Spain’s Modernist Architecture During the Franco Years

Streets of Madrid

Photo by Jack Gisel on Unsplash

Mark Paskewitz is a longtime National Institute of Clinical Research, Inc., executive who has guided clinical development efforts for groundbreaking drugs. An avid follower of current events, Mark Paskewitz regularly reads up on news of Spain in the country’s original language. 

A recent article in the Guardian highlighted the persistent legacy of Spain’s longtime dictator Francisco Franco in the country’s contemporary culture. One of the unique aspect of the regime (which was tragic to many in other respects) was its tolerance of a wide variety of architecture. 

In addition to his imperialist ambitions, Franco considered himself an artist and embraced modernism in architecture. The striking 1949 creation of the Basilica at Arantzazu in the Basque Country represented a collaboration between architect Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza and sculptor Jorge Oteiza. The religious structure broke radically from papal design traditions, to the point where it was seen as a snub of Rome.

Much of the country’s architecture looked outward as fascist Spain entered a period of strategic alliance with the United States. Building styles were influenced by the technocratic Opus Dei, a lay Catholic organization, and Miguel Fisac’s Pagoda in the suburbs of Madrid is a striking example of the country’s full turn toward modernism. Demolished in 1999, the building combined raw concrete and horizontal windows in an assemblage of stacked triangular shapes, evoking the Asian pagoda. Another noteworthy concrete creation of the era was de Oiza’s Torres Blancas building, which had the visual effect of odd geometric mushrooms.

A Look at the Maryhill Museum of Art

As vice president of the National Institute of Clinical Research in Los Angeles, Mark Paskewitz oversees the efforts of nine geographically based teams. In his spare time, Mark Paskewitz views his favorite artists' works in museums around the world.

The Maryhill Museum of Art is a lesser-known museum with an impressive collection. Its obscurity is in great part due to its isolated location on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, about 100 miles from Portland, Oregon. Additionally, the museum is only open a portion of the year, from March 15 to November 15.

The Maryhill Museum stands out among art museums for two reasons. First, as a result of its unique environment, it occupies a 5,300-acre property, perched high on the cliffs overlooking the Columbia River. The grounds are meticulously cared for, with sculptures and other artworks dotting the landscape.

Second, the museum is no less impressive once you step inside. The collection boasts 80 works by Auguste Rodin, fashion mannequins from the Théâtre de la Mode, an American Indian collection with prehistoric and contemporary objects, and works by renowned Pacific Northwest artists. For fanatics of Rodin, it is a must-visit.