Twenty-Five Years After Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza

Architect Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza (1918–2000) was one of the most influential Spanish architects during the second half of the twentieth century. He designed notable projects across Spain such as Torres Blancas and the Banco de Bilbao Tower in Madrid, the Arantzazu Basilica in Oñati, the Torre Triana administrative building in Seville, the Public University of Navarra in Pamplona, the Atlantic Centre of Modern Art in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, as well as the Spanish embassy in Brussels. He received numerous awards for his work, including the Spanish National Architecture Award (1946 and 1954), the Gold Medal for Architecture (1989), and the Prince of Asturias Award (1993).

Twenty-five years after his death, on July 18, 2000, we highlight one of Sáenz de Oiza’s most celebrated works, Torres Blancas (1961–1968)—a commanding residential tower of cylindrical forms that combines residential and community-oriented programs with garden terraces— through the remarkable work of Spanish photographer Luis Asín.