The southern part of the building was restored and now boasts its original splendor from 1890. There are new classrooms, offices, bathrooms, ceilings, and floors that maintain the period design. The project took two years and nine months to complete, with an investment of 2 billion pesos from UNR's own funds.
The opening of the remodeled Faculty of Law building is now a reality. For two years and nine months, both the educational community and the people of Rosario witnessed the efforts of the Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR) to restore the structure of the former Palace of Justice, which was built in 1890. Starting this Thursday, August 7, students, teachers, and researchers will finally be able to populate the new classrooms, giving life and meaning to these splendid spaces that revitalize the city's heritage.
The 2600 m2 building, representing 50% of the building's total surface area, has been restored in every detail. This comprehensive project left behind the patches of previous interventions. The planning allowed for the transformation of offices into classrooms for undergraduate and graduate academic activities, the expansion of administrative spaces, the addition of accessible restrooms, and the restoration of openings, shutters, ceilings, galleries, roofs, and domes. The transformation also included the incorporation of connectivity and fundamental technological tools to enhance the educational experience.
In the main courtyard, the large spiral staircase and elevator structure that stood in the center of the Córdoba entrance was demolished, and a new staircase was built to access the south wing gallery. This staircase is so similar to the one leading to Moreno Street that it feels as though it had always been there. An elevator and a new internal staircase were added to connect the ground floor to the upper floor. Another new feature is the introduction of one of the largest rooms located on the corner of Córdoba and Moreno Streets, designed to simulate an oral trial. The work was arduous and artisanal, respecting the building's original imprint but also incorporating modern techniques to prepare the structure for current climatic conditions, with special emphasis on waterproofing. The total investment was 2.700 billion pesos, fully funded by the Ministry of Finance. Universidad Nacional de Rosario (A R).
UNR Rector Franco Bartolacci praised the restoration of the building, which has returned it to its original 1890 appearance. “Never in 135 years has such a structural restoration been done to this building, which is a national historical heritage site, and today we are happy, along with the entire Faculty of Law community, because we have finally completed this project, which was very costly in the current context, with an investment of 2.700 billion pesos from the University's own budget. We wanted to return the academic community to the working and study conditions they deserve, and to return this building to the city of Rosario—in the tricentennial year—in its best form.”
“It wasn't about repairing what was wrong, but rather about recovering and rebuilding in an artisanal way. For example, the floors were completely replaced. The tiles were specially made in Buenos Aires because they were no longer produced. The openings were restored to their original state, as they were in 1890. Other doors and shutters were remade in the same style. That was the spirit. For many years, patches were made, and now it's incredible,” commented a satisfied Bartolacci.
These are buildings that were created in another era and under different climatic conditions, which is why the transformation also takes this aspect into account. "We train our maintenance team to work to safeguard our heritage. We make an effort to restore it and restore its value, taking proper care of public buildings. This is also what defending the University is all about," the rector reflected.
“Defending public universities means demanding the minimum resources necessary for them to function properly. If there are problems, we must safeguard investment in excellent education and scientific production, because that's what the developed countries of the world do, investing four or five times more than Argentina, even without having a public system as robust as ours. This, which transforms the lives of so many people, is ultimately what makes us free: access to education. And we must protect it.”
Meanwhile, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Hernán Botta, expressed the excitement that the building's renovation represents for the community: "It's like having our own brand-new house." He added: "We are witnessing a historic event. First, because it is achieving something that seemed very difficult in a country where such things are difficult to accomplish, and because it is happening at a very particular moment in the university system, due to the difficulties it is facing, which are well known."
During one of the tours, Rector Bartolacci, along with Dean Botta, showed off the new room for mock oral trials. "This is where the old dean's office used to be, which years ago was shared with the Agrarian Institute. Today, it's been converted into a mock trial and litigation room, so our students can practice their oral litigation skills. It's set up like a courtroom," the dean proudly explained.
And he noted: “It is important to say that it means a lot, not only for the Universidad Nacional de Rosario "And our Faculty, but also for the city and the region, to restore it in the way it's being done—that is, to restore it to new, to the splendor the building had 130 years ago, at the time of its original construction. A space that is, formally, a National Historic Monument. And then from a family perspective, it's a very significant space for those of us who spend a large part of our lives there; it's a significant number of hours and years of our lives."
"As everything that happens at the University is a collective experience, the founding milestone of all this is the rector's political decision to say the Law School building deserves a different treatment. Until now, it had been maintained as best it could, and now, with this project, it was carried out exclusively with the university's own funds," the dean emphasized.
The work
The reconstruction work was unprecedented, with the restoration of moldings and ornamentation, as well as manual labor to embellish openings, antique tiles specially made to maintain the period style, and marble and wood floors on both floors. A total of 1.000 square meters of roof restoration, 2 square meters of galleries, hallways, and common spaces, plus approximately 600 square meters of classrooms, academic and administrative spaces.
The main entrance at Córdoba 2200—corresponding to the south wing—was completely remodeled, from the pavilion on Córdoba Street to the corner of Moreno Street and from there to the old tower located mid-block across from Plaza San Martín. Complete waterproofing was completed, the ribs, arches, and black metal sheets were replaced, and the shingles were added one by one, using manual labor to maintain the original facade.
The other area that was completely renovated was the restroom core. The old cistern, original to the building, was recovered and used as a pumping room, and a new water supply system was installed.
The third area of work was interior and involved the restoration of all the classrooms in the south wing, many of which suffered from serious structural problems. The historic spiral staircase in the courtyard was also demolished to restore the original exterior feel with the construction of a staircase similar to the one leading to the Moreno Street area. An internal staircase was also erected and a new elevator was added. This is the third elevator and connects to the upper floor, thus ensuring full accessibility to the building.
The fire protection system, carpentry, ventilation, furniture, electrical installations, and the offices located on the corner of Moreno Street were also renovated.
The Secretary of Infrastructure, Guillermo Bas, recalled how they overcame the difficulties during these two years and nine months of construction. "It involved a comprehensive renovation of almost 50% of a building of this size and heritage value. We did it in the context of public universities and the country, with budget changes. Furthermore, the project coexisted with the intensive use of the other half of the building by the Law School community. It's an achievement of this administration that was possible thanks to the collaboration of everyone: faculty, students, non-teaching staff, and the companies involved in the construction process," he expressed his gratitude.
“It is also important to emphasize the cultural and architectural value that this project brings to the UNR, but more importantly to the city. We must highlight the work of the technical departments of the UNR's Directorate of University Construction and the UNR's financial departments, as well as the professionalism of the companies involved,” he noted, adding that “it is the UNR's responsibility to preserve the building from now on. This requires daily maintenance and supervision of all its historic components and the new infrastructure with which it has been equipped to meet the needs of today's academic life.”
A little bit of history
In 1892, the city's first Palace of Justice began operating on this site, in a space that also housed the Bar Association and Notary Public Association until 1960, when the building that currently houses the Provincial Courts was constructed. During that decade, the Schools of Law, Agricultural Sciences, and Political Science, as well as the Dr. Angel Gallardo Museum of Natural Sciences, moved to this already deteriorating building.
Successive interventions failed to reflect the original plan until 1994, when a rehabilitation plan was initiated jointly by the UNR, the Municipality, and the provincial government. This marked a new phase for the building, with cleaning and restoration work, and the restoration of the main tower clock. The space was decongested with the relocation of the other schools to house the Faculty of Law and the Gallardo Museum exclusively.
A painful time for the building came after an intentional fire in 2003 that destroyed 40% of the structure. Initially, revitalization work was carried out on the north wing facing Santa Fe, which was the most affected, and then a comprehensive approach was undertaken in 2022, when the UNR resumed heritage restoration among its management objectives. Thus, large-scale work was undertaken to conserve the building's original elements, restore structures while respecting original techniques and materials, maintaining the historic aesthetic, and resolving the underlying problems that such an old construction carries with it.
The building is not only part of the city's historical heritage but has also been declared a National Historic Monument, the highest category of heritage in the country. Its renovation was supervised by the National Monuments Commission, which oversees this type of construction. Today, with all the necessary permits, controls, and verifications approved, it reopens its doors with immense pride.
Journalist: Micaela Pereyra / Photographer: Camila Casero