ADAMO BOARI: BIOGRAPHY AND OUTSTANDING WORKS - BIOGRAPHIES - 2024

Adamo Boari (October 22, 1863 - February 24, 1928) was a civil engineer and architect of Italian origin. His styles included art nouveau and art deco, both trends with a great decorative inclination. He had a long history in America during the period between 1897 and 1904.

The main places of work were the city of Chicago, where he designed some skyscrapers and social aid housing projects; and Mexico, where a large part of his works were focused on ecclesiastical structures such as temples.

Photograph of Adamo Boari, architect and civil engineer.

He was also in charge of the construction of renowned structures in Mexican territory such as the National Theater, now the Palace of Fine Arts. This is one of the most relevant buildings from the time of the Porfirio Díaz regime.

Biography

Early life and family

Boari is originally from the city of Ferrara. His parents were Vilelmo Boari and Luigia Bellonzi. He began to study civil engineering at the University of Ferrara, where he completed the first two years and then completed his studies by completing three more years of academic training at the University of Bologna, graduating in 1886 at 23 years of age.

At the beginning of his work activity, he was hired by companies in northern Italy and also participated in the project for the Oggiono railway station. After this period, he moved to Brazil in 1889, where he carried out work for the first national exhibition of Italian architecture in Turin, which would take place in 1890.

In America he also visited countries such as Argentina and Uruguay. After recovering his health after a contagion of yellow fever, in 1892 he traveled to Chicago for job opportunities. In this city he made links with important firms such as Burnham & Root.

Life in america

Among some influencers in his art, is the architect Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of Central Park in New York. It follows that from this reference, Boari learned about the various ways of integrating nature in cities.

Between 1894 and 1904 he was moving between the United States, Mexico and Italy, participating in various competitions. In 1898 she participated in the contest for the Legislative Palace of Mexico in which she was second, but this recognition served as an impetus for new opportunities. However, in June of the same year he was received by the president, Porfirio Díaz, as the winner of the contest.

In 1899 he graduated as an architect in the United States and it was in Mexico where he obtained the revalidation of his university degree and where he practiced most of his career. He came into contact with the religious sphere to carry out some projects. Meet the bishop of San Luis Potosí, Ignacio Montes de Oca for the creation of the Cathedral of Matehuala.

His interest in traditional Mexican architecture led him to visit the ruins of Mitla in Oaxaca, which would lead him to integrate elements of this time into his architectural creations.

Establishment in Mexico

In 1900, after coming into contact with the Italian ambassador, he met María Dandini Jáuregui, the daughter of an Italian merchant settled in Mexico who would become his wife. By 1901 he was already established in Mexico permanently and some of his advances in the design of the National Theater came to light.

During this time he also delivered the finished plans of the expiatory temple of Guadalajara. In 1902, together with the military engineer Gonzalo Garita, he was commissioned to design the Palacio de Correos. It was with Garita that he finished laying the foundations for the final project of the National Theater that began to be built in 1904.

This last project was one of its most relevant companies in the construction of structures in Mexico, although the project could not be concluded due to the political and social instability of the moment. The work was completed a long time later and was inaugurated in 1934 as the Palace of Fine Arts where one of one of its rooms bears the name of the architect as a tribute.

Around the year 1916, he returned to his country of origin, Italy, to settle in Rome, although he made continuous trips to Ferrara. During this last stage of his life he dedicated himself to writing about the construction and design of theaters. Due to similarities in style between the Teatro Nuovo di Ferrara (led by his brother Sesto Boari), with the National Theater of Mexico City, it is presumed that he may have had an influence on the construction of this. Boari died in Rome on February 14, 1928.

Outstanding works

Expiatory Temple of the Blessed Sacrament or Expiatory Temple of Guadalajara

The project for this construction was carried out by Boari together with the engineer Salvador Collado. The project proposed the construction of the temple on 3800 meters of surface. Among its outstanding features it includes three naves (open central space of a church divided by columns) and a bell tower with a clock.

The main reference for its design was the Orvieto temple, built in the 14th century in Italy. It has a neo-Gothic style. Its construction began in 1897 and stopped in 1911 at the time of the Mexican Revolution and was completed in 1972 by the architect Ignacio Díaz Morales.

The National Theater or current Palace of Fine Arts

The project for the construction of the Palace of Fine Arts was raised after the demolition of the old National Theater, an area of ​​great importance in the middle of the 19th century. During the 20th century, a program was started to beautify Mexico City and it was decided to build a new National Theater that could be in line with the urban growth of the place.

Facade of the Palace of Fine Arts. Mexico

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By 1901, its location in the Alameda Central was already defined and its construction began in 1904 with the aim of being completed in 1908. Due to political and financial complications, the project went into the background as of 1916. During this time, Boari returns to Italy.

The palace was finally completed in 1934 by the architect Federico E. Mariscal. Due to the idea that it would house several museums, its name was changed to Palacio de Bellas Artes.

Other relevant works

Among other great works by Adamo Boari in Mexico, we can mention:

-The Post Office Palace, Historic Center, Mexico City (1907).

-Parish of Matehuala, San Luis Potosí. Mexico (Not completed).

References

1. Czech-Artasu. M (2014). From Ferrara to Mexico City via Chicago: the architectural career of Adamo Boari (1863-1904). Iztapalapa Unit. Bibliographic Journal of Geography and Social Sciences. University of Barcelona. Vol. XX, nº 1111. Recovered from ub.edu
2. Ship. Catholic Encyclopedia. Recovered from ec.aciprensa.com
3. Adamo Boari. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Recovered from en.wikipedia.org
4. Barizza M. Boari, the architect of culture. Recovered from puntodincontro.mx
5. Our Enclosure. Palace of Fine Arts. Secretary of Culture. Recovered from palacio.inba.gob.mx