The Guastavino Timeline: 1842-1968, "A Work in Progress"

The Guastavino Fireproof Construction Company was founded in 1889 by Rafael Guastavino y Moreno, an architect and builder born in Valencia, Spain who emigrated to the United States in 1881 with his son Rafael Guastavino y Esposito. Trained in both design and craft, in his early career the elder Guastavino designed several structures in Spain and the United States as an architect. However, it is as a builder and manufacturer that Guastavino and his company, which would become the R. Guastavino Company in 1897, is best known. From 1889 to 1962, the company was involved in the construction of hundreds of structures ranging from private residences to cathedrals located across the United States and other parts of North America.



The Oyster Bar, New York, NY

The Guastavino Timeline: 1842-1968 is a work-in-progress document created by Vertical Access to show the history of the Guastavino Company in a format that has not been presented before. The document includes three timelines: 1) "Projects," which lists each building or structure in which Rafael Guastavino as an architect or the Guastavino Company as a designer and builder was involved; 2) "Patents and Publications," which shows the year that patents were approved and articles or books by Guastavino were published; and 3) "Company," which includes milestones in the history of the founder of the company (Rafael Guastavino y Moreno), his son and partner (Rafael Guastavino y Esposito) and the R. Guastavino Fireproof Construction Company (later the R. Guastavino Company).

Displaying the numerous projects in which the Guastavino Company was involved across roughly 75 years, patterns in the history of the company start to emerge. Some of these patterns are related to the history of the company itself, such as when certain patents were approved or company facilities opened. Other patterns are related to factors external to the company, such as economic recessions and wars.

The information contained in the timeline was compiled from secondary sources and draws on the work of several other researchers, including George Collins, Janet Parks, Salvador Tarragó, John Ochsendorf and Mar Loren As this is "a work in progress," there remains room for the timeline to grow. Our hope is that with the input and comments of others interested in the work of the Guastavino Company, this document will evolve so that it becomes more useful as a research and teaching tool.

For more information see all Vertical Access projects with Guastavino tile.

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