Mario Palanti

Who was Mario Palanti?

Mario Palanti was an Italian architect who designed important buildings in the capital cities of both Argentina and Uruguay.

Born in 1885 in Milan, Italy, Palanti studied architecture in the Brera Academy and in the Politecnico di Milano university. Soon after graduation he received a Gold Medal at the International Exhibition in Brussels and arrived in Buenos Aires in 1909 with a commission to manage, with the help of his compatriot, Francisco Gianotti, the construction of the Italian Pavilion for the Exposición Internacional del Centenario.

For nearly 20 years he worked on both sides of the River Plate for wealthy compatriot clients. During the period 1909-1919 his designs employed variations of Renaissance Revival and Art Nouveau styles and there then followed a period during which he carried out his most impressive work in Buenos Aires including Palacio Barolo and Hotel Castelar, both in Avenida de Mayo; an apartment building on the corner of Santa Fe Avenue and Callao Avenue; and Palacio Chrysler which had an automobile test track on its roof, similar to the first FIAT factory in Turin.