Ecletic architecture in Espirito Santo do Pinhal, SP: the Almeida Vergueiro house

Abstract

This study documents and analyzes the Almeida Vergueiro house from the perspective of urban homes built under the coffee boom in the city of Espirito Santo do Pinhal, SP, in the last decades of the 19th century and the first three decades of the 20th century. These homes are part of the significant architectural heritage of that city and illustrate the eclecticism and history of the coffee boom in the state of São Paulo. The Almeida Vergueiro house was built around 1880 by Coronel José Joaquim de Almeida Vergueiro, an important coffee farmer in the region, and it is one of the oldest remaining buildings in the city and one of the first to use brick as a building material instead of mud. Intended for residential use, the home was erected in alignment with the lot and included a basement. Its eclectic style made extensive use of classical elements to show the wealth and cosmopolitanism of the owner. In 2009, a request for listing the home as a heritage building was filed at Condephaat under no. 01.013/09. Considering the lack of detailed records, data, and documents to list the home, Condephaat made a full survey of the property and researched the changes it underwent over the years. Most of these historical buildings have been destroyed or greatly changed in the past years. This article points out the importance of investigating the architecture of the coffee-boom bourgeoisie and the need to raise awareness and preserve these properties of great historical and architectural importance.