Costruttore Trade

Candia Construction Company

Abstract

The aim of this work is to set forth the prolific production of Candia Construction Company which operated during the last century in the city of Rosario. It produced quality buildings, emblematic constructions for a number of outstanding architects and local bourgeoisie businessmen. This circumstance positioned the company on a privileged spot since its building legacy became a testimony of the cultural debates of the time. Thus, the evolution and contradictions of this period are reflected in its own history. This paper is focused on the transitional period ranging from the academic architecture to the modern movement in the city, it describes the construction technics which were used and registered in the archive of the projects built by the company. The main constructions of this period, the company’s evolution and the role of its main referents are dealt with in a chronological order. Three significant phases are addressed: the foundation with the figure of Rafael Candia, then the expansion with Rafael Candia Jr and Armando Delannoy, and, finally, the consolidation with architect Rafael Carlos Candia as its referent. The company explored all architectural styles and genres; it worked in every field of the construction industry leaving a built heritage that should not pass unacknowledged.