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Closed flower (Floralis Gen茅rica) under the moon – By Beatrice Murch –

Top 10 Fun Facts about Floralis Gen茅rica

In Buenos Aires, you will find one of the most peculiar sculptures in all of South America let alone Argentina. The sculpture is known as the Floralis Gen茅rica and it is a steel and aluminum construction depicting a natural flower.

The sculpture is found at Plaza de las Naciones Unidas, Avenida Figueroa Alcorta, Buenos Aires. It was constructed in 2002 as a gift to the city by architect Eduardo Catalano.

Today, the giant sculpture is a striking and imposing landmark in the city of Buenos Aires. The sculpture is also a favorite destination for tourists from all over the world.

This article will discuss some fun and interesting facts about this architectural marvel called the Floralis Gen茅rica.

1. It Was Constructed by Eduardo Catalano

Eduardo Fernando Catalano was an Argentine architect. He was a famous architect having studied in the U.S.A and designed some popular buildings around the world.

Some of the buildings by Catalano include the U.S embassies in Buenos Aires and Pretoria as well as the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. Other works by Catalano include the Edificio del Plata, the Ciudad Universitaria de Tucuman, and Ciudad Universitaria de Buenos Aires.

2. The Sculpture Was a Gift to the City of Buenos Aires

View of the Palermo Chico (‘Little Palermo’) section of Buenos Aires, from the southeast. Eduardo Catalano’s Floralis Gen茅rica (2002) can be seen in the foreground – By Deensel –

Eduardo Catalano was born in Buenos Aires before leaving to study architecture in the United States. Near the end of 2001, he began working on the Floralis Gen茅rica.

He completed the large structure and presented it to his home city as a gift. On April 13th, 2002, the structure was inaugurated.

3. The Floralis Gen茅rica is Alive

The term alive in this scenario is used loosely. The Floralis Gen茅rica is alive only in the sense that it is equipped with an automated electrical system that gives it motion.

The Floralis Gen茅rica opens and closes its petals automatically depending on the time of the day. At exactly 8 every morning, the sculpture opens its petals. The petals close at sunset every other day using a schedule that is adjusted according to the season in effect.

However, on four special nights of the year, the Floralis Gen茅rica does not close its petals and remains agape. These are the nights of May 25th, September 21st, December 24th, and December 31st. On these nights the sculpture remains open keeping Buenos Aires in bloom throughout the night.

4. The Biggest Flower in The World

Although it’s not a plant, the enormous flower-shaped sculpture is without a doubt the world鈥檚 largest flower. The imposing Floralis Gen茅rica is a large and striking construction that cannot be missed by anyone.

The sculpture weighs eighteen (18!) tons and gets up to a towering 75 feet tall. The giant sculpture blooms anew each day revealing for long stamens. The booming process takes roughly 20 minutes to complete.

The petals, which open and close are 13 meters long. When the petals are closed, the sculpture is 75 feet tall and 52 feet wide. When it has completely blossomed, the sculpture spans an incredible 105 feet wide.

5. It Is Located Next to The National Museum of Fine Arts

Floralis Gen茅rica, Buenos Aires (Argentina) – By Ricardo Freitas –

The Floralis Gen茅rica Is located in Plaza de Las Naciones Unidas (The United Nations Plaza), near the corner of Av. Figueroa Alcorta and J. A. Biblioni, La Recoleta. Right next to the sculpture is the infamous Argentinian National Museum of Fine Arts.

The sculpture is found in a reflective pool of water next to the National Museum of Fine Arts. The pool, with a 44-meter diameter, is found at the center of a four-acre park.

The sculpture is surrounded by paths from all sides which allow people to get closer providing a variety of aspects. The pool, besides providing great aesthetics, serves the purpose of protecting the park.

6. The Sculpture Remained Open From 2010 鈥� 2015

Floralis Gen茅rica, Buenos Aires, Argentina – By Matt Kieffer –

In 2010, the electrical and hydraulic system that was employed to enable the sculpture to open and close was disabled. This was done to prevent the sculpture from damaging which meant it remained open for five years.

This was necessary since as Catalano himself had admitted, one of the petals had been installed incorrectly during assembly. The repair took five years and in 2015, the full functionality of the hydraulic system was restored allowing it to open and close.

7. The Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina Company Constructed the Sculpture

The F谩brica Argentina de Aviones SA (FAdeA) was responsible for bringing Catalano鈥檚 sculpture design to life. The company was privatized in the 1990s to Lockheed Martin and conducted the construction of the sculpture as such.

On completion of the Floralis Gen茅rica, the company provided the city with a 25-year warranty. However, issues were detected with the system in 2010 which needed t to be fixed.

However, at the time, the company was not private anymore and the Argentine government had taken it over. This, therefore, meant that the necessary repairs were delayed.

8. The Name of The Sculpture Has Meaning

Eduardo Catalano named the giant sculpture Floralis Gen茅rica for a reason. The word Floralis is the scientific name for all flowers. Which is fitting as it is made in the image of a flower.

The term Gen茅rica on the other hand arises from the concept of 鈥済ender鈥�. This indicates that the sculpture represents all flowers n the world.

Through this magnificent piece of work, Catalano attempted to show the dynamic relationship between the modern world and nature.

9. The Floralis Gen茅rica Glows at Night

When the sculpture closes at night, it emits a reddish light from inside which illuminates the park. When it blossoms, the light turns off, marking a new dawn. Catalano once said that the flower “is a synthesis of all the flowers and, at the same time, a hope reborn every day at opening.”

10. A Major Tourist Attraction

A tourist infront of the Floralis Gen茅rica – By penaloza_sm –

When visiting the unique South American capital, the Floralis Gen茅rica is definitely a must-see. Especially seeing it open and close its giant metallic petals is an experience to be remembered.

Being a public monument, the Floralis Gen茅rica can be visited at any time of the year. Buenos Aires is a large metropolis with a fascinating history and therefore there are other attractions besides this fascinating sculpture.

These attractions include; the National Museum of Fine Arts, Japanese Gardens, and Evita Museum all of which are less than 2 km from the sculpture.