Parque José Martí Stadium

History of the Parque José Martí of Havana, Cuba

Originally designed in the 1940s during the Fulgencio Batista regime, Parque José Martí in Havana was conceptualized as a modern sports complex for Cuba’s youth. The project was intended to embody the optimism and national hope that defined the island during the 1940s and 50s, though construction remained stalled for years. It wasn’t until Fidel Castro rose to power in 1959 that the plans finally moved forward, resulting in a facility that features a gymnasium, a swimming pool, a dedicated children’s area, and a stadium.

Octavio Buigas de la Cruz, the Architect

The new socialist government appointed architect Octavio Buigas de la Cruz to design the park’s centerpiece, its grandiose grandstand. Born in Havana on December 15, 1935, Buigas earned his Bachelor’s in Architecture in 1959 from the St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic University.

Following the 1961 expulsion of the American Augustinians who founded the university, the school was confiscated and closed by the Cuban government. The Augustinians subsequently fled to Miami to establish St. Thomas University. Shortly after completing his work on the Parque José Martí stadium, Buigas also fled to Miami. There, he transitioned into the real estate sector, eventually rising to prominent leadership roles, including President of Ryerson & Haynes Realty, Senior Vice President of Dorta-Duque & Associates, and CEO of Southeast Enterprises Inc. He was also on the Board of Directors of Barry University in 1981.

Design

The Parque José Martí stadium’s unusual and strong form rises from the landscape like concrete waves, reflecting the post-revolutionary architectural and political tides in Cuba. Its design is reminiscent of the Miami Marine Stadium in Miami, which was designed by a Cuban architect as well.

According to Princeton University, it is designed as a slender cantilever that relies on a clever balance of forces for its stability. The structure’s primary load is its own self-weight, which is positioned eccentrically relative to the vertical support. This off-center weight creates an overturning moment that would normally cause the stadium to tip forward; however, this rotation is countered by the stadium seating, which functions as a stabilizing buttress. By providing both vertical and horizontal reaction forces, the combination of the main column and the seating buttress effectively resists the overturning moment and maintains the equilibrium of the entire structure.

The stability of the Parque José Martí Stadium relies entirely on the relationship between its overhanging structure and its base. Without the support of the buttress formed by the stadium seating, the slender cantilever would become unstable and tip forward under its own mass. Instead, the seating acts as a compressive element that counteracts this movement, providing the necessary force to balance the overturning moment created by the structure’s off-center self-weight.

Decline

While Cuba eventually moved on to construct more expansive venues like the Estadio Panamericano, famous for hosting the 1991 Pan American Games, the Parque José Martí fell into a state of deep neglect. This decline was accelerated by the severe economic crisis following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, leaving the stadium largely forgotten. Furthermore, its seaside location has proven detrimental; the salty ocean air constantly penetrates the concrete, corroding the internal steel reinforcement and causing the structure to rapidly decay. Despite these hazardous and crumbling conditions, the complex remains a hub of local activity, where Cubans continue to gather daily to train, exercise, and play soccer.

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