The Bacardi Building, Art Deco pioneer in Havana

Abstract

The Bacardi building is the greatest exponent of Art Deco in Cuba, completed in 1930, at which time it was the tallest architectural structure in the city. The rum company of the same name commissioned architects Rafael Fernández Ruenes, Esteban Rodríguez Castell and José Menéndez to build a building that would be its headquarters in the city. Thus, one of the iconic buildings of Cuban architecture and city landscape emerged, located in the old area of the capital. At that period, the company's headquarters were located in the building, and a portion of it was leased to other companies based in the city. After the triumph of the Cuban Revolution and the nationalization process carried out, the building became the headquarters of offices, a function it currently performs. In the nineties, thanks to a restoration process carried out by the Office of the Historian of the city of Havana, it recovered the elegance and visuality of its first moments. After 94 years of its construction, the Bacardi building continues to beautify the city with its elegance, the same one it has preserved since the 1930s.