The ballet school is one of the five National Art Schools. The unique structural systems reveal the innovative solutions that came about when Cuba was changing and resources were scarce. The National Art Schools are a symbol of the hope and enthusiasm brought about by the Cuban Revolution.
The dramatic arts school is one of five structures comprising the National Schools of Arts. The renowned arts institution was commissioned in its entirety by Fidel Castro in the post-revolutionary period. Mimicking a medieval Italian city, the School’s winding alleyways carve out rounded classrooms topped with thin-shelled tiled vaults.
Parque José Martí was conceptualized as a sports complex for the younger generation of Cubans. The park reflects the optimism and hope that permeated Cuba during the forties and fifties, with uniquely created architectural forms, and a state-of-the art complex. In total there were five zones to the park: stadium, gymnasium, swimming pool, children’s area and parking lots.
The Cristóbal Colón cemetery is one of the world’s greatest historic cemeteries. It is the largest cemetery in the Americas and is the burial place for many of Cuba’s influential families. The Nuñez Galvez tomb, unlike many of the classically inspired mausoleums, is built in the modernist style and is meant to highlight the wealth and status of the Nuñez Galvez family.
The Sala de las Arcos de Cristal, or Hall of Crystal Arches, is the interior performance hall of the Tropicana Cabaret. The hall is composed of five slender reinforced concrete cylindrical arches placed off-center and in decreasing height. Measuring only 3-inches thick, the shell vaults provide only a thin separation between the garden-like exterior and the soaring interior.
The colorful outdoor shells frame the entrance to the famous Tropicana Nightclub in Havana, Cuba. Eight barrel vaults cover a glamorous mirrored walkway that has hosted celebrities such as Nat King Cole, Rita Montaner, and Bola de Nieve.