Classifieds

When entering a building or a room, one naturally looks around. Yet Rafael Guastavino's engineering and architectural artistry immediately draws the eyes upward. For a century and longer, the juxtaposition of tiles arranged in domes and arches have awed countless people.
In fact, the Spanish immigrant's indelible mark graces numerous iconic American structures, including New York's City Hall subway station and the Registry Room at Ellis Island, as well as Boston's Public Library. The myriad American buildings receiving Guastavino's signature stamp are grandly emblematic of a hopeful and prosperous America.
A Major Talent
Architect and builder Rafael Guastavino (1842–1908). (Public Domain)
Guastavino, born in 1842 in Spain, aspired to become a musician, according to John Ochsendorf, a professor in civil and environmental engineering and architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Instead, Guastavino became the master behind a unique, fireproof, patented ceiling tile arch system that involves self-supporting arches and interlocking terracotta tiles....