Luciano Kulczewski : The Architect of Happiness
How important is architecture in our happiness? Can a well-designed city make us happier?
These and other related questions were of paramount importance to Luciano Kulczewski, one of the most important Chilean architects of the XX century, who would not only have a marked influence on the architectural styles of his time, but also on the overall concept of urban planning in the country.
Of Polish heritage, his father, Boleslaw, was born in Algeria, where his own father was working.
A civil engineer specialised in mining, Boleslaw came to Chile to work in the mining industry in the South of the country. There he met his wife, socialite, Luisa García Rodriguez, with whom he’d have two children: Raúl and Luciano, who was born in the city of Temuco on January 8th, 1896.
They later moved to Santiago, and Luciano attended school at the Instituto Nacional, a school famed for being the alma mater of several presidents and many important members of society.
From a young age, Luciano showed drawing abilities and interest in houses and architecture. Due to these talents, his brother Raúl suggested that he should enroll in the School of Architecture of the Universidad de Chile.
They later moved to Santiago, and Luciano attended school at the Instituto Nacional, a school famed for being the alma mater of several presidents and many important members of society.
Oenology Pavilion designed by Kulczewski, 1920.
From a young age, Luciano showed drawing abilities and interest in houses and architecture. Due to these talents, his brother Raúl suggested that he should enroll in the School of Architecture of the Universidad de Chile.
Luciano entered the school in 1913, showing early promise when three of his projects exhibited at the Fine Arts Museum were awarded honor medals. His first commission came in 1916, while still a student : the creation of a house in Santiago.
Following his graduation in 1919, Kulczewski was almost immediately commissioned the creation of a posh café on the recently inaugurated Cerro San Cristóbal, a hill in the city at the time being primed as a public park.
Hilltop Café, Cerro San Cristobal, 1920.
Interior, Hilltop Café, 1920.
This commission was followed by a photographic terrace on the same complex, and later the cable car station. According to his biographers, this particular commission was one of the architect’s favourites, since nothing made Luciano happier than contributing to the enjoyment of people.
In these early works, Kulczewski exhibits the influence of the prevailing tastes of the time, favouring Art Nouveau and Medieval Revival, with a marked Gaudian influence (one of his Professors at the University, José Forteza, had been a disciple of Gaudí, the noted Catalan Architect and Designer).
However, as Kulczewski progressed in his career, he incorporated several other architectural styles. In only a handful of years, he passed from Art Nouveau to Art Deco, Gothic Revival, Tudor Revival, Rationalism, flirted with Spanish Baroque, Modernism and finally, at the end of his career, he embraced French Neo Classicism.
Cable Car Access, Cerro San Cristobal, 1920.
In these early works, Kulczewski exhibits the influence of the prevailing tastes of the time, favouring Art Nouveau and Medieval Revival, with a marked Gaudian influence (one of his Professors at the University, José Forteza, had been a disciple of Gaudí, the noted Catalan Architect and Designer).
Colegio de Arquitectos Building, 1920.
However, as Kulczewski progressed in his career, he incorporated several other architectural styles. In only a handful of years, he passed from Art Nouveau to Art Deco, Gothic Revival, Tudor Revival, Rationalism, flirted with Spanish Baroque, Modernism and finally, at the end of his career, he embraced French Neo Classicism.
As Architect and Bío-Bío University Professor Pablo Fuentes stated, "one could say that Kulczewski was capable of laughing at styles by recreating them all."
In fact, Kulczewski’s talent made him adroit in any style, and he adapted each one to every new commission, serving himself from bits of each style to build his own vision without permanently attaching to any.
In fact, Kulczewski’s talent made him adroit in any style, and he adapted each one to every new commission, serving himself from bits of each style to build his own vision without permanently attaching to any.
He was a master of architectural eclecticism, combining trends without set formulas, but always achieving a harmonious and coherent result.
Some of his works from this first period include:
* Home of Martin Figueroa, currently 'Sede Colegio de Arquitectos' (1920), Santiago.
* University of Chile Oenology Pavilion, Quinta Normal (1920), Santiago
* Cable car access (1922-1924), Cerro San Cristóbal, Santiago.
* Swimming Pool (1924), Av. Santa María # 983, Santiago.
* Department building, currently ‘Hotel Luciano K’, (1928) Merced # 84, Santiago.
* Casa de los Torreones, Kulczewski’s home (1930), Estados Unidos # 201, Santiago.
* Department building, Merced # 268 (1930), Santiago.
Around this time, Kulczewski designs and builds his own home on a triangular lot close to the Cerro San Cristóbal and the Parque Forestal, a highly appealing area at the time.
True to his style, the architect used the best of his imagination to populate his home with all the fantastic elements that he had used more sparingly in other projects: gargoyles, pointed arches, railings with beasts, stained-glass windows, an entrance that imitated a drawbridge, etc.
Some of his works from this first period include:
* Home of Martin Figueroa, currently 'Sede Colegio de Arquitectos' (1920), Santiago.
* University of Chile Oenology Pavilion, Quinta Normal (1920), Santiago
* Cable car access (1922-1924), Cerro San Cristóbal, Santiago.
* Swimming Pool (1924), Av. Santa María # 983, Santiago.
* Department building, currently ‘Hotel Luciano K’, (1928) Merced # 84, Santiago.
* Casa de los Torreones, Kulczewski’s home (1930), Estados Unidos # 201, Santiago.
* Department building, Merced # 268 (1930), Santiago.
'Luciano K' Hotel, 1928.
Around this time, Kulczewski designs and builds his own home on a triangular lot close to the Cerro San Cristóbal and the Parque Forestal, a highly appealing area at the time.
True to his style, the architect used the best of his imagination to populate his home with all the fantastic elements that he had used more sparingly in other projects: gargoyles, pointed arches, railings with beasts, stained-glass windows, an entrance that imitated a drawbridge, etc.
His home represented in physical form the imagination, ability and creed of this architect, living there with his family until his death.
The house remains the home of the Kulczewski family up to the present day.
As described by those who knew him, Luciano Kulczewski was fun, affable and friendly, an easy, modest man, prone to strike casual conversation with people on the street, and who loved the company of friends and family.
The house remains the home of the Kulczewski family up to the present day.
This sincere love for humanity would later be represented in his work and would change the course of his career.
Aside for his love for humanity, Kulczewski loved and respected nature. However, he felt that its force was too great and that humans needed to be sheltered from it. Thus, most of his buildings refrain from large windows or big open spaces, and yet are abundant in thick walls and solid construction, without sacrificing grace and luminosity.
For Kulczewski, home was a man’s refuge and of immense personal importance for his quality of life. Among other things, the home had to be a reflection of the family that inhabited it.
Aside for his love for humanity, Kulczewski loved and respected nature. However, he felt that its force was too great and that humans needed to be sheltered from it. Thus, most of his buildings refrain from large windows or big open spaces, and yet are abundant in thick walls and solid construction, without sacrificing grace and luminosity.
Interior, Colegio de Arquitectos, 1920.
For Kulczewski, home was a man’s refuge and of immense personal importance for his quality of life. Among other things, the home had to be a reflection of the family that inhabited it.
Thus, his house designs always carried a distinctive element that set it apart from the others, even the rows of houses he designed for social housing.
In these, every single house is slightly different from the next, as a way to personalize it and allow their owners to recognize it yet keeping the visual harmony and cohesion of the whole group.
Kulczewski followed the Greek concept of ‘Polis’ and believed in a global idea of community where every household would be connected to one another, yet on a human scale, unlike the huge megalopolis that developed in the later part of the XX century.
According to his daughter, Mirella, Kulczewski believed in "the smaller city, in which men could inter-relate to one another permanently, and not in this large, huge thing, because he considered that it was a waste of time, having to commute to their workplaces, and a physical, material waste. He believed in the smaller cities, like the Greek cities."
In the late 1930's, Kulczewski became more interested in social causes, which in turn led him to enter the political scene.
Residential Complex Keller Street, 1925.
Kulczewski followed the Greek concept of ‘Polis’ and believed in a global idea of community where every household would be connected to one another, yet on a human scale, unlike the huge megalopolis that developed in the later part of the XX century.
According to his daughter, Mirella, Kulczewski believed in "the smaller city, in which men could inter-relate to one another permanently, and not in this large, huge thing, because he considered that it was a waste of time, having to commute to their workplaces, and a physical, material waste. He believed in the smaller cities, like the Greek cities."
Video - Kulczewski's daughter talks about her father and his work (4:36")
In the late 1930's, Kulczewski became more interested in social causes, which in turn led him to enter the political scene.
In 1939, following a devastating earthquake that grounded the city of Chillán, Kulczewski lead the effort of local architects to rebuild the city.
After a failed incursion into social administration, Kulczewski went back to the designing board, but this time his focus was different.
In 1939, a 8.3 Richter earthquake destroyed the city of Chillan.
After a failed incursion into social administration, Kulczewski went back to the designing board, but this time his focus was different.
His acute social sensitivity brought him to progressively cancel his architectural commissions from private clients, in favour of social housing projects that would bring quality of life and dignity to the workers of lesser means.
This interest lead him to be a pioneer in the social housing movement in the country, managing to complete four of such projects in the north of the country within the period of 1939 through 1946 : Iquique, Arica, Antofagasta and Tocopilla.
This interest lead him to be a pioneer in the social housing movement in the country, managing to complete four of such projects in the north of the country within the period of 1939 through 1946 : Iquique, Arica, Antofagasta and Tocopilla.
In spite of the massive volume of these projects, Kulczewski tackled these designs focusing on space as a unifying element between areas, in order to bring quality of life to its dwellers.
The effort not only benefited thousands, but also inspired several other architects, and opened the window to the idea of affordable housing for all classes, a concept as of yet unknown in the country.
Other social housing projects by Kulczeswki have been declared ‘Typical Zones’ and protected from further city-planning changes:
* Residential complex Keller Street (1925)
* Residential complex Poblacion Madrid (1927)
* Residential complex Poblacion de Sub-oficiales de Armada Leopoldo Urrutia (1929)
* Residential complex Los Castaos, (1930)
* Residential complex Virginia Opazo (1942)
In addition to these, Kulczewski worked on many particular houses and social housing projects across Chile, and many of them can still be found today in different states of conservation.
Luciano Kulczewski died on September 20th, 1972 at the age of 76, after losing his battle against leukemia.
The effort not only benefited thousands, but also inspired several other architects, and opened the window to the idea of affordable housing for all classes, a concept as of yet unknown in the country.
Social Housing Complex in Tocopilla, 1945.
Other social housing projects by Kulczeswki have been declared ‘Typical Zones’ and protected from further city-planning changes:
* Residential complex Keller Street (1925)
* Residential complex Poblacion Madrid (1927)
* Residential complex Poblacion de Sub-oficiales de Armada Leopoldo Urrutia (1929)
* Residential complex Los Castaos, (1930)
* Residential complex Virginia Opazo (1942)
Residential Complex Los Castaos, 1930.
Residential Complex 'Virginia Opazo', 1942
In addition to these, Kulczewski worked on many particular houses and social housing projects across Chile, and many of them can still be found today in different states of conservation.
Luciano Kulczewski died on September 20th, 1972 at the age of 76, after losing his battle against leukemia.
Following his last request, his ashes were spread over the Cerro San Cristóbal in Santiago and the Pre Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, the adoptive home town of his father. He is survived by his son, Jaime, and his daughter, Mirella, from his marriage to Lucía Yánquez Cerda.
In spite of the regrettable state of abandon in which some of his most iconic buildings are currently kept, the legacy of Kulczewski has not been forgotten.
In spite of the regrettable state of abandon in which some of his most iconic buildings are currently kept, the legacy of Kulczewski has not been forgotten.
Two years ago, a private consortium bought and restored completely the building on Merced 84, bringing it back to its original splendour, and transformed it into the ‘Luciano K Hotel’, named thus in honor of its architect creator.
Along with this revival, in recent years his work has found new vigour as the general public and a new generation of architects and designers rediscover his gift for ornamentation.
Interior, 'Luciano K' Hotel
Along with this revival, in recent years his work has found new vigour as the general public and a new generation of architects and designers rediscover his gift for ornamentation.
Kulczewski's fun eclecticism and his permanent search for modernism in his designs, paired with the humanistic nature that guided his later projects, are a reflection of a gentler time, and help us to rediscover the boundless possibilities of architecture and design to the service of human happiness.
Sources: santiagokul.cl, Aguilararquitectura Blog, Colegio de Arquitectos de Chile, Culture.pl, Instituto Varsovienne of Polish-Chilean Heritage, Cámara Chilena de la Construcción.
To Learn More...
Compelling documentary that follows the life and work of this famed architect (In Spanish Only):
YouTube Video (27:46")
A visit to the Residential Complex ‘Virginia Opazo' (In Spanish Only):
Barrio ‘Virginia Opazo’, CNN Chile (3:09")
Sources: santiagokul.cl, Aguilararquitectura Blog, Colegio de Arquitectos de Chile, Culture.pl, Instituto Varsovienne of Polish-Chilean Heritage, Cámara Chilena de la Construcción.
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