The Administration 1 building is one of the most representative buildings of the Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS), not only for being one of the first buildings constructed on the central campus and having been the site of many departments, but also for being one of the buildings with the highest score in the Special Management and Protection Plan of the UIS.
Built between 1959 and 1961 with the design of the architect Mario Pilonieta González and the calculations of the engineer Herbert Ariza, this building was a pioneer in this region in the use of innovative materials and construction techniques, such as the fortified structure, the continuous window and the large spans in its spaces which, together with its simplicity and geometric rigor, highlight the quality of its design.
“The creation of the building began with the Rectory, the Library and administrative offices, as at that time only the Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering departments were in action as more or less well-founded and structured buildings”, recalls architect Mario Pilonieta, when he was called upon by the then Rector Rodolfo Low Maus to take charge of the construction.
This building has housed several offices, mainly the Library, the Rectory, Planning, the General Secretariat, Admissions, banks and ATMs, Human Resources, the Academic Vice-Rectory and the Financial Division.
Speaking about the materials, Mario Pilonieta recalls that “in reality, exposed concrete did not exist in Bucaramanga […] The fortunate thing about exposed concrete is that it is eternal insofar as it does not need to be touched up or remodeled later that could distort the original project”.
He also explained that, “we basically considered the color white, which is used in many buildings in Bucaramanga, materials that at the same time were not very expensive, concrete walls that directed the natural ventilation, which in Bucaramanga is north-south, at a time when there was no air conditioning”.
The Administration 1 building “is a faithful example of true modern architecture, a pioneer in the region, and of which I feel very proud, not only for participating as the author, but because I am remembering with this architectural intervention 60 years ago when I was linked as an architect of Planning of the UIS, physical planning, which was what was done at that time at the University”, said Mario Pilonieta at the time when he saw how the restoration of its original design had turned out.
In 2016, the central campus was declared an asset of cultural interest and in the Special Management and Protection Plan this building is listed at Level 1, i.e., integral conservation.
Under the direction of Rector Hernán Porras Díaz, the building was restored in 2021 to ensure the conservation and recovery of its original architecture. The joint work of Mario Pilonieta and Fabián Camargo Arquitectos included structural reinforcement, the restitution of spaces and a complete modernization of its interior, as over the years it had suffered several interventions that disfigured its architecture.
“Elements such as the exposed concrete verticals, openwork bricks and handrails were restored; others, such as the matting on the façade and the cristanac cladding, were reconstructed using techniques from the 1960s”.
For all this, after its heritage intervention and restoration, this building has received several national and international architectural awards: it participated in the 28th Colombian Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism, Heritage Intervention category; it was nominated for the Lápiz de Acero award and, internationally, in the Pan-American Biennial of Architecture in Quito, Ecuador.
