| Work Detail |
«The square is a beauty. Rather, it was originally a beauty. Today he has won the abandonment on the roads, the grass. And the saddest thing, its beautiful floral clock, now without flowers, trellis and whose machinery could not be replaced. On rainy days the roots of the trees are left bare due to lack of protection and support, generating a slum”.
Among the thousands of comments that Google records about Plaza Miter, in the heart of San Isidro, is that of the neighbor María Isabel Ron, who laments the state of the square, in the heart of the historic center and in front of the Cathedral.
She is not the only one who longs for her recovery. Julieta Coulter, who has lived in San Isidro for more than 20 years, just three blocks from the plaza, also complains. «I go by every day and it makes me sad to see it like this, with the broken stairs, the deteriorated benches, without grass and with the ruined plants. It is a historical, foundational place, and it cannot be in these conditions. I am begging that the recovery work begin," says Coulter, who learned a few weeks ago of the project that the Municipality of San Isidro faced to enhance its value.
After receiving the approval of the National Monuments Commission, the municipality will begin to work to restore the splendor of yesteryear to the square. A project that proposes to rescue all the original elements that make up the authenticity of the promenade, and that were previously surveyed: the monuments, the period benches, the floral clock, the balustrades, the drinking fountain, the lampposts and the original brick flooring, manufactured in San Isidro. With an investment of $60 million, the works will last one year.
A rendering that shows how the square will look like
A render that shows how the square will look like
«The Plaza Miter is the central nucleus within the historic center of San Isidro. It is a place that recognizes its own identity and, at the same time, an identity provider for Sanisidrenses from all locations. A square, whatever it is, is a portion of the layout of the city, assigned to a social use. But this characterization acquires another register when it comes to a "mother square": founding and historical square, in whose contours the most remote public events of that community are verified. It is the privileged scene of local life, in which all the residents come together and identify, in a chain of memories that unites the present with its past”, explains Marcela Fugardo, director of the Beccar Varela Museum, who carried out an investigation of photographs historical data to identify the different «period cuts».
The original square was transformed over the decades, but Fugardo points out that it was decided to take sides from the period from 1930 to 1950 as a reference for its recovery.
«It was time to face an enhancement, and historical research helps us to respect its value of authenticity. We will not make new lanterns that imitate the originals of the time. The elements destined to replace the missing parts will be harmoniously integrated into the whole, but they will differ from the original parts”, explains Fugardo, who recalls that this square integrates the site declared a National Historic Site by decree of the Executive Power.
The Cathedral of San Isidro is next to the square.
For the Undersecretary of Urban Planning, Diego Augusto, the criteria is minimum intervention and maximum preservation. “In this line, the luminaires that were added in the 90s will be removed, the bars that surround all the flowerbeds will be removed, the original layout of the flowerbeds will be recovered, the stairways and balustrades of the entire street will be valued. square".
The characteristic flooring of the square, which deteriorated due to the growth of the roots of the trees, as described by the neighbor María Isabel Ron, will be replaced, but will maintain the same typology and the same color, in the upper part of the square. In the center, a circle of the same flooring will be incorporated but in gray as a historical trace, to remind us that there was a roundabout in this area at the beginning of the 20th century, which began to give rise to the current morphology of the stonemasons.
In the lower part of the property, the "San Isidro" bricks that are in good condition will be recovered to make a historical window in the central part of the square, while the rest of the surface will be replaced by bricks similar to the original ones. From the Public Space area, they also reported that the grove will be maintained, something that the neighbors have also claimed, considering it vital to preserve this green lung.
A historical photo of the space
Among the works that will be built from scratch are the new public baths and the creation of an interpretation center, which will offer visitors a visual, historical and evolutionary tour of the square and its surroundings.
The monuments
The monument to the Hito de la Argentinidad will be relocated towards the lower part of the square, in favor of generating a wider space in front of the Cathedral, which will give rise to better visuals and will enable the generation of an elevated crossing that allows direct access to the atrium of it. As for the monument to Miter, it was decided to create a small stairway at the back to allow the approach to the monument, creating a path that surrounds it and in turn a greater visual opening on the sidewalk parallel to Av. Libertador. As the steps are behind the monument, the physiognomy of the square is not affected.
The floral clock
One of the most important landmarks considered in this enhancement is the central clock, a tourist emblem for those who visit the square. It is for this reason that the project considers its recovery: not only of the clock itself but also of the morphology of the flowerbeds that surround it. History confirms that in 1913, the then mayor of San Isidro, Adrián Beccar Varela, was the promoter of the construction of the Floral Clock, after receiving a postcard with a photo of the floral clock in Edinburgh, Scotland. He commissioned José Testorelli to create this piece to decorate a space in Plaza Miter. This Swiss watchmaker, based in San Isidro since 1887, and his son were the ones who started the famous watch on December 31, 1913 at midnight.
The lighting
It has two instances: the first is the enhancement of the original luminaires, and the luminaires installed after the 1930s will be removed. The lighting columns originally had a globe that was later replaced by two lampshades. The intention in this case is to get balloons similar to the existing ones. All the luminaires will be adapted to transform them into LED luminaires (warm light). In a second instance, lighting fixtures will be placed in cages at ground level to highlight monuments and trees and to demarcate the side paths of the plaza.
Hydraulic works
The entire pluvial installation of the square will be carried out, with its connection to the existing pluvial installation on Lasalle street. Although today there is a storm drainage system in the square, it is very old and made of materials that have no longer been used.
RECOVERY OF PUBLIC SPACES – PLAZA MITRE
Type of Work: Architectural Works
Client: MUNICIPALITY OF CORONEL SUÁREZ
Tender No: 18/2023
Place: Province of Buenos Aires
Opening date: 06/14/2023 at 09:00 AM
Official budget: $23,445,625.42 |
