Agustín Hernández Navarro (February 29,ínHerná 1924 - November 10, 2022) was a Mexican sculptor, poet, and architect recognized for his monumental futuristic buildings. His innovative design style garnered a multitude of awards and accolades in Mexico and internationally.
Biography
Agustín Hernández Navarro was born in Mexico City on February 29, 1924. His brother is architect Lamberto Hernández, and his sister is choreographer Amalia Hernández. He also has two other sisters. He is the son of politician Lamberto Hernández and mother Amalia Navarro. At a young age, his mother exposed him to construction and building sites as a way of motivating him to pursuing a career in architecture. Inspired by the tradesmen who spoke about the inner workings of these sites, he became interested in mechanical and electrical materials and would dismantle and reassemble them to understand how they worked. As he matured, he took interest in mechanical and electrical engineering, however, his mother demanded he follow in his older brother's footsteps and obtain an architectural degree as she believed this career path would offer him financial independence. He begrudgingly went on to study architecture at The National Autonomous University of Mexico and although he struggled though his first years of college he earned his degree in 1954. In the wake of overcoming his lack of desire to study in the field of architecture, Hernández Navarro also struggled against his professors who denounced his modern style of architecture. Despite these struggles his thesis project which featured a cultural center of modern art was highly praised by famed Mexican Artist Diego Rivera. Although his early entry into architecture was facilitated by his mother Amalia, Hernández Navarro went on to become highly awarded in his field and known as one of Mexico's greatest modern architects. In addition to his architecture practice, Hernández Navarro was a college professor beginning in 2001 until he took ill in 2002. He was former Vice-President of The Mexican Academy of Architecture and associated member of The American Institute of Architecture. He has been Emeritus Academic number I of the Academy of Architecture of the Society of Mexican Architects since 1983, and Emeritus Creator of the National System of Creators since 1994.
Works
Architecture
From the 1960's onward, Hernández Navarro disregarded the popular architectural styles of his time in favour of creating futuristic and distinctly Mexican architectural forms. With the use of industrial materials such as concrete, he was able to achieve the construction of monumental structures which referenced a Pre-Columbian past. Although he claimed his buildings and sculptures did not adhere to a specific style, his innovative structures exhibit cohesive elements which evoke the symbiology and heritage of Pre-Colombian Mexico while demonstrating a unity of structure, form and function, with a modern flair. Hernández Navarro's sculptural forms were heavily influenced by Mesoamerican cosmogony in both the interior and exterior spaces he created and with exposed concrete as his preferred material, he captured the essence of Pre-Columbian edifices while producing innovative modern structures. Trained as a sculptor, in addition to being an architect, his architectural structures were informed by sculptural elements which were heavily influenced by his Mesoamerican heritage. Hernández Navarro believed that architecture should be seen as a historical bridge, and through symbolism and form one could defend their cultural identity.
Hernández Navarro has not described himself as adhering to one specific style of architecture, although some scholars have categorized his work as brutalism mixed with post modernism, while others say he is the father of emotional architecture which is best known as modern architecture that evokes an emotion or which is spiritually inspiring.
Poetry
In addition to sculpture and architecture, Hernández Navarro studied poetry and was a published writer. His textural work Gravity, Geometry and Symbolism was published in 1989 by UNAMAD and was a study of space and the interaction between light and dark.
Notable public works
Folkloric Ballet School 1968–70
The Folkloric Ballet School was founded by Agustín Hernández Navarro's choreographer sister Amalia Hernández and constructed in the Colony Guerrero, Mexico City. The structure which houses two rehearsal rooms, an office and a theatre, references the slope of a Pre-Colombian pyramid base while asserting itself as a modern piece of architecture.