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Rafael Guastavino

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314: 557:: it is 100 ft (30 m) in diameter and 160 feet (49 m) high. This dome was intended to be a temporary structure, to be replaced by a high central tower. In 2009 this "temporary" fix celebrated the 100th anniversary of its construction. Guastavino received this contract due to the much lower price he could quote because his system served as its own scaffolding. This was an extreme test of his system, however. The masons had to work from above, each day adding a few rows of tiles, and standing on the previous day's work to make progress. At the edges, many layers of tile were laid, and the dome thins as it rises toward the center. 382: 628: 501: 152: 336:, Guastavino was identified as the contractor in charge of "fireproof construction" of the luxury apartment building, which was completed in 1884. Though not specified, the work may very well have included the groined vault entries on the south side on West 72nd Street, and the north side on West 73rd Street, as well as the construction of the subterranean basement, and the 3-foot thick arched floors between the basement and attic levels. 25: 648: 347:(1889), which increased his reputation with every major architect on the East Coast. His published drawings of interior decoration of the Spanish Renaissance style caught the eye of an architect, who asked him to submit a design for the planned New York Progress Club building. After forming a partnership with William Blodgett, Guastavino eventually was offered a construction position in 1890 with 542:. In 1917 the younger Rafael Guastavino III was commissioned to rebuild the ceiling of the Ellis Island Great Hall. The Guastavinos set 28,258 tiles into a self-supporting interlocking 56-foot (17 m)-high ceiling grid so durable and strong that during the restoration project of the 1980s only seventeen of those tiles had to be replaced. 618:
Guastavino began a relationship with Francesca Ramirez, who was much younger than he was, and he pretended Francesca was his daughter until they moved to North Carolina in the early 1890s. They married in 1894, when Guastavino was 51 and she was 33. At that time, he tried searching for his ex-wife
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Paulina Roig, after which Pilar left her husband, later moving to Argentina. It is believed Paulina was the mother of Guastavino's fourth son Rafael Jr., and the three, along with the two previous daughters she had, moved to New York City together in 1881. However, Paulina and her two daughters
527:. The station, although elegant, was never convenient or popular, as it was superseded by nearby stops with connections to Brooklyn. After the city closed it in 1945 because needed upgrades were too expensive, it became a legendary abandoned Manhattan underground relic. Subway buffs and 392:
Guastavino and his son also developed twenty-four products that were awarded patents. Their company, Guastavino Fireproof Construction Company, run by the father and then by his son, was incorporated in 1889. It executed its final contract in 1962.
378:. The property holds artifacts that may be visited, including the kiln and chimney, a wine cellar, beautiful old stone walls, and many smaller structures that have been rediscovered as modern buildings have been constructed there. 565:
Few structures designed and built by Guastavino alone have been identified. He was responsible for a series of surviving rowhouses with unusual Mooresque features on West 78th Street (121–131 known as the "red and whites"), on
1124: 610:, and he had a relationship with their adopted daughter Pilar. When he was 17 and she was 16, Pilar became pregnant, and the two married. They had three sons together, but Guastavino had an affair with 301:. His work appears in numerous prominent projects designed by major architectural firms in New York and other cities of the Northeast. Guastavino tile is found in some of New York's most prominent 267:; March 1, 1842 – February 1, 1908) was a Spanish building engineer and builder who immigrated to the United States in 1881; his career for the next three decades was based in 751: 845: 473: 385: 706: 810: 449: 1169: 1149: 305:
and in major buildings across the United States. It is also used in numerous architecturally important and famous buildings with vaulted spaces.
1174: 370:, also had a vineyard, dairy, brick kiln, and more. This property currently is owned by Christmount Assembly, the conference center for the 674:. Ruins of the original Guastavino Estate still stand, and a collection of Guastavino memorabilia is held in the Christmount library. The 1159: 734: 318: 89: 913: 671: 371: 1102:
documenting Guastavino's work in the Boston area, this page provides copies of writings and patents by the Guastavinos as well
61: 1081: 516: 374:. Guastavino's wife Francesca remained in the house until she died in 1946, and all that remains is a brick foundation and a 1034: 679: 328:, with his youngest son, nine-year-old Rafael Jr. In Spain he had been an accomplished architect and was a contemporary of 714: 652: 632: 216: 68: 1154: 1067: 520: 461: 441: 282:, a "Tile Arch System", patented in the United States in 1885, which was used for constructing robust, self-supporting 42: 445: 108: 313: 1164: 550: 75: 1057: 675: 664: 363: 46: 57: 532: 939: 776: 702: 694: 710: 698: 481: 362:
After working on the estate, Guastavino decided to build his own retirement home in the mountains of
356: 233: 201: 726: 582:. His son Rafael's Mediterranean villa (1912), built entirely of Guastavino tiles, still stands on 574:. Another of his structures, now used as an event space called Guastavino's, is located under the 850: 546: 302: 35: 690: 489: 429: 340: 82: 1111: 1039: 421: 413: 344: 1112:
Guastavino Fireproof Construction Company architectural records, 1866-1985 (bulk, 1890-1942)
846:"WNC History: Infidelity may have led to Guastavino's move here, work on Biltmore, basilica" 670:
The site of his estate is now used as Christmount, the conference and retreat center of the
1144: 1139: 524: 348: 287: 8: 1099: 1076:, Ed. Planeta 2020, a novel thoroughly researched about the Guastavinos, father and son. 738: 627: 1115: 918: 730: 512: 457: 409: 381: 1077: 1063: 976: 595: 579: 575: 505: 1119: 815: 453: 298: 263: 685:
In North Carolina Guastavino completed a number of projects: his work is found in
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knew about it. Guastavino also installed the ceiling of the south arcade of the
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Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University, New York City
777:"9 Dazzling Tiled Archways Devised by Rafael Guastavino | Architectural Digest" 640: 1133: 465: 437: 425: 275: 268: 205: 151: 888:"Christmount Retreat, Camp & Conference Center, Black Mountain NC 28711" 1001: 583: 539: 469: 122: 484:, the vaulting of the carriage turnaround is a Guastavino tile system. In 727:
The records and drawings of the Guastavino Fireproof Construction Company
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Guastavino lived with his aunt and uncle when he studied architecture in
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The largest dome created by the Guastavino Company was over the central
477: 291: 636: 607: 587: 567: 554: 999: 24: 1093: 1062:, Princeton Architectural Press; 1st edition (September 22, 2010). 868:«Guastavino Estate - Rhododendron - Black Mountain, North Carolina» 485: 325: 1029: 405: 126: 400:
Hundreds of major building projects incorporate the distinctive
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National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory
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First Church of Christ, Scientist (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
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of masons using traditional Guastavino methods, ca.2012
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The Guastavinos had entered New York as immigrants via
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The crypt of Rafael Guastavino in the transept of the
951: 1056:Ochsendorf, John; Freeman, Michael (Photographer), 1011:. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office 397:was one of several trade names used by Guastavino. 49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 635:, and final resting place of Rafael Guastavino in 1116:Held by the Department of Drawings & Archives 1000:Michael T. Southern and Peter Austin (May 1989). 1131: 804: 802: 800: 798: 796: 1059:Guastavino Vaulting: The Art of Structural Tile 622: 133: and the second or maternal family name is 1096:documenting Guastavino's work in New York City 940:Guastavino Facebook page, retrieved 2010-11-21 914:"At Ellis Island, Gloomy Ruin Starts to Shine" 863: 861: 811:"The greatest architect you've never heard of" 324:In 1881 Guastavino came to New York City from 882: 880: 793: 858: 339:Guastavino was commissioned by the firm of 877: 535:, which was constructed during 1907-1914. 474:St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church 386:St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church 808: 735:Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library 351:to construct arches for the new mansion, 334:The Real Estate Record and Builders Guide 319:Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant 309:Guastavino Fireproof Construction Company 109:Learn how and when to remove this message 839: 837: 835: 833: 646: 626: 499: 495: 380: 312: 1170:Architects from the Valencian Community 993: 560: 1150:Spanish emigrants to the United States 1132: 1030:"National Register Information System" 911: 843: 672:Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 372:Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 912:Dunlap, David W. (25 February 1987). 830: 731:Department of Drawings & Archives 659:After working on a commission at the 468:. Guastavino tiles form the domes of 262: 16:Spanish-American builder and engineer 1175:19th-century American businesspeople 1035:National Register of Historic Places 1022: 680:National Register of Historic Places 596:National Register of Historic Places 519:, the underground showpiece for the 420:, Guastavino tiles are found in the 366:in a 500-acre valley. His property, 47:adding citations to reliable sources 18: 844:Chesky, Anne (September 30, 2023). 720: 715:Basilica of St. Lawrence, Asheville 713:. He is buried in the crypt of the 515:hired Guastavino to help construct 217:Basilica of St. Lawrence, Asheville 13: 615:returned to Spain that same year. 462:National Museum of Natural History 442:American Museum of Natural History 416:uses 100,000 Guastavino tiles. In 14: 1186: 1160:Businesspeople from New York City 1087: 523:, the first part of the then-new 450:St. Bartolomew's Episcopal Church 446:Congregation Emanu-El of New York 1002:"Rafael Guastavino, Sr., Estate" 551:Cathedral of St. John the Divine 317:Guastavino tile vaulting at the 150: 23: 1125:Photo of the Rhododendron house 809:Sam Allis (February 26, 2011). 488:, the tiles may be seen in the 408:, the central nave vaulting of 34:needs additional citations for 969: 944: 933: 905: 769: 676:Rafael Guastavino, Sr., Estate 364:Black Mountain, North Carolina 1: 1100:Guastavino.net backup at MIT: 977:"Rafael Guastavino Jr. House" 757: 717:, which he designed in 1905. 511:In 1900, New York architects 156:Portrait of Rafael Guastavino 623:Retirement in North Carolina 533:Manhattan Municipal Building 264:[rafaˈelɣwastaˈβino] 125:, the first or paternal 7: 874:. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 745: 707:Basilica Shrine of St. Mary 695:Jefferson Standard Building 10: 1191: 619:and sons but had no luck. 120: 1155:Burials in North Carolina 701:, the Motley Memorial in 601: 357:Asheville, North Carolina 249: 239: 234:Architectural engineering 229: 222: 212: 202:Asheville, North Carolina 190: 161: 149: 142: 663:, Guastavino retired to 653:Basilica of St. Lawrence 633:Basilica of St. Lawrence 256:Rafael Guastavino Moreno 166:Rafael Guastavino Moreno 1165:Spanish Roman Catholics 851:Asheville Citizen-Times 656: 644: 508: 490:Nebraska State Capitol 430:Grand Central Terminal 389: 341:McKim, Mead, and White 321: 260:Spanish pronunciation: 1094:Rafaelguastavino.com: 1040:National Park Service 650: 630: 594:and was added to the 503: 496:Work in New York City 422:Boston Public Library 414:University of Chicago 384: 345:Boston Public Library 316: 781:Architectural Digest 561:As building engineer 525:New York City Subway 504:Bridgemarket, under 349:George W. Vanderbilt 303:Beaux-Arts landmarks 288:architectural vaults 43:improve this article 872:Guastavino Alliance 739:Columbia University 631:Inside dome of the 513:Heins & LaFarge 290:using interlocking 240:Significant advance 58:"Rafael Guastavino" 919:The New York Times 678:was listed on the 657: 645: 509: 458:U.S. Supreme Court 410:Rockefeller Chapel 390: 322: 224:Engineering career 1082:978-84-670-6391-2 1074:A prueba de fuego 741:in New York City. 580:Queensboro Bridge 576:Midtown Manhattan 517:City Hall station 506:Queensboro Bridge 460:building and the 278:, he created the 253: 252: 144:Rafael Guastavino 119: 118: 111: 93: 1182: 1044: 1043: 1026: 1020: 1019: 1017: 1016: 1006: 997: 991: 990: 988: 987: 973: 967: 966: 964: 962: 948: 942: 937: 931: 930: 928: 926: 909: 903: 902: 900: 898: 884: 875: 865: 856: 855: 841: 828: 827: 825: 823: 816:The Boston Globe 806: 791: 790: 788: 787: 773: 729:are held by the 721:Archival sources 529:urban spelunkers 454:Washington, D.C. 402:Tile Arch System 266: 261: 197: 194:February 1, 1908 175: 173: 154: 140: 139: 114: 107: 103: 100: 94: 92: 51: 27: 19: 1190: 1189: 1185: 1184: 1183: 1181: 1180: 1179: 1130: 1129: 1090: 1051:Further reading 1048: 1047: 1042:. July 9, 2010. 1028: 1027: 1023: 1014: 1012: 1004: 998: 994: 985: 983: 975: 974: 970: 960: 958: 950: 949: 945: 938: 934: 924: 922: 910: 906: 896: 894: 886: 885: 878: 866: 859: 842: 831: 821: 819: 807: 794: 785: 783: 775: 774: 770: 760: 748: 723: 661:Biltmore Estate 625: 604: 572:Upper West Side 563: 498: 388:in Philadelphia 353:Biltmore Estate 311: 280:Guastavino tile 259: 244:Guastavino tile 208: 199: 195: 186: 177: 171: 169: 168: 167: 157: 145: 138: 115: 104: 98: 95: 52: 50: 40: 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1188: 1178: 1177: 1172: 1167: 1162: 1157: 1152: 1147: 1142: 1128: 1127: 1122: 1109: 1103: 1097: 1089: 1088:External links 1086: 1085: 1084: 1072:Moro, Javier; 1070: 1068:978-1568987415 1046: 1045: 1021: 992: 968: 943: 932: 904: 876: 857: 829: 792: 767: 766: 759: 756: 755: 754: 747: 744: 743: 742: 722: 719: 665:Black Mountain 641:North Carolina 624: 621: 603: 600: 562: 559: 497: 494: 310: 307: 297:and layers of 251: 250: 247: 246: 241: 237: 236: 231: 227: 226: 220: 219: 214: 210: 209: 200: 198:(aged 65) 192: 188: 187: 178: 165: 163: 159: 158: 155: 147: 146: 143: 117: 116: 31: 29: 22: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1187: 1176: 1173: 1171: 1168: 1166: 1163: 1161: 1158: 1156: 1153: 1151: 1148: 1146: 1143: 1141: 1138: 1137: 1135: 1126: 1123: 1121: 1117: 1113: 1110: 1107: 1104: 1101: 1098: 1095: 1092: 1091: 1083: 1079: 1075: 1071: 1069: 1065: 1061: 1060: 1055: 1054: 1053: 1052: 1041: 1037: 1036: 1031: 1025: 1010: 1003: 996: 982: 978: 972: 957: 953: 947: 941: 936: 921: 920: 915: 908: 893: 889: 883: 881: 873: 869: 864: 862: 853: 852: 847: 840: 838: 836: 834: 818: 817: 812: 805: 803: 801: 799: 797: 782: 778: 772: 768: 765: 764: 753: 750: 749: 740: 736: 732: 728: 725: 724: 718: 716: 712: 708: 704: 700: 696: 692: 688: 683: 681: 677: 673: 668: 666: 662: 654: 649: 642: 638: 634: 629: 620: 616: 613: 609: 599: 597: 593: 589: 585: 581: 577: 573: 569: 558: 556: 552: 548: 543: 541: 536: 534: 530: 526: 522: 518: 514: 507: 502: 493: 491: 487: 483: 482:Union Station 479: 475: 471: 467: 466:National Mall 463: 459: 455: 451: 447: 443: 439: 438:Carnegie Hall 435: 431: 427: 426:New York City 423: 419: 415: 411: 407: 403: 398: 396: 387: 383: 379: 377: 373: 369: 365: 360: 358: 354: 350: 346: 342: 337: 335: 331: 327: 320: 315: 306: 304: 300: 296: 293: 289: 285: 281: 277: 276:Catalan vault 274:Based on the 272: 270: 269:New York City 265: 257: 248: 245: 242: 238: 235: 232: 228: 225: 221: 218: 215: 213:Resting place 211: 207: 206:United States 203: 193: 189: 185: 181: 176:March 1, 1842 164: 160: 153: 148: 141: 136: 132: 128: 124: 113: 110: 102: 99:February 2011 91: 88: 84: 81: 77: 74: 70: 67: 63: 60: –  59: 55: 54:Find sources: 48: 44: 38: 37: 32:This article 30: 26: 21: 20: 1073: 1058: 1050: 1049: 1033: 1024: 1013:. Retrieved 1008: 995: 984:. Retrieved 980: 971: 959:. Retrieved 955: 946: 935: 923:. Retrieved 917: 907: 895:. Retrieved 891: 871: 849: 822:February 26, 820:. Retrieved 814: 784:. Retrieved 780: 771: 762: 761: 684: 669: 658: 617: 605: 584:Awixa Avenue 564: 544: 540:Ellis Island 537: 510: 470:Philadelphia 434:Grant's Tomb 399: 391: 368:Rhododendron 367: 361: 338: 333: 330:Antoni Gaudí 323: 273: 255: 254: 223: 196:(1908-02-01) 134: 130: 123:Spanish name 105: 96: 86: 79: 72: 65: 53: 41:Please help 36:verification 33: 1145:1908 deaths 1140:1842 births 981:www.nps.gov 952:"awixa.com" 892:christmount 703:Chapel Hill 687:Duke Chapel 592:Long Island 578:end of the 395:Akoustolith 376:wine cellar 1134:Categories 1015:2014-08-01 986:2021-03-25 925:27 October 786:2017-09-20 758:References 711:Wilmington 699:Greensboro 478:Pittsburgh 343:for their 292:terracotta 230:Discipline 172:1842-03-01 131:Guastavino 69:newspapers 682:in 1989. 637:Asheville 608:Barcelona 598:in 2013. 588:Bay Shore 568:Manhattan 555:Manhattan 452:; and in 428:, in the 746:See also 549:for the 547:crossing 486:Nebraska 326:Valencia 180:Valencia 121:In this 961:Dec 14, 956:DAN.COM 897:Dec 14, 733:in the 464:on the 456:in the 412:at the 406:Chicago 127:surname 83:scholar 1080:  1066:  705:, and 693:, the 691:Durham 602:Family 448:, and 440:, the 418:Boston 299:mortar 284:arches 135:Moreno 85:  78:  71:  64:  56:  1106:Video 1005:(PDF) 763:Notes 612:nanny 586:, in 476:. At 424:; in 404:. In 295:tiles 184:Spain 90:JSTOR 76:books 1078:ISBN 1064:ISBN 963:2019 927:2023 899:2019 824:2011 286:and 191:Died 162:Born 62:news 737:at 709:in 697:in 689:in 570:'s 553:in 521:IRT 480:'s 472:'s 355:at 129:is 45:by 1136:: 1118:, 1114:. 1038:. 1032:. 1007:. 979:. 954:. 916:. 890:. 879:^ 870:, 860:^ 848:. 832:^ 813:. 795:^ 779:. 667:. 639:, 590:, 492:. 444:, 436:, 432:, 359:. 271:. 204:, 182:, 1018:. 989:. 965:. 929:. 901:. 854:. 826:. 789:. 655:. 643:. 258:( 174:) 170:( 137:. 112:) 106:( 101:) 97:( 87:· 80:· 73:· 66:· 39:.

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"Rafael Guastavino"
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Spanish name
surname

Valencia
Spain
Asheville, North Carolina
United States
Basilica of St. Lawrence, Asheville
Architectural engineering
Guastavino tile
[rafaˈelɣwastaˈβino]
New York City
Catalan vault
Guastavino tile
arches
architectural vaults
terracotta
tiles
mortar

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