In the second half of the last century, there was a monumental urban expansion in Guatemala City.
Amerigo Giracca
Amerigo Giracca had architecture in his blood; his father, also named Amerigo, was an Italian architect and immigrant.
He earned a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of San Carlos in Guatemala, where he was also awarded an honorary degree in architecture.
His early designs can be found in the capital, but most of his works are concentrated in Antigua Guatemala.
His flagship work was the construction of the Hotel Casa Santo Domingo, around which he designed several more structures.
A Guatemalan investor commissioned him to design 24 rooms, a restaurant, and a lobby.
Gradually, they acquired the entirety of what was once a convent centuries ago to turn it into an exclusive 130-room hotel.
Carlos Haeussler
Haeussler graduated in architecture from the Autonomous University of Mexico.
In the 1950s, he began working at the General Directorate of Public Works, where he designed the Utalán 1 and 2 colonies, Molino de las Flores, Jardines de la Asunción, and San Francisco.
Modern aesthetics were starting to make their way into Guatemala City; in addition to designing urban settlements on the outskirts, he is the mind behind the Edificio Roma and other constructions in the city center.
One of the most recognized residential buildings by the architect is Villa Dora, located in Zone 9.
Typically, the chalets built in this part of the city had beautiful front gardens; the exclusivity of the area allowed for minimal or almost no walls on the facades, as they were primarily used as vacation homes.
His clean style and abstract finishes are present in both his public and private sector works.
Roberto Aycinena
He was part of the same generation of architects as Carlos Haeussler.
He was one of the most prominent urban planners in the development of the Civic Center in Guatemala City, participating in projects such as the administrative headquarters of the Guatemalan Social Security Institute, the new Municipal Palace, Tecún Umán Square, and the Rectoría building at USAC (University of San Carlos of Guatemala).
Although Aycinena was more inclined towards urban planning, his mastery of landscaping is reflected in almost all of his works.
The modern architect was skilled at combining practicality and simplicity with the natural elements of the region.
