This is the “White Elephant”, the controversial building built in the center of Matanzas

CubitaNOW write ~ Sunday, June 4, 2023

The newly constructed shopping center in Matanzas has drawn a barrage of criticism on social media.

Named Plaza Milanes and Aylon by the authorities, the place was nicknamed the White Elephant by the people of Matanzas.

It is a building out of harmony with the rest of the architecture of the historic centre, coexisting next to iconic buildings such as the Sauto Theatre.

Shared by journalist Roberto Jesus Hernandez job On his social networks where he shows his displeasure with the monarchy, his post revived the discussion.

Yermara Torres, former president of the Union of Cuban Journalists (UPEC) commented on the graffiti, referring to the building as a “white monster of the MLC.”

“At the second heritage outreach media meeting we had here in Matanzas, at the ACAA, a dear architect, I imagine it’s the same one you mentioned, said to the then Vice President of the Regional People’s Power Council that there must be something else to build and not what they were planning. .. 325 had not yet arrived … and the white building covering Sauto was only on papers and wishes.”

But the colleague’s response was that it was Cimex who had the money to do something quick there. It wasn’t ‘fast’ so fast… I didn’t write anything out of affection for the person who did the work like a civil engineer, a friend of mine from my apprenticeship and whom I told the times More than I thought. I think the White Elephant is more than an architectural monstrosity… I think it’s disrespectful to everything…”, he added.

“Opening a store of such proportions, in an MLC, and locating what is not available in any other part of the county is a sovereign lack of it all. But, well, I think common sense has been gone here for many years…and things are done just because.” Whimsy, by politics… Just because, and that’s it. Oh, Robert… So sad, but so sad. It’s the same thing that happened with the county hospital and maternity… There are so many atrocities that one sometimes wonders whether it was worth doing journalism on the ground, or if we did, if someone would listen to us.”

In 2021, the architect Universo García Lorenzo warns against the bad decision of approving this project.

“What a pity for Matanzas, for its soul, its memory and its well-deserved pride in Cuban Athens, that the talent of its architects, and the resources of great financial investment, are wasted, to construct such a building almost in the very heart of its famous historic centre. Huge, ruthless, without artistic respect for its wonderful patrimonial environment! What would it be?” The legacy of the future, Where did architecture remain? What has been accomplished is almost irreparable, but it must teach us, works of urban significance such as the result of a contest of creative talents of citizen consensus.”

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