cuba's national art schools

these images are from a campus in cuba that was designed by roberto gottardi, ricardo porro, and vittorio garrati. parts of the campus are in ruin. some buildings are overgrown with vegetation, some are still working.

all images are from john loomis' cuba's forgotten art schools: revolution of forms


campus for the arts

the schools of art were designed in the midst of early cuban utopianism. they were constructed in a seized country club between 1961 and 1965. afterwards, the schools and the buildings that housed them were marginalized by the communist regime.


school of ballet, garrati

the school of ballet had a performance theater, three dance pavilions, classrooms, a library and admin services. garrati used layered, catalan vaults to connect domed pavilions. the spans of the dance pavilions exceed 17 meters. the span of the dome for the large performance hall is 34 meters.


school of ballet, garrati


school of ballet, garrati

the school of music, also by garrati, is sited on a hillside. its scheme was designed primarily in response to its site. program includes- classrooms, practice rooms, rehearsal hall, and lecture rooms. the scheme was initially designed, although it was never built, to include a symphonic concert hall, an opera and admin services. the program is arrayed in terraces along a spline that travels from the top of the hill to its bottom.


school of music, garrati



school of ballet, garrati


school of plastic arts, porro


school of modern dance, porro