Envision a structure initially conceived not as a military headquarters but as a beacon of healing. That is the story of Edificio Libertad. Today it stands as the headquarters of the General Staff of the Navy and the Joint Maritime Command. It is located on Avenida Comodoro Py. This is in the Puerto Nuevo area within the Retiro neighborhood of Buenos Aires.
Originally, the vision for Edificio Libertad was quite different. In 1947, architect Jorge Servetti Reeves imagined it as the Central Naval Hospital. The cornerstone was laid with hopeful anticipation. By 1951, planners reconsidered the scale deeming the projected capacity excessive.
Several redesigns were proposed. One plan even suggested transforming it into an international hotel in 1958. This idea floundered because hotel companies lacked interest. The building was then repurposed to house the Secretariat of the Navy.
Construction progressed slowly under Falcone SACIFIA. The Naval Fixed Installations Directorate oversaw the work. The first phase was completed in 1964. The Stella Maris Chapel and the military vicariate sector opened the following year. Finally, on May 17, 1970, Edificio Libertad was inaugurated. This day coincided with the Day of the Argentine Navy. It officially became the headquarters of the Navy General Staff. Before this, the Navy provisionally occupied the Coast Guard Building.
The Municipality of Buenos Aires ceded land near Parque Centenario that year. This was for the definitive construction of the Naval Hospital which opened in 1981.
Servetti Reeves’ design features a unique floor plan. It resembles a “T” with angled wings. The building has a ground floor and fifteen stories. The central section housing the elevators reaches sixteen floors. Two smaller structures flank the main building. One housed the kitchen, offices and printing press. The other contained the machine room and maintenance workshops. The total covered area spans 75,781 square meters.
Two bas-relief murals by Roberto J. Capurro adorn Edificio Libertad. They are titled “Heroic Deed” and “Epic of the Sea”. A ramp and staircase provide access to the Hall of Honor on the first floor.
The fifteenth floor accommodated the Navy Meteorological Service offices. The fourteenth floor held admiral meeting rooms and General Secretariat offices. The Commander-in-Chief of the Navy occupied the thirteenth floor. The Naval Communications Service was on the twelfth floor. The Human Resources Department used the ninth and tenth floors. The tenth floor also housed a small cinema. The library was located on the ground floor.
Edificio Libertad stands as a testament to evolving needs. What began as a hospital now serves Argentina’s naval forces. It embodies the spirit of adaptation. The structure reflects the changing tides of history.