In 1511 Diego Velasquez landed on Guantanamo Bay and set about establishing a command centre in the new colony. His house in Santiago is the oldest in the Americas. The artisans he brought from Spain had learnt to paint frescoes from Italy, and Muslim influence in 16th century south of Spain was very much in evidence in the architectural style. Fervent Catholicism was expressed in the construction of numerous cathedrals, churches, and convents, where French gothic spires mixed with lavish details of baroque.
Terracotta and glazed tiles were used to decorate exteriors and floors, Moorish arches adopted, and locally available materials like dark timber were added to create a tropical feel. The mujédar carpenters, skilled boat makers, built the high ceilings with close fitting wood pieces and mahogany beams to resemble the upturned hull of a boat. This provided some respite from the heat.
The Spanish style villas were suited to the tropical weather; the arches allowed plenty of ventilation and inner courtyards with abundant foliage created a tropical sanctum. The Cuban ‘flavour’ essentially combined the Moorish and European, absorbing various styles but adapting them to suit their own materials and colours. In colonial Havana, the predominant colours are white, pale yellow and the azure ‘Havana blue’. The inspiration came from the colours they saw all around them white (sand), pale yellow, (sun) azure blue (sea). In the graceful mansions in the Vedado district of Havana, the fine lines of neoclassical mix effortlessly with tropical flair, as stained glass windows soften the glare of the sun and add a Cuban aesthetic. The pastel coloured art deco tiles perform the dual function of a bold, graphic design element, and give a cooling effect.
During the art nouveau period of the 1890s, Cuba was the richest Spanish colony. An offshoot of the movement in Paris saw countless homes and buildings combine the daintiness of art nouveau, with Cuban elements like mahogany banisters or balcony details in wrought iron. High ceilings and whitewashed walls remained a popular feature.
During the first decades of 20th century, Cuba was under the influence of US money and fashions, and Hollywood stars were regulars at Havana’s many hotels. The Hotel Nacional is an example of mixing it up Cuba style as art deco, neoclassic and neocolonial styles come together effortlessly and the 19th century Hotel Inglaterre combines a neoclassical exterior with Moorish interior. The Gran Teatro follows the same example, with art nouveau and baroque styles. The HQ is long gone, but the Bacardi palace with its streamlined, solid art deco lines is still a recognizable building in Havana.
The postmodernism of 50s saw the dawn of socialism in Cuba. The trend is seen in the shamelessly utilitarian apartment and office blocks of Havana, built by Castro's microbrigades to combat housing shortages.
Varadero's white sand and coral reef, and more close proximity to US made it the ideal location for a holiday destination. Before the present day tourist hotels and resorts, it was a summer escape in the 20s for US magnates, who built old homes and bought up large tracts of land. Some seaside homes still remain with wood siding and wraparound verandahs, where a couple of rocking chairs await those looking for respite from the heat, and while away long afternoons.
In Cuba's outlying towns and rural areas, you catch glimpses of little pieces of history here and there in architectural features. Peasant dwellings are still modeled after earliest Indian structures with thatched roofs; Camagüey was razed in the 1660s by the freebooter Captain Henry Morgan (yep the guy on the rum bottle) and was later reconstructed as a complex maze of streets to thwart future attacks. The cobblestones used to pave Trinidad streets were originally ballast from Spanish ships, that left laden with sugar.
Ravages of the elements and decades of neglect have left these architectural treasures in a sad state of disrepair. Fortunately, there are some aggressive restoration projects underway largely funded by the Spanish government. Some Cubans express concerns over this restoration by development, turning old buildings into museums, but they are preserved for several more generations of Cubans to enjoy.
Brief Timeline-Architectural styles in Cuba
1525 Spanish colonial
1600 Baroque
1650 Rocco1750 Neoclassical
1812 Moorish revival
1865 Beaux arts
1890 Art nouveau / Colonial revival
1915 Modernism
1925 Art deco
1930 Streamline moderne
1950 Post modernism
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