Bank of Guatemala
Jorge Montes Córdova + Raúl Minondo · Guatemala City, Guatemala · 1966
The Bank of Guatemala is a major work of mid-century institutional modernism in the capital’s civic center. A tall office slab rises from a lower public base, while integrated reliefs and artworks give the otherwise disciplined façade a distinctly Guatemalan cultural dimension. The building formed part of a coordinated modern governmental district and expresses the period’s confidence in reinforced concrete, vertical organization and monumental public institutions. Its relationship to neighboring civic buildings makes it essential for understanding Guatemala City’s post-war modernization.