Giacomo Palumbo's contribution to the shaping of Recife's modern suburb (1922-1934)

Abstract

The Italian architect Giacomo Palumbo (1891-1966) was the most prominent professional working in the city of Recife during the 1920s and 1930s. Marked by his training in Paris, Palumbo designed numerous public and private works following a classic and eclectic presentation, such as the Palace of Justice, the Hospital Centenário, the Hotel Central, the Faculty of Medicine, in addition to several residences. Despite the magnitude of his work, there are large gaps and omissions in the historiography about his figure and architecture. This article focuses on analyzing the contribution of its architecture in shaping the modern image of Recife, which was expanding into suburban areas, through new building typologies. Based on studies of newspapers, documents and iconography collections, five buildings were chosen for analysis, located in the neighboring neighborhoods of Derby, Graças and Aflitos. These regions began to attract the elites due to improvements in infrastructure, landscaping and construction of 
buidings that represented new ways of living, working and socializing. It is clear that Palumbo sought to bring unity and leverage to the city, through architecture based on a classic style that adapted to different demands and wishes of those who commissioned him. Far from a literal application of European models, these buildings incorporated local technical and urban conditions, linked to the political, social, economic and cultural context of the Recife. This article seeks for a closer approximation of the disciplines of urban history, urbanism, landscaping and architecture for a deeper understanding of the modernization of our cities.