Modesto López Otero Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Modesto López Otero

Born	(1885-02-24)24 February 1885 Valladolid, Spain
Died	23 December 1962(1962-12-23) (aged 77) Madrid, Spain
Nationality	Spanish
Occupation	Architect

Modesto López Otero (born February 24, 1883 – died December 23, 1962) was a Spanish architect. He was a very important person in Spanish architecture.

He taught for many years at the Superior Technical School of Architecture of Madrid. He also led the building of the Madrid University City. Sadly, much of this area was damaged during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939).

Modesto López Otero designed many different buildings. These included houses, offices, monuments, and churches. One of his most famous designs is the Arco de la Victoria (Victory Arch) from 1956. This arch celebrates the victory of the Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War.

Life of a Famous Architect
Representative Works
Images for kids
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Life of a Famous Architect

Early Life and Education

Modesto López Otero was born in Valladolid, Spain, on February 24, 1885. His parents were Juan López Nuñez and Amalia Otero.

He went to school at the Institute of Education of the Piarists in Valladolid. After that, he studied in Madrid to prepare for a career in engineering. In 1902, he joined the School of Architecture.

In 1910, he finished his studies with excellent marks. For his final exam, he presented a plan for a concert hall. He then started working as an architect with his friend José Yárnoz Larrosa.

Awards and Recognition

Modesto López Otero quickly became known for his talent. He won a prize at the first Salón de Arquitectura. He and José Yárnoz Larrosa also won a gold medal at the National Exposition in 1912. They also won first prize for the Monument of the Cortes de Cádiz.

That same year, López Otero received the Hans Peschl Scholarship. This award allowed him to study in Vienna, Austria. It was given each year to top students by the Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

Teaching and Royal Academy

Modesto López Otero loved teaching. In 1916, he became a professor of Projects at the Superior Technical School of Architecture of Madrid.

In 1923, he became a member of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. This is a very respected art academy. His first speech there was about how Spanish architecture influenced buildings in America. He focused on 16th-century mission buildings. At the Royal Academy, he always worked to protect Spain's artistic history.

Building the Madrid University City

Also in 1923, Modesto López Otero was chosen for a huge project. He was asked to lead the building of the Madrid University City (Ciudad Universitaria de Madrid). This was a new campus for the university.

He put together a team of young architects to design the many buildings. To get ideas, López Otero and his team visited famous universities. They went to Europe and then to North America in 1927. They visited places like Yale, Harvard, and MIT.

The plans for the University City were made in 1927 and 1928. The campus covered about 320 hectares (790 acres) in western Madrid. Its design was inspired by American universities. The buildings themselves showed modern European architecture. The goal was to keep the campus connected to the city.

Construction began in 1929. Work continued even after the Second Spanish Republic started in 1931. However, building stopped when the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) began. Sadly, most of the buildings were partly destroyed by bombs during the war.

Later Career and Legacy

In 1932, López Otero joined the Academy of History. There, he gave talks about using new technology to preserve old buildings. He designed many different types of buildings. These included private homes, vacation homes, office buildings, monuments, and churches.

In 1934, he helped start the Instituto Técnico de la Construcción y Edificación (ITCE). This group worked to find and use new technical ideas in building.

One of his most famous works is the white Arco de la Victoria in Madrid. It was built in 1956 to remember the Nationalist victory in the Civil War. The arch is 39 meters (128 feet) tall. Pascual Bravo and López Otero designed it together.

Modesto López Otero passed away at his home in Madrid on December 23, 1962. He was 77 years old.

Representative Works

University City of Madrid
Monument to the Constitution of 1812
Hotel Gran Vía de Madrid
Hotel Nacional de Madrid
Hotel Cristina de Sevilla (no longer exists)
Gran Hotel de Salamanca (no longer exists)
Unión y el Fénix Español building at 23 calle de Alcalá (with Miguel de los Santos)
Torre de la calle de Peligros
Arco de la Victoria, Madrid
Almacenes Rodríguez in Madrid (no longer exists)
Colegio de España in the University City of París