Refugio Reyes Rivas

José Refugio Reyes Rivas (September 2, 1862 - February 3, 1943) was a Mexican architect, author of some of the most representative buildings of the city of Aguascalientes, where his work is considered part of the historical and architectural heritage. Reyes did not have professional architectural studies, so he is called "empirical architect". In 1985 he received the post mortem title of architect, granted by the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes. Reyes completed more than 200 buildings in the states of Zacatecas, Jalisco and Aguascalientes. He was characterized by his use of diverse decorative styles, from neoclassical to Art Nouveau, as well as construction innovations of the first half of the 20th century.

Among his most outstanding works are the Templo de San Antonio, the renovation of the Templo de Guadalupe, the Templo de la Purísima Concepción, the construction of several hotels, such as the París, Francia, Regis and Washington, and the current Museo de Aguascalientes. Several of these buildings are currently museums or are part of the governmental institutions of the state and the city of Aguascalientes.

Biography

Refugio Reyes was born on September 2, 1862, as he himself tells in some autobiographical notes. However, in the registry books of Sauceda la Borda there is no indication of his name, but of Esteban, due to the fact that his parents, Juan Reyes and María Jesús Rivas, made the procedure before the civil registry with that name and later with the name Refugio in the parish registry. As was the custom of the time, the name recorded in the parish records was taken into account.

Víctor Manuel Villegas tried to reconstruct the architect's biography in his book Arquitectura de Refugio Reyes, in which he took up the notes of Refugio Reyes himself in the form of memoirs, under the nickname "Notas de los años que llevo de vida" or "Note de los años que hé pasado" (sic) ("Notes of the years I have been alive" or "Note of the years I have passed"). In these notes, all the years of the architect's life are gathered without interruption; however, since it is a very irregular log, there are some data that do not appear or are incomplete. Franciscan Hospice where Refugio Reyes studied as a child. It is currently the Museo de Guadalupe, Zacatecas. For Refugio Reyes the most important events of his childhood, considering that he was born in 1862, were the births of his sisters Goya in 1867, Felipa in 1871 and Leona in 1872. Another of the events he notes in his chronology was his transfer to a hospice in Guadalupe, Zacatecas, in 1871. He also noted in his own words the Zacatecas War of March 2, 1873, which appears among his notes under the name "Guerra de Rocha" (Rocha's War). Between the ages of eleven and fourteen he made notes on political and military events related to the president of that time, Porfirio Díaz. Photograph of Felipa López and Refugio Reyes, ca. late 19th and early 20th century. In the Franciscan school Refugio felt as if he were with his family; there he learned to read, write and some Latin. Reyes would always return to the Guadalupe convent, even while living in Aguascalientes, whenever he could, because, in addition to the bond he had with the convent, he was in charge of the remodeling and construction of the church tower.

Family life Refugio Reyes married twice. The first time on September 19, 1882, at the age of twenty, with Gregoria Palomino, widowed shortly after; with her he had his first daughter, Mercedes, in 1882. He remarried Felipa López in 1890. In his second marriage he had five children: Alfonso (August 2, 1892); Jesusa (June 6), who died the same day of her birth; Esteban (May 9, 1896); Refugio (December 9, 1900) and Eva (September 17, 1907). The name of his second to last son, Refugio, appears in the lists of his constructions and was the one who followed in his father's footsteps.

As Esther Romo Reyes, Refugio's granddaughter, points out, the family was characterized for having worked in the construction trade, since Juan Reyes, father of the architect emeritus, also worked as a stonemason, as well as Timoteo López, who was his father-in-law.

Historical context During the period in which Refugio Reyes was born, diverse social, cultural and political events took place in Mexico and the rest of the world. On the aesthetic level, the second half of the 19th century brought about various stylistic and artistic changes, as the neoclassical style declined and the neo-Gothic style emerged. There were also important political events, such as the second French intervention in Mexico. In the same year of Refugio Reyes' birth, the Battle of Puebla took place.

At the end of the 19th century, there was an important industrial development in Mexico due to the opening of the first railroad lines. In Aguascalientes, in 1895 La Gran Fundición Central Mexicana of Salomón Guggenheim influenced a notable growth of the metropolitan area. The positivist model of Porfirianism boomed in the central part of the country. All these political and economic events that affected Mexico in this period had a great impact on the career of Refugio Reyes and other builders of the time. The economic and industrial growth of the state and nearby regions at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century boosted the architectural and urban development of the area. The construction of the Templo de San Antonio and other important works by Refugio Reyes coincided with the mining development of Asientos and Tepezalá, the main municipalities of Aguascalientes in terms of mining production.

The Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), an event that transformed the socio-political structure of the entire country, also has a preponderance, since the railroads of Aguascalientes were an obligatory passage for Villists, Carrancists and Huertists troops.

In 1925, after the Mexican Revolution, the Fundición Central Mexicana ceased to operate; this company was the main source of employment in Aguascalientes at that time, so it was also a hard blow for the streetcars, which had had a network that extended through four directions, leaving only the one that linked the main square with the railroad station.

Professional life

Career in Zacatecas In his notes, Refugio Reyes describes his participation as a laborer and assistant in the decoration of the "Templo y la Capilla de Anapoles" (sic) —Chapel of Naples—, when he was sixteen years old. Among his papers is the name of the notebook "Nuevo método para aprender a escribir con rapidez y elegancia" ("New method to learn to write quickly and elegantly"), with which he seems to have perfected his writing,

One of the first projects Refugio Reyes worked on was the construction of the Central Mexican Railroad in Zacatecas, where he learned some of the most modern techniques of the time, especially with respect to metal structures. Franciscan temple in Guadalupe, Zacatecas, where Refugio Reyes designed the Clock Tower. It is said that it was between the ages of fourteen and nineteen when he learned to write and read fluently, since he also learned about the calculation of the resistance of materials of the "works of art" on the Zacatecas Railroad. Refugio frequently asked technical questions to the engineers during this period, which favored his learning in areas that exceeded his activity in construction. The assimilation of this knowledge favored his use of iron as the main construction material, which is why it is present in each of his most important works. This determination to learn allowed him to gain the trust of one of the French contractors, who would be his liaison for the contracting in the construction of the Mercado de Zacatecas. In 1888, at the age of twenty-six, he built the Mercado de Zacatecas. In his memoirs, he notes that he married for the first time at the age of twenty (September 19, 1882) and was widowed on September 16, 1889, the year of the inauguration of the Market. now the Templo y Exconvento de Santo Domingo, where the Museo Pedro Coronel is located. Santuario Diocesano de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Guadalupito), Zacatecas.

Templo de Guadalupito The first work of great magnitude carried out by Refugio Reyes was the Templo de Guadalupe in the city of Zacatecas, which was known as the sanctuary of Father Diaz, after Father Jose Anastasio Diaz Lopez, or "Guadalupito". The temple was started in 1891. The temple was promoted by the recent coronation of the Virgin of Guadalupe by the Mexican Catholic Church, for which remodeling, enlargements and construction of temples whose invocation was the Guadalupana were made. Refugio Reyes was chosen, probably because he already had experience in large-scale works, and also because of the links he had with the Franciscan community, for which he had already done some works.

The work was carried out in several stages and although, in the process, Reyes changed his residence to Aguascalientes, he continued to travel once a week to Zacatecas to supervise the work. In 1897 the main arch of the presbytery was finished and the cornice was placed.

However, the work lasted for several decades. In 1939 the towers were finished. Later, the presbyter José Campos Mota called Reyes, who was 77 years old, to supervise the arrangement of the atrium, the laying of the floor and the erection of the dome; works finished in 1940. Templo de San Isidro Labrador in Pabellón de Arteaga, first work of Refugio Reyes in Aguascalientes.

Career in Aguascalientes The constant and good work he did in Zacatecas made people from the ecclesiastical sector, especially from the Franciscan order, recommend the work of Refugio Reyes in the State of Aguascalientes. The first work he received in the state was the Templo de San Isidro Labrador in the Hacienda de Garabato, in 1893. At this time, Refugio Reyes could work in the neighboring city and live in his native Zacatecas, but when he was entrusted the project of the Templo de San Antonio in the capital of Aguascalientes, by the merchant and landowner Antonio Morfín Vargas, he decided to move with his family to his place of work. In all the commissions he had in Aguascalientes, he demonstrated a solid mastery of classical orders and techniques, as well as the use of any material, whether metal, wood, partitions or stone.

Public official After several years in which the position of 'city engineer' had been abolished, Refugio Reyes obtained this appointment, as the municipal president, Felipe Torres considered it necessary. This title was also known as master of public works or director of public works.

After a long career as a builder, architect and designer, Refugio Reyes also participated in the political life of Aguascalientes as a public servant. According to some references, he worked in the City Hall since 1917 as Director of Public Works and, as of January 21, 1918, he received the appointment of "Master of Public Works". Somehow, he was able to combine these activities with his active participation in the creation of private works, both in the city where he lived, as well as in Jalisco and Zacatecas. His work as director of public works for 8 years was varied, since it depended extensively on the needs of the city in a time of economic upheaval, such as the supervision of the water box of the springs of Ojocaliente, the repairs in the conduction channels, orders to install drainage pipes, as well as to solve problems of waste from factories, such as La Perla.

In 1924, after the departure of Governor Rafael Arellano Valle, Refugio Reyes was involved in the struggle of political interests, since he was identified with the outgoing governor's administration, both in the public and private spheres, as he had designed and built his private house on Allende Street. Because of this, Reyes was attacked, and his removal from office was demanded.

The varied and numerous works attributed to Refugio Reyes have grown over the years, as many of his works are undated, unrecorded or demolished. Much of the architectural style of the city of Aguascalientes is influenced by the work of Refugio Reyes. His urban vision is also recognized, since part of the design of the city center, as in the case of the opening and ornamentation of Madero Avenue, as well as the numerous ochaves of his constructions that gave another perspective to the streets, are a hallmark of the architect.

Empirical architect Although Refugio Reyes did not receive professional architectural training, his beginnings as a mason and stonemason allowed him to become involved in the creative aspect of construction. At the end of his life, thanks to the professional relationship he maintained with architect Federico Ernesto Mariscal Piña, Reyes came to handle architectural concepts at an academic level. One of his sources of reference was Vignola's treatise, where he copied and redrew the orders when he had to. His biographers point out that one of the characteristics of Don Cuco, as he was called during his lifetime, is that in spite of having been related to the academic field of architecture and also to terminology, his creativity was not altered or inhibited by the dogmatic orientation of preconceived styles.

Refugio Reyes was not the only self-taught architect in Mexico; Francisco Eduardo Tresguerras, the most representative architect of Celaya, Guanajuato, did not study architecture formally either. Likewise, it seems likely that there was an indirect influence of Tresguerras' architecture on Refugio Reyes, for like the Guanajuato architect, he occasionally used the central tower, contrary to the architectural tradition of the two towers. However, although both mixed different styles with the neoclassical, Tresguerras criticized the Mexican baroque unlike Reyes, who used it profusely and harmonized it whenever he could in his works.

One of the best known stories derived from Refugio Reyes' empirical apprenticeship has to do with the engineer Camilo E. Pani, who, in addition to questioning the resistance of the dome of the Templo de San Antonio, is said to have greeted Reyes with disdain, saying: "What's up, architect without a degree!", to which he replied: "Nothing, degree without an architect!"

Refugio Reyes' skill as an architect can also be seen in his drawings and pencil or ink strokes, which are meticulous and precise. This ability is attributable to his empirical training with engineers, from whom he learned that his drawings and designs on paper could be executable in practice, unlike the drawings of other architects, which have a certain looseness and spontaneity but no structural sense.

In 1913, the city of Aguascalientes was looking for an engineer to take charge of the city's public works, however, they decided that "it would not be possible to afford the expense of a qualified engineer, being barely possible to pay a practical individual", so they opted to hire Refugio Reyes. Since he did not have a higher degree that accredited his knowledge of architecture, Reyes received a low salary throughout his career, especially considering the responsibilities he had and the number of works in which he participated. As a consequence, he maintained the honest way of life that characterized him from his birth until the day he died. and on October 3, 2014 he was declared a favorite son of the municipality of Vetagrande, Zacatecas. He was also inscribed postmortem as a distinguished member of the Colegio de Arquitectos de Zacatecas and, from then on, the cultural hall of Vetagrande was named Refugio Reyes Rivas. Tomb of Refugio Reyes Rivas in the Panteón de la Cruz, Aguascalientes, Ags.

Last years In 1937, Refugio Reyes suffered a stroke that paralyzed half of his body, and a few years later in 1941, his wife Felipa died of bowel cancer, so he spent his last years with his daughter Evangelina.

In 1942, with the help of a walking cane, he continued to travel everywhere and even took public transportation. He used to travel by train from Zacatecas to Aguascalientes, a 3-hour trip. The day before his death, Refugio went about his daily routine, he followed up on the work being done in Guadalupe, Zacatecas, and when he saw that the master builder had not paid the laborers, he made the corresponding payment out of his own pocket. On his return to Aguascalientes he told his daughter that his body ached. On Wednesday, February 3, 1943, he died at 7:00 p.m. at the age of 80. His vigil was held at his home on Juan de Montoro Avenue, and the religious service was held at the Templo de San Antonio. Later his remains were taken to the Panteón de la Cruz.

Homage to his work In 1974, architect Victor Manuel Villegas published the first biography on the life and work of Refugio Reyes, entitled Arquitectura de Refugio Reyes. Manuel Villegas was an architect with a degree from the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla and a member of the Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas of the UNAM who, impressed by Reyes' work, traveled to Aguascalientes to investigate the unfinished works of the Zacatecan architect. After these visits, Villegas became a disseminator of Reyes' work, giving lectures in different institutions, including one that was organized on March 5, 1972 at the Casa de Cultura of Aguascalientes, entitled "The Architectural Tradition of Aguascalientes and the Work of J. Refugio Reyes" (Spanish: La tradición arquitectónica de Aguascalientes y la obra de J. Refugio Reyes). Bronze sculpture of Refugio Reyes Rivas, by sculptor Miguel López Artasánchez. Villegas was the first to affirm that there was a link between the architectural tradition of Aguascalientes and Refugio Reyes, and praised his works, which became a posthumous tribute to the empirical architect.

In 1985, an exhibition was mounted in the J. Jesús Gómez Portugal Hall of the Institute of Science and Technology entitled "Aquel arte de construir" (The Art of Building). This exhibition was organized by José Luis Ruvalcaba and Benjamín Luna Vela. Plans, models, notebooks and photographs that belonged to Refugio Reyes were exhibited. At the event, Evangelina Reyes, the architect's daughter, was presented with a university degree recognizing her father as an architect honoris causa post mortem. Honorary architect degree awarded by the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes in 1985. In 2008, the municipality of Aguascalientes celebrated the centennial of the Templo de San Antonio and recognized the work of Refugio Reyes Rivas by placing a bronze sculpture of the architect, commissioned to sculptor Miguel López Artasánchez. The work is located on Ignacio Zaragoza Avenue, in front of the Templo de San Antonio, designed by the emeritus architect.

At the end of 2013, the City Hall completed the restoration of the house that Refugio Reyes built and lived in, to turn it into a museum displaying the architect's models, plans, materials and furniture. Although it was inaugurated on December 30, 2013, at the end of the three-year term of Mayor Lorena Martínez, it remained inactive for the next two years. Finally, in April 2015, it was announced that it would not open its doors to the public due to budgetary problems of the municipal administration, and because the space did not have the conditions to establish a museum. In 2017, the house opened its doors, not as a museum, but as a cultural space for teaching crafts and imparting artistic workshops by the Instituto Municipal Aguascalentense para la Cultura (IMAC).

In 2018, Lidia Camacho, director of the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, noted that two of Refugio Reyes' works, the Templo de San Antonio and the Templo de la Purísima, were in the process of becoming artistic monuments of the nation.

In December 2021, the exhibition Utilidad y deleite: Trazos de Refugio Reyes, curated by Andrés Reyes Rodríguez, was presented at the Museo Regional de Historia de Aguascalientes, with a series of objects, plans, photographs and drawings by Refugio Reyes himself, his family or people close to him. The purpose of the exhibition was to pay tribute to the architect by showing his professional and daily activities, and the relationship with his work. The exhibition was also presented at the Museo de Zacatecas in 2022, as part of the Zacatecas Cultural Festival.

Main works

Templo de San Antonio

The first stone of the Templo de San Antonio was placed on October 4, 1895.

The project was commissioned by the Franciscan order of the city to the young architect Refugio Reyes, who had already shown signs of his talent in the neighboring state of Zacatecas. In his first attempt, he designed a Gothic style building that was not approved due to the estimated cost, 300,000 pesos of the time. Although Reyes' second proposal was approved and construction began in 1895, the project was cancelled due to budgetary problems. The owner of the Hacienda de la Cantera and the La Regenadora tobacco factory, Antonio Morfin Vargas, ordered the resumption of the work in September 1897 under the commitment to assume all the costs derived from the construction. José Luis Ruvalcaba attributes the success of the construction to the technological innovation Reyes achieved by placing the double-drum dome through a mixed construction system between the cutting of the stones with a series of metal rings based on rails. This gives the impression that the dome flies above the vault.

The structure of the temple is of Latin cross. The sacristy occupies the entire width of the temple up to the apse, in the image of the Jesuit churches. Also, within the construction, architectural solutions very characteristic of the Mexican and Hispanic tradition can be appreciated. and its Byzantine dome. The tops that crown the two lateral turrets give it a Tempietto air. The columns present in the two bodies in which the facade is divided are neoclassical, as their capitals allude to the Greco-Latin canon. At the base there are Doric columns, in the middle there are Ionic columns and at the top is the originally called Corinthian order, which is actually a composite order. The double drum dome is perhaps reminiscent of the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral in London built by the architect Sir Christopher Wren, which reinforces the idea of the palette of styles that characterize the eclecticism of Refugio Reyes. were conceived by Refugio's second cousin, the Zacatecan-born painter Candelario Rivas.

The value of the Templo de San Antonio lies not only in architectural aspects, but also in urban planning. Being placed in the break of the current Zaragoza Street, it works as a visual auction, especially for the verticality of its facade.

Museo de Aguascalientes

This building has had several owners and different uses. At the end of the 19th century, Antonio Morfín Vargas sold it to the Días Portillo sisters, who built a Catholic School. At that time the building only had a patio and was built in adobe. The Sociedad Administradora de Bienes Raíces "La Esperanza" acquired the property on September 29, 1913. On December 1, 1914, according to the Law of Public Instruction, the building became the Normal School for Teachers through the intervention of Governor Alberto Fuentes Dávila.

Later, during the administration of Governor General Martin Triana, Refugio Reyes was entrusted with the intervention of the building, which included a neoclassical portico, a second courtyard with ambulatories and rooms with the architect's personal touch. representative of the aguascalentense architecture of the time.

The importance of this building lies not only in its execution, but also in the collection it houses, especially that of two of the most representative artists of the city: Jesús F. Contreras and Saturnino Herrán.

Hotel Francia View of Hotel Francia (1915), later converted into a Sanborns store. The Hotel Francia dates from 1917. Like so many of Refugio Reyes' buildings, it uses the octagon to center all the decorative elements on the corner. This gives the building twin facades and three entrances.

Located right in front of the Cathedral and the Plaza Patria, this characteristic building has diverse architectural elements, from baroque to neoclassical styles: broken pediments, semicircular arches, segmental arches and lintels with circular pediments, among others. In this building the balconies stand out for their artistic ironwork, as well as some French style details, with a worked and intricate masonry work in the columns, frames and lintels, as well as the craftsmanship, especially the reliefs of heads, such as the one in the corner opening of the facade, which is in an excellent state of preservation.

It is said that it was in the lobby of the hotel where Juan S. Garrido found the inspiration to compose the famous song "La pelea de gallos" on April 25, 1943, anthem of the Feria Nacional de San Marcos. It is located in front of the Plaza Patria and is one of the most emblematic buildings of Refugio Reyes Rivas.

It has a three-story façade made of pink quarry stone. As is common in Reyes, it occupies the neoclassical style in combination with art nouveau. The main entrance has two floors and is in the form of a niche. The second level has balconies with double-hung windows in the shape of a bifora. On the third level there are rectangular windows and cushioned walls. The interior has Doric columns and a staircase with balusters very typical of the neoclassical style.

This hotel received among its guests Francisco Villa, revolutionary leader, and other generals during the Convention of Aguascalientes of October 1914. Later, presidents Miguel Alemán, Adolfo López Mateos and Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, as well as artists such as Mario Moreno "Cantinflas", also stayed in this hotel.

Chronology of works The following lists contain information about the book En Aguascalientes Refugio Reyes se revalora:

Chapel of the Hacienda Río de Medina 1898-1901 Chapel of Saín Alto. Neoclassical work. Construction of the façade and completion of the chapel. Templo de San Francisco de los Adame 1907-1941 Temple dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus located in Luis Moya (formerly San Francisco de los Adame). Reyes designed the dome, the entrance to the atrium and the chapel tower of the hacienda.

Chapel of the Hacienda de Tacoaleche 1941 Located in Guadalupe, this work began two years after his death, so it was not finished by him. In AguascalientesWorkYearParticipation of Refugio Reyes and descriptionImageTemplo de San Isidro Labrador1893Located in the Hacienda de Garabato, it was the first construction commissioned to Refugio Reyes in Aguascalientes, where he erected a work in a single nave that ends in an apse. Templo de San Antonio1895It is the most famous and representative building of Refugio Reyes, in which a great number of styles coexist. Hotel Washington1896Remodeling of the hotel, first of its kind in the city. Later it became the Colonial Cinema and, after its demolition, the south and north facades were rescued, which are now part of the Plaza Fundadores. El Soyatal1897Located in the Hacienda El Soyatal, it is very similar to the Iglesia de San Isidro Labrador, Garabato. In this work, Refugio Reyes creates a sturdy, solid construction with flared arches. Tower of the Templo de Nuestra Señora del Rosario19005 years earlier a lightning strike had collapsed the two upper bodies of the tower, which had been previously damaged during the Guerra de Reforma (Reform War). The repair of the tower, in neo-Gothic style, was completed in 1906. Templo de la Purísima Concepción1902Unlike other churches built by Refugio Reyes, this one has a basilica floor. It is characterized by its sobriety and solidity. Archivo Histórico del Estado1902Building remodeled by Refugio Reyes, in which he built a corridor around the first patio. The roof is supported by slender metal columns. Casa Refugio Reyes1903In 1903, Refugio Reyes acquires a house near the center of the city, which had only one floor in brick, so he made an extension. It currently houses the Museo "Refugio Reyes Rivas" (Refugio Reyes Rivas Museum). Panteón de la Cruz1903One of the main features of the pantheon, the pink quarry stone portico in the shape of Omega (Ω), was designed and built by Reyes. The portico that connects the Panteón de la Cruz with the Panteón de los Ángeles, as well as various funerary monuments in both cemeteries, were designed and executed by Refugio Reyes. Banco Nacional de México1905Officially the project was in charge of engineer Samuel Chávez, since Reyes lacked a university degree. However, it has several characteristics that are present in other of his buildings. It is a neoclassical building and the main entrance has an eave, which gives it a perspective to the street. Casa de Manuel Flores1905It was designed in a neoclassical style.Banco de Zacatecas1906Its basic structure is neoclassical, but mixes Renaissance elements. The first floor is Doric and the second floor is Ionic. Altar of Nuestra Señora del Refugio1906This is a neo-Gothic style work made of yellow quarry stone inside the Templo del Señor del Encino. Refugio Reyes made the portico of this temple, as well as the wall and the access to the atrium, which is related to the one he built in the Convent of Guadalupe in Zacatecas. Altar of the Cathedral and Cypress1907The Cypress is of neoclassical style and is carved in white Carrara marble. He also participated in the remodeling of the precinct, enlarging it from one to three naves, in which he used flared arches that give it greater depth. Juan de Montoro, no. 4251917This is a house with the traditional central courtyard layout. Templo de San Diego1908Reyes built a lateral nave that borders the cloister of the ex-convent. For this work he used semicircular arches. He was also in charge of building two lateral altars. Morelos Street, No. 3091908The façade has two levels and is made of pink quarry stone. Each level has seven openings. Inside, its layout presents the classic central patio. Baths of Ojocaliente1908Also called Ancient Baths of Ojocaliente or Great Baths, they were intervened by Reyes. In the access portico he placed a three-point arch and also rounded the façade. Escobedo Mansion1908This is a two-story French style building. It has some neoclassical characteristics and a central courtyard layout. Museo Regional de Historia de Aguascalientes1908Refugio Reyes remodeled the patio and the façade. The building has a neoclassical style, although the arches of the facade are art nouveau. In addition, in the interior there is a neo-Gothic style chapel. Casa Alfonso Esparza Oteo, Allende 2381908Dwelling house designed and built by Refugio Reyes. It has a neoclassical style with a central courtyard. It was the house where the composer Alfonso Esparza Oteo was born. In 1980 it became the Music Department of the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, and in 2004 it was acquired by the State Government, becoming the CIELA Fraguas (Centro de Investigación de Estudios Literarios de Aguascalientes). Hotel París1910The eclectic style between neoclassical and art nouveau is due to the intervention of Refugio Reyes. Hacienda de Cañada Honda1910It has semicircular arches in the corridor, elaborated with yellow quarry stone of Cavellinas. Some elements of the hacienda have elements of the Sauceda, native community of Reyes. Monument to the Centennial of the Independence1910Placed in the commemoration of the centennial of the Independence of Mexico, this obelisk is made of yellow quarry stone and is dedicated to the natives of Aguascalientes who participated in the insurgent movement. It is composed of three bodies: the square base with scrolls in the corners; the prism-shaped body with four columns that have a Corinthian capital in which are inscribed the names of some insurgents such as Pedro Parga, Santos Ortega, José Calvillo and Matías de Lara; and an obelisk that emerges from a cornice with a central half circle where a medallion with a floral crown is engraved. The obelisk has vegetal elements, such as laurel branches and elements that allude to the homeland, as well as a pyramidal shape at the top. Templo de Cristo Rey1911A building created with apparent partition walls. Cathedral Chapter1913The particular facade was built with pink quarry stone; it has horseshoe arches that give it a touch of Mudejar reminiscence, but also reminiscent of art nouveau. Hotel Regis1914It has two levels that combine neoclassical and art nouveau styles. Casa de Ignacio Ortiz1915The house is of yellow quarry stone with a fundamentally sober neoclassical style. Hotel Imperial1915This building, dating from 1560, has undergone several modifications. In the time of Refugio Reyes it was used as a casino, so it was given its characteristic style. Hotel Francia1915This famous hotel, formerly owned by Felipe Nieto, was remodeled in 1915 under the order of Refugio Reyes, who combined diverse construction and ornamental styles to complete the project. La Casa de la Gardenia1915-1919 Since the 1980s this building has served as the Jaime Torres Bodet Library. It was originally built to house the establishment of José and Luis G. Laris, called "La Gardenia". In this building, like others, the ochave was used in the corners; it also has a central courtyard. Castillo Douglas1917One of the versions is that the businessman Juan Douglas ordered the construction of a medieval style house with the architect Federico Ernesto Mariscal Piña; but the latter accepted under the condition of having a good master builder to take charge of the construction. He finally chose Refugio Reyes, who was able to put his particular stamp on this work. Hidalgo Hospital1920Inaugurated in 1903, its construction was completed in 1920, when the upper floors were finished.Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe1920It is a baroque construction of the 18th century, intervened for the first time in 1907, by Refugio Reyes. Museo de Aguascalientes1920Refugio Reyes was in charge of the renovation of the building as well as the construction of the second patio, as it is known today. In those years it was the State Normal School. Palacio Municipal de Calvillo (demolished)1921-1925The governor of Aguascalientes at that time, Rafael Arellano Valle gave great impulse to the infrastructure in the municipality of Calvillo, so he requested a municipal palace to Refugio Reyes. The façade had two sections and five entrances. The second body had a cornice on which there were five windows. The central window had a broken curved pediment. The building had a pyramidal crest. It is not known why the building was demolished, but it was replaced by the one that currently serves the same purpose. La Popular1923This building was a store called "Compañía de Abarrotes La Popular", which was remodeled by Refugio Reyes. Before this remodeling it had only one floor. Teatro Cine Palacio1925It was ordered to be built by Roberto Barnola. Part of the payment that Refugio Reyes received for its construction was a lifetime pass, which he used until his death. In 1943 this building burned down.Casa Enrique Osornio Camarena1932From 1932 to 1936, Enrique Osornio Camarena was the Constitutional Governor of Aguascalientes. When he began his term of office, Refugio Reyes built this estate that combines neoclassical style with art nouveau. Sindicato Ferrocarrilero1939It was commissioned by Governor J. Concepción Rodríguez (1939-1940). Although Refugio Reyes presented a French style project, the execution required a functionalist style building, very modern for the time. Casa de Allende 224n/dReyes remodeled and rebuilt the interior of the house, which later became the Guadalupe Victoria School and later the Language Center of the Instituto Cultural de Aguascalientes. 100x100px

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