ABSTRACT
The headquarters of the Instituto Metropolitano de Patrimonio of Quito, Ecuador (IMP), is located where was the house of Guillespie-Delgado family, a stately building built in 1930 by the architect Francisco Durini Cáceres (1880-1970). It was built with luxury finishes in an eclectic style with influence from the historicist academicism, but also, with a rationalistic intention, with some technological novelties, such as reinforced concrete. The building was built, on a property of 1236 m2, probably following the layout of a previous colonial house. It has two blocks of three stories and an attic. The building had some uses and several modifications; therefore, it was necessary to carry out a comprehensive architectural rehabilitation project for its new use. This paper describes the building and its rehabilitation, that has included the stylistic restoration of several of its architectonic details, and the polemic withdrawal of some structures.
