A symphony of brick and iron greets you. This is the Usina del Arte. More than just a building it is a story whispered in stone. Look closely.
Before you stands a Florentine Renaissance masterpiece. It wasn’t always a cultural center. This grand structure was once the Don Pedro de Mendoza Power Plant. Built between 1912 and 1916 by the Italo-Argentina Electricity Company the building hummed with the power of generation. The Italian architect Juan Chiogna designed it. His vision was to create a series of buildings. All would be easily identifiable with the company’s unique aesthetic. This building the largest of its kind in Buenos Aires is an almost exact reproduction of the Palazzo Della Signoria in Florence. Imagine the scene then. The powerful machinery. The rhythmic thrum of electricity coursing through the city. This was the heart of Buenos Aires’ power.
For eighty years the Usina supplied electricity to the city. But in the 1990s service was nationalized. The building was abandoned. It fell into disrepair. Decades passed. Dust settled on the machinery. Yet its beauty still shone. Its grandeur was undeniable.
A new chapter began in 2000. The national and city governments agreed to a joint project. The vision was to transform the abandoned powerhouse. This would become the new home for the city’s Auditorium. It would also house the National Symphonic and Philharmonic orchestras. Construction began in 2007 under the name Usina de las Ideas. The transformation was complete in 2012. The Usina del Arte was born. A grand concert in tribute to Astor Piazzolla marked the official opening.
The Usina del Arte today is a testament to transformation. A symbol of rebirth. The large interior rooms that once housed electric generators now resonate with music. The iron truss roofs and zinc sheet roof echo with applause. The original design is intact. The exposed brick walls. The semicircular arches. The company’s heraldry still adorns the walls. The clock tower still stands guard. The Usina del Arte is a place where history meets culture a reminder that even the most forgotten spaces can find new life new purpose new meaning. And that even abandoned power plants can become centers for the power of art.