Culture

Novacaixagalicia Social Centre

  • Architect: Antonio Cominges
  • Built: 1948
  • Address: C/ Policarpo Sanz, 24

In November 1947 the Board of Directors of the Caja de Ahorros Municipal Savings Bank decided to put out a tender for plans to build a new head office in Vigo. The building would be located on a site between the streets García Barbón, Marqués de Valladares, Colón and Pontevedra. Thirty-eight applications were made but at first, in April 1948, the tender was not awarded.

Finally in August 1948 the architects whose tender had come second, Gaspar and José Zarazaga and Manuel Romero Aguirre, were awarded the project. The bank also decided that Antonio Cominges Tapias would also be involved and it was he who designed the original front façade on calle García Barbón.

At the end of 1951, the board approved the final plans for the building and the construction company was the Rodolfo Lama firm.

The design of the facades shows a grid of windows without hardly any decoration. On the corner of each floor there are rounded balconies, following a much used design of the time. At the doorway on calle García Barbón the position of the statues was changed in the final design. The four statues represent Thrift, Work, Justice and Family Tradition. The type of column used also varied. Doric columns were replaced with others that were palm-shaped. The sculpture at the top of the corner of García Barbón and Colón symbolizes the Guardian Angel of Saving.

 

Concello de Vigo

Praza do Rei - 36202 - Vigo (Pontevedra) - Teléfono: 010 - 986810100