November 1, 2005


Faced with the task of creating radical design for the Universidad Central de Venezuela, Carlos Raúl Villanueva combined the art of Calder, Vasarely, Arp and Léger with his own dynamic and unorthodox approach to arquitecture.

"Secretive always on its guard, the Venezuelan capital of Caracas reveals its treasures only to those who come looking for them. This modern city, which developed in tune with the dreams and idealism of the post-war period, has long hidden from the world the existence of one of the finest architectural successes of the Modernist movement - its university campus. But nothing stays a secret forever and Unesco recently discovered and listed the Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) as a World Heritage site, implicitly highlighting the talent of its brilliant designer, the architect Carlos Raúl Villanueva.

The constant turmoil of Caracas is the key to the feeling that seizes you on entering the university campus. In the intense light and amid lush vegetation, the city pulsates, a jumble of buildings and crazy traffic. Right in the centre, the campus stands in sharp contrast to the chaos that surrounds it, like an oasis of peace and tranquillity. The buildings, all different shapes and colours, look like huge sculptures exhibited in a park. All are linked by covered walkways and vast lobbies in which the light and temperature are less intense, filtered through subtle openings in the ceilings and walls. The views, never straight or unobstructed, seem to go on forever, allowing here and there glimpses of tamed, harmonious

From its design right through to its very existence, the University of Caracas is closely associated with the unusual character of Raúl Villanueva, its one and only architect. The son of a diplomat, Villanueva was born in England in 1900. He studied architecture in Paris and maintained close ties with the great Modernists of the day, such as Le Corbusier. By the time he settled in Venezuela in the early 1930s, he was a total convert to avantgarde ideas. Charismatic and engaging, Villanueva had a real gift for winning people over and turning events to his advantage, an exceptional ability that led his friend Calder to give him the affectionate nickname 'The Devil'. He married Margot Arismendi, who was from one of the country's most prominent families, and quickly established solid ties with Venezuelan high society.

This support enabled him to make the most of Venezuela's incredible economic boom, which began in the 1940s as a result of the oil industry. Caracas was developing at a staggering pace and the city needed a town planner to build a university campus that would be the stuff of dreams.

The architect's early experiences were not without problems. Take, for example, his first house which, according to his daughter Paulina, is a 'manifesto from top to bottom'. The design was so radically modern that it proved totally unsuitable for life in a tropical climate and the family quickly had to move out. Far from discouraging VilIanueva, this experience was to form the basis of his thinking. He acknowledged the 'universal truth that you don't build from nothing'. In other words, whatever ideas one might have must be adapted to the environment. Hence, his work became known as the tropical version of the Modernist movement.

In 1944, Villanueva was commissioned to build a hospital and a research institute. Mindful of the failure of his own house, his initial plans remained fairly traditional. But asked to endow the country with a radical university complex, he seized the opportunity to test out his new ideas. Mixing modern and traditional materials, he combined reinforced concrete and Italian earthenware to achieve harmonies of greys and bright colours that were to remain one of his trademarks. He broke with the classic symmetries in favour of more dynamic curves, and made the most of the mild climate of Caracas to open up the walls and ceilings, creating vast shaded spaces that extend out into landscaped gardens.

The most spectacular success of the complex is undeniably the integration of the artworks. Villanueva considered public spaces to be the finest exhibition venues, and it was logical that he should approach the most prominent artists of his day. Initially sceptical, they allowed themselves to be persuaded by 'The Devil', who made sure that each work of art fitted into what he described as 'an architectural! sculptural/pictorial whole where not the slightest indecision is to be seen, where no division between these different forms of expression can be detected'. One fresco might emphasise a piece of architecture, while another accentuates a view. The light plays around the artworks, such as Vasarely's Positive/Negative. Fernand Leger created mosaics that are irradiated by the tropical sun, and a giant stainedglass window that filters the light and plunges you into an almost meditative atmosphere on the path to the library.

It was Villanueva's collaboration with Alexander Calder that was the most dazzling. The two men were to strike up a deep friendship during what Calder described as 'artistically' the best time of his life. The architect managed to convince the sculptor that the shapes initially planned for another project could be used for the acoustics in the concert hall. The result is the Aula Magna, a surreal, enchanted amphitheatre that looks as though it has been stormed by a fleet of multicoloured flying saucers. The visual spectacle is equalled only by the sound qoality of the hall, universally recognised as having one of the best acoustic setups in the world. Paying tribute to Calder's 'clouds' - panels that appear to 'float' in the auditorium - Jean Arp sculpted

Any work of art bears the stamp of its era and, like all post-war utopias, the University of Caracas is fading a little. But, like any masterpiece, it manages to surpass the context of its creation. When you see the affectionate relationship that students and teaching staff maintain with their university, and observe the inhabitants of Caracas reclaiming this space, strolling through the campus at weekends or taking dance classes there, you realise that, more than just a fine example of the architecture of the times, the Ciudad Universitaria is the work of an exceptional mind".

Universidad Central de Venezuela, Ciudad Universitaria, Los Chaguaramos, Caracas, Venezuela, Apartado Postal 1050. For information on visiting the campus, ring 00 58 2126054639 of visit the website: http://www.ucv.ve/index.php