Rogelio Salmona

Rogelio Salmona (1929 – October 3 2007) was a Colombian architect. He was noted for his extensive use of Colombian red brick in his buildings and for using natural shapes like spirals, radial geometry and curves in his designs.His art work and architecture was presented in the Mundo art gallery. This Mundo gallery also presents a magazine, Arte Joven about 4-6 per year to coincide with the art in the gallery.

Awards

* Colombian National Architecture Prize (1986, 1988 and 1990).
* Honoured with the Alvar Aalto Medal (2003)
* Honorary Fellow of The American Institute of Architects (2006)
* Prince Claus Award
* Manuel Tolsá Medal, Autonomous University of México (2004)
* Professional Trajectory in Architecture Prize II, Iberoamerican Bienal of Architecture and Civil Engineering (2000)

Personal life

He was born in Paris, but moved at an early age to Bogotá, Colombia, where he studied architecture at the National University of Colombia. He interrupted his program due to the Bogotazo and returned to Paris again. He worked as an assistant to the French architect Le Corbusier for about a decade. He went on to study with Pierre Francastel. In his thirties he returned to Colombia, where he spent the rest of his life (see Public Works, and Private Buildings, below).

He died from cancer in Bogotá on October 3 2007.

Quotes

"I am just an architect. Nothing more. Or should I say: somebody who is trying to be one. Because becoming an architect is very difficult. You never know what part of what you do has any validity. Time tells it. Good architecture will become ruins. Bad architecture disappears. But for you to know it is a ruin, you have to wait a lot of time. I hope the [Parque] Towers not to be ruins today but one thousand years from now".

"That thing about time being gold is a big stupidity. Time is life. I am interested in living it"

Public Works

Salmona designed the following buildings in his native Colombia:

* MAMBO (Bogota Modern Art Museum), Bogotá (1979)
* Virgilio Barco Library, Bogotá (2003)
* National General Archive, Bogotá (1989)
* Gabriel García Márquez Cultural Center, Bogotá
* Special Guests House - Cartagena, Colombia (1978 - 1982)
* Human Sciences Postgraduate Studies Building at the National University, Bogotá
* Quimbaya museum - Armenia, Colombia
* Jorge Eliécer Gaitán Center, Cali, Colombia (1983)
* FES (Superior Studies Foundation) headquarter, Cali, Colombia (1990)

Private Buildings

Some of his works were considered part of Colombia's national patrimony, such as :
* "Del Parque" Towers, Bogotá - Colombia (1964 - 1970)
* "El Polo" urbanization
* "Nueva Santa Fe" urbanization
* Christian Foundation for Housing
* "Timiza" urbanistic development project
* "Libre" University High School (1962)
* Colombian Architects Society headquarter (1961-1970)
* Alba house (1969)

Links

* [http://www.eltiempo.com/cultura/2007-10-03/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR-3751025.html] Article about his life (Spanish)
* [http://www.eltiempo.com/cultura/2007-10-03/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR-3751099.html] One of his last interviews (Spanish)