Ever wonder where the heart of student life pulsed in the mid-20th century? That’s the Edificio de Posgrado. Today we stand before the Edificio de Posgrado in Córdoba. It is more than just a building. It’s a landmark that embodies Argentina’s aspirations for higher education in Latin America.
The Edificio de Posgrado was originally designed as the Pabellón Argentina. It was intended to house students coming from other provinces to study at the university. Think of it as a grand dormitory. It offered a place for these students to live and thrive.
The design followed a traditional comb-like layout common for hotels and hospitals. There were main sections for administration and social activities. Transversal pavilions branched out. These had a central corridor with rooms on either side creating intermediate courtyards. This design is evident in the main pavilion of the Ciudad Universitaria.
Initially modified by Sabaté the design faced the Auditorium and the Assembly Hall. A double-height entrance hall of 800 square meters led to five perpendicular three-story pavilions. These were intended to house students separated by gender.
Interestingly the original 1953 plan shows the facade was altered. The pavilions meant to close off the southern end were never fully completed. This was after the fall of the Peronist government. The current facade hints at a monumentalist style.
Rodolfo Gallardo noted this monumentalism isn’t about physical measurements. It’s about psychological impact. It makes people feel small. The grand entrance to the Edificio de Posgrado features a triple-height portico. It has a travertine base with a double-height loggia above. Twelve pairs of double columns with smooth shafts and stylized capitals stand tall. These may have been inspired by monumental Egyptian palmiform columns.
The horizontal design of the portico is balanced by the verticality of the pillars and columns. Inside generous vestibules lead to halls and connections to each pavilion. Behind the building is a longitudinal volume resembling a basilica. This served as the dining pavilion.
The Edificio de Posgrado reflects its construction process and the political ideas that influenced it. Vanguard rationalism and monumentality coexist with tradition. You can find grand institutional spaces alongside more domestic areas. Brick walls covered in plaster or travertine marble wood and other quality materials indicate the building’s importance. It acts as a dramatic backdrop to the main entrance of the Ciudad Universitaria along the Boulevard de la Reforma.
Originally meant for student accommodation it now houses the Rectorate of the UNC. You’ll also find the UNC auditorium classrooms laboratories and academic spaces for various faculties. These include Odontology Medicine and Chemical Sciences. Various UNC secretariats also call this building home.
The Edificio de Posgrado is a key part of the Ciudad Universitaria. It was developed by the Eva Perón Foundation. Intended for lodging not academics the Pabellón Argentina symbolizes social justice. Its scale location functions and design reflect Argentina’s educational aspirations.
The building reflects changes in political and design models of the mid-20th century. Initially designed for traditional lodging it evolved into a more functional space. It now serves the university’s higher management and academic departments. Only the dining pavilion retains its original use. It merges monumentality in public spaces with a neocolonial style around teaching areas. This building stands as one of the few examples of monumentalist design in Córdoba.
Organized in a comb layout the pavilion showcases the enduring nature of this design in modernity. Social components are designed on a university scale. The residential pavilions included innovations like double rooms and private bathrooms. They also featured a library gym conference rooms reading rooms and entertainment areas. A sequence of room bathroom corridor and patio allowed access to the rest of the system. Transition and longitudinal circulation spaces gained importance. The flexible layout allowed for various activities.
From its location to its purpose the Edificio de Posgrado has always been significant. Its location was defined by linking the Ciudad Universitaria Estudiantil with the Plaza España. This created the access axis now Boulevard de la Reforma. It framed the Pabellón Argentina between the Perú and Chile pavilions. Over the past seventy years new pavilions have been added. The solemn loggia of the Edificio de Posgrado remains a striking feature.