am dominican, but this is the true.
One time a very rich dominican went to mexico invited by a Mexican executive who lodged him at the Camino Real in Mexico City and he didnt like it. He asked for a 5 star hotel like Jaragua.
The mexican told him. we dont have hotels like Jaragua. we have 5 stars hotels. hotels without casino and disco and prostitutes around the lobby. but our hotels are monumental, with class, and character.
you know what i mean. I live in Los cacicazgos, just one corner north of Anacaona ave. and you know what?, those apartments that you mention are overvalued and doesnt have architecture. this kind of buildings you can find anywhere in the world, even in nicaragua, costa rica, el salvador,etc, but mexican architecture dont.
Next time you read, you better read twice. Santa Fe is one of the most impressive neighborhoods i had ever seem. it is located in the suburbs of mexico city. not Santa Fe, new mexico.
they have great buildings with monumental mexican architecture. here is located Universidad Iberoamericana and Santa Fe Mall. the best of Legorreta.
I think this is the end. sorry by i wont reply to you. next time you want to talk about architecture, lets do it in person, WITHOUT BOOKS. and without fakes numbers without a source.

John:

The next time you post, be sure to check your sources. Santa Fe is in New Mexico, in the United States, not Mexico city like you state. Architect Ricardo Legorreta has a project named ZOCALO in that city, just five minutes from downtown Santa Fe on US Highway 285. just off state Road 599. I even found a sales prospectus for you in the link included here. I do not deal with fake figures.

I am surprised that if you know Ricardo Legorreta so well and even have his phone number, which I can get for you too, you dont know where his commercial middle class projects are.

I am not interested in getting into arguments with you either or even discuss architecture with you. I have my own crowd that I discuss art with. I dont need art partners.

And, I apologize for reading books, newspapers, magazines and even having to go to college to learn. I guess you were born a genius and know everything without reading and research. Perhaps a little research will help you get your information right. People here want to believe what you post. I have been to Mexico and Mexico City is a dump ready to fall into a clay hole with unbreathable air, and with the next earthquake it might not even have a five class hotel standing.

TW

The link you post, is not the correct link. here is the correct link

Well, arrogant TW, why people will be interested in the small zocalo project in Santa Fe, new mexico, when he has one of the largest and most impressive project called Santa Fe in Mexico City. For you information. Mexico city has maybe, the best technology against earthquake after '85. in my years in Mexico there were at least 20 earthquakes from 5.5 to 6.5 and nothing happened. wait for a 6.5 earthquake here and you wont see any of those towers in ave. Anacaona again.
you started wanted to talk about architecture with me. so the invitation is still here. you can choice a public place, date and hour. we can invite some DR1's members.
we can talk not just about Legorreta, but what about Phillip johnson or thomas jefferson, or you prefer michael graves?. are them unknow for you? here one easy frank lloyd Wright (we can talk for hours about Guggengeim). you dont like americans? so, let go to germany, here one easy: lets talk about Bauhaus' walter gropious or you prefer Frei Otto or Mies Van der Rohe? you dont like germans either?
lets talk about spanish architecture, easy not? what you prefer Candela or Gaudí?, oh you want to talk about High Tech. well, be careful, here I am an expert: my favorites: Richard Rogers (oh my Lloyd's of London, i love it.), Norman Foster and? oh my god, i can't believe I forgot the other one from the Group of 3. Can you refresh my memory?
Oh no, maybe we will need more than one day. we can't leave out Le corbusier, Kenzo tange, Ralph Cram and his Catedral of St. John, mario bota, ricardo bofill (not the one you know.)
Louis Khan? had you been in Yale University?
do you want latins? lets talk about Barragán or Lucio Costa or you prefer Agustín Hernandez?
Take your time to prepare yourself. i have one of the largest collections of books available for you anytime. and when you are ready, let me know.

I have enjoyed this tiff, which is getting down to the one we saw with "cejay"/ Come on, now.
Here is a question for both of you: Do you know Francisco Camarena?
Who built Julio's house in Punta Cana?

TW, get off your high horse and be nice!
John, no one is putting you down, but it seems that you are just a bit too proud or took offence too easily here.

And I beg to differ: There IS Dominican arquitecture. Not famous, but it is growing. Remember that for years our monuments were built by European arquitects and designers. Our most famous builders were mostly trained in Europe and the States. After all, there is only so much a small country can do. In the same vein, there is no Salvadorean, Guatemalan, Honduran, Nicaraguan or Costarican, puertorican, or cuban arquitecture. And as for "Mexican" arquitecture, i think I can make an argument that it is still growing. After all, remember that in 1910, at that famous art show in Mexico City to celebrate Porfirio Diaz'40 years of government, there were no Mexican artists at all!! Same thing here. Our arquitects are growing, and some of them are good, very good.

so gentlemen, let's tone this down a bit, okey. Go have that talk over a few good drinks...

HB

Two good brains to me. Why not join forces and push in the same direction. All we are looking for is el bienestar de la republica.

Well, he is the famous beer belly architect who built the ugly house where i live. hehehehe