GCM
El Universal building was defined by William Niño Araque as «a treasure of twentieth century Venezuelan architecture». The architecture firm founded by Bernardo Borges and Francisco Pimentel was commissioned the administrative offices, newsroom and workshops for the newspaper’s headquarters, whose initial project included two towers. The building consists of three elements: a low body of workshops and complementary services, another one for parking, and the third, a square tower with central circulation core, housing the newspaper’s offices. The tower, located on a corner, has an expressive exposed concrete structure, defined by a system of columns that divide the façade into three parts, complemented by solar protection planes or brise soleil which cross the whole structure vertically and are interrupted by the building’s upper finish. The rigorous massive tower, autonomous and independent, is a geometric and sculptural exercise, product of its structural design. The ground floor exhibits a mural by Carlos González Bogen (1920-1992) developed according to linotype principles. The prestigious newspaper’s headquarters obtained the National Architecture Award from a jury presided by Carlos Raúl Villanueva, and was considered the most important work completed in Venezuela at the time.
DF-40