Girardot Municipal Palace

Greetings, Architecture and Design lovers! It is a pleasure to be with you once again to share an architectural work of my city Maracay, in the state of Aragua, Venezuela. If there is something that fills me with pride are the extraordinary buildings that can be found in various parts of the city.

Formerly known as the headquarters of the City Council, this building is the current headquarters of the Mayor's Office located north of the city of Maracay. This is a monumental work of the Venezuelan architect Fruto Vivas, built in 1974. It is worth noting that over the years this building has received architectural awards thanks to its original and striking structure. In its beginnings, this 6-story building was also known as the People's Palace.

The architectural style of this work is brutalist, typical in the works of the architect Vivas, a style that took off in the post-war period with a minimalist type of construction, which usually exhibits materials such as bare concrete or brick and a monochromatic palette. The building has a basement and terrace.

From its initial design the idea was to have abundant vegetation and green areas in order to reflect the essence of the city and the state, that is, a valley in the middle of the coastal mountain range, in the vicinity of an important body of water such as Lake Valencia.

One of the features that had great potential and called much attention to this work were the hanging gardens on floating cornices, however, today they are not in use; I hope that the competent authorities can make a restoration project to bring this space back to life as soon as possible.

In the surroundings of the building, towards Las Delicias Avenue, there is a square with four fountains. The building also has a public library, a modern art gallery and a large hall suitable for different types of events.

The geometric columns and the concrete shutters that protect the building are an aspect of the work that attracts a lot of attention. In its different floors we can find administrative offices, a radio station and of course the mayor's office.

As citizens of Maracay, we feel proud of works like this one, and of the governmental headquarters that is right next to it, since in our visits to the north of the city we can enjoy the incomparable view of these imposing structures.

In 1997, this building has been declared by local decree as a site of architectural and artistic interest, as well as of tourist and historical interest of the city and the central region. The structure attracts the attention and admiration of locals and visitors, thanks to its wonderful architecture and great location.

Thank you for joining me here. I hope you liked this large-scale architectural work that is an icon of my city. See you in our next opportunity with more architectural works of interest.