Workers at the Construction Site of the Caribe Hilton Hotel
Description
A group of workers carrying out various formwork and foundation construction tasks in the construction site of the Caribe Hilton Hotel. Construction equipment such as a leveling device, rods, wood boards, wheelbarrows, and a hose can be seen in the area. In the background, there is the Normandie Hotel with its sign at the top. The boardwalk extending in front of El Escambrón Beach Club can be seen also.| Origin Name |
CSAST - 2008 (318)
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| Relation |
Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín > Colección Samuel Santiago > Carpeta 7 (Caribe Hilton I)
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| Geographical Coverage |
San Juan
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| Date |
[aproximadamente 1947]
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| Descriptive Notes |
Title assigned by the cataloging team. The note on the front of the image reads: "Caribe-Hilton Hotel San Juan P.R Puerto Rico Ind. Dev. Co., Owner Toro, Ferrer & Torregrosa, Archt. Geo. A. Fuller Co. of P.R., Builders Photo No. Date."
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| Descripción decolonial |
The construction site of the Caribe Hilton Hotel become an icon of Puerto Rico's Operation Bootstrap. Amid workers and construction equipment, the background showcases the Hotel Normandie, an existing establishment that worked counter to the the desired modern image the new government hoped to forge. Taking the form of a cruise ship, and owned by the engineer Félix Benítez Rexach, the Normandie contrasted with the publicly funded, highly modernist Caribe Hilton. The Caribe Hilton's construction aimed to surpass the outdated styles of existing hotels, including the Spanish Revival and Art Deco themes of the Condado Beach Hotel and Hotel Normandie. This strategic move reflected the government's commitment to projecting a contemporary and tropical image, breaking away from the colonial and imperial associations tied to the past, ultimately defining Puerto Rico's path toward progress. Yet, the insidious nature of their financial relationship with hotelier Conrad Hilton, who funded operations and shared profits with the Puerto Rican government would ultimately reveal as many echoes as breaks with colonial models.
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| Historical Background | |
| Architectural Subject |
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| Decolonial Subject | |
| Rights |
The PRAHA does not own the rights to this resource. The user must contact the repository or archive that holds the physical document to determine the restrictions that may apply under the Copyright and Intellectual Property Law or by agreements agreed with donors.
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| Editor |
Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín
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| Resource Format |
JPEG
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| Resource Type |
Image
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