Since 1968, the firm Mariani – Pérez Maraviglia – Cañadas Arquitectos has been practicing in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina. Facing the sea, this city has steadily grown and expanded over time. With a career spanning over 50 years, the firm's extensive body of work—including buildings and projects not only in Mar del Plata but also in Santa Fe, Asunción, Punta del Este, and beyond—demonstrates how their perspective on the past serves the present and future.
Understanding architecture as a catalyzing artifact and an expression of the spirit and era in which it is built, the firm founded by Carlos Mariani and María Haydee Pérez Maraviglia brought on Jerónimo Mariani and Oscar Cañadas as partners in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Working across various scales, programs, and contexts, they have navigated multiple phases in which materials, technologies, and ways of living have evolved alongside the development of cities, architecture, and society.
María Haydee Pérez Maraviglia is a founding partner of the firm and was recently awarded the 2022 Biennial Career Prize at the 18th International Architecture Biennial of Buenos Aires. Born in Mar del Plata in 1943, she attended the Colegio Nacional de Maestras en Lenguas Vivas in Buenos Aires and studied architecture at the Faculty of Architecture, Design, and Urbanism of the University of Buenos Aires, where she met Carlos Mariani. After graduating, she received a scholarship to travel to Europe, and upon her return, she and Mariani established their architecture practice in Mar del Plata.
Having participated in individual and collective lectures both in Argentina and abroad, as well as in numerous national and international competitions, María Haydee has received various awards and special mentions. Among them is her distinction as a corresponding academician for Buenos Aires Province, awarded by the National Academy of Fine Arts in 2019.
Around 60 years ago, María Haydee decided to become an architect, despite her mother's disapproval. Nevertheless, she went on to complete projects both within and outside Mar del Plata and across the country. These works became recognized as genuine urban landmarks—buildings and interventions designed to bridge the old and the new. She achieved this during an era and in a context where, as she recalls, even her university professors struggled to believe the submissions were her own work.
In striving to earn her place, María Haydee maintains that “It is not a matter of men versus women. Everyone finds their place based on their interests, abilities, intentions, and goals. It is not about forcing oneself upon others, but about working hard to achieve it.” The firm's teamwork reflects their approach to architecture: one that serves both people and the city through a local awareness that remains open and responsive to the wider world and its realities.
Maintaining a constant dialogue through “drawn conversations,” ideas are exchanged through both words and sketches. As Oscar Cañadas suggests, drawing is a “way of seeing.” This highlights the importance within the firm's practice of both on-site experience and the exchange of ideas, where design intent is shaped and communicated through sketching.
Establishing significance and belonging as key pillars, Mariani – Pérez Maraviglia – Cañadas Arquitectos builds its foundation on two principles: that “making architecture is making a city,” viewing the city as a cultural object, and a commitment to creating gathering spaces regardless of project scale. They consistently design architecture capable of shaping and responding to civic needs. Influenced by Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian architecture due to their similarities with Argentine lifestyles, their work emerges from these cultural intersections.
Fifty years of practice is a major milestone in Argentine architecture. Their book “Mariani Pérez Maraviglia Cañadas Arquitectos, 5 décadas transformando Mar del Plata” (5 Decades Transforming Mar del Plata), published by Bisman Ediciones, reflects their approach to city-building through hand-drawn construction details, sketches, photographs, and architectural documentation, accompanied by interviews and reflections from the partners themselves.
Utilizing a systematic analysis of the firm's archive, the book divides their work into three thematic sections: a chapter on topography focusing on site and landscape; another on tectonics, architectural language, and the object; and a final chapter dedicated to typology, program, and concept.
Over five decades, the firm has designed single-family and collective housing, institutional, commercial, tourism, and recreational buildings, evolving alongside the city and its people. Their projects aim to interpret reality and improve it, transforming obsolete sites into active, dynamic spaces. Notable works include the Mar del Plata Aquarium, the Sheraton Mar del Plata Hotel, the San Benedetto Mártir Church, the Bolsa de Comercio Foundation, and the Hermitage Hotel, to name just a few.
Viewing the role of architects as creators connected to culture at large, Oscar Cañadas states, “We are project artisans,” recognizing their place within a collective that builds structures that shape the city through context, function, and other elements. “Architecture is a team sport,” says María Haydee, where each part complements the whole. This ethos has defined the firm since 1968, allowing them to build an architectural identity that continues to evolve without losing its core character.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Women in Architecture. Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and projects. Learn more about our topics. And, as always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers. If you want to submit an article or a project, contact us.
Additionally, we invite you to watch the launch of “Women in Architecture,” a documentary by Sky-Frame featuring three inspiring architects: Gabriela Carrillo, Johanna Meyer-Grohbrügge, and Toshiko Mori. The documentary will be released on November 3, 2022.
This article was written by Agustina Iñiguez. The translation is powered by AI.
