Contact Artefacts please if you have any comments or more information regarding this record.	Menu Home Upfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon		Prometheus Apartamentos Maputo, Mozambique Amancio d’Alpoim Miranda (Pancho) GUEDES: Architect

Date: 1951 Type: Flats with shops to street Status: Extant Street: Av. Julius Nyerere   Click to view large map Coordinates: 25°58'05.46" S 32°35'50.11" E

Guedes calls the style of this building STILOGUEDES which translated means 'GuedesStyle' but loses something in the translation. [An insert in the catalogue of the exhibition "Pancho Guedes- a aventura da arquitectura, o desafio ao formalismo (the adventure of architecture, the challenge to formalism)" held in the Portuguese consulate in Maputo in March 2010] Cnr Avenida Julius Nyerere and Avienda Mao Tse Tung. This is a 6 storey block of flats prominently situated on Julius Nyerere ave. The ground floor is occupied by shops. This is an early use by Pancho of his signature "comb" feature. In this instance the fingers of the comb are square. In fact, no curves are employed in this design. The end faces are completely flat with the structural frame expressed. The front face is highly articulated. Strong shadows are formed by long horizontal deep recessed windows. The outer tips of the cantilever beams extend beyond the point of structural necessity and become façade elaborations. The building has survived remarkably well even though the walls are stained and haven't been painted for a long time. The well constructed concrete and masonry display very little decay. The combs in particular are in great shape and display no corrosion. [Mike BELL, October 2010]