Jorge Luis Echarte Mazorra (17 February 1891, in Havana, Cuba, July 1979, in Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida, U.S.) was a prominent Cuban architect, civil engineer, and politician. He is best known for his pivotal role in the urban development of the Miramar neighborhood in Havana and for designing the Casa de las Tejas Verdes (House of the Green Tiles), one of the cityâÂÂs most recognizable architectural landmarks. He also served briefly in government during the mid-1930s, holding senior posts related to foreign affairs and served as the Secretary of Public Works for the Republic of Cuba.
Echarte was born in Havana on 17 February 1891, to Jorge Echarte and Felicia Mazorra. He attended the University of Havana, where he earned degrees in both Civil Engineering and Architecture. Graduating in 1915, he was among the first generation of architects trained entirely on the island; he ranked 14th in a graduating class of 26. His education coincided with a period of rapid urban expansion in Havana, allowing him to integrate modern engineering with the eclectic and neocolonial aesthetic preferences of the Cuban elite.
Echarte was an early member of the Colegio de Arquitectos de La Habana (National College of Architects of Cuba), founded in 1916. He co-founded the firm GarcÃÂa & Echarte, Ingenieros, Arquitectos y Contratistas, which became a driving force in transforming the landscape of western Havana. The firmâÂÂs projects were instrumental in converting the once-rural outskirts into innovative residential developments. Beyond individual buildings, Echarte was a key figure in the layout of MiramarâÂÂs primary artery, Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue). He advocated for the garden city movement, characterized by wide, tree-lined boulevards and integrated green spaces. His urban planning helped shift HavanaâÂÂs luxury residential focus from the Vedado district further west toward Miramar.
Completed in 1926, the Casa de las Tejas Verdes was commissioned by Alberto de Armas. Located at the corner of Quinta Avenida and Calle 2 (2nd Street) in Miramar, the residence is celebrated for its unique blend of styles:
According to Cuban researchers MarÃÂa Victoria Zardoya Loureda and ÃÂngel Manuel ÃÂlvarez Gómez the Electric Company Building (officially the General Pension and Social Assistance Fund for Electricity, Gas, and Water Workers) is EcharteâÂÂs masterpiece and represented the pinnacle of modern office design in mid-20th-century Cuba. The building incorporated cutting-edge technology and high-quality materials, including the extensive use of granite, marble, aluminum elements, and large glass panes, creating striking effects of transparency and brilliance. Its innovative design earned it a featured spot in the 1957 publication ÃÂlbum de Cuba, which highlighted the most significant constructions completed in the country that year. It also graced the cover of the Colegio de Arquitectos magazine, which dedicated its lead article to the building in the March 1958 issue.
EcharteâÂÂs involvement in public life peaked during the mid-1930s, a period of significant political instability following the fall of Gerardo Machado.
For his service to the nation, President Barnet awarded Echarte the Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, CubaâÂÂs highest diplomatic honor. Following his time in the mid-1930s cabinet, Echarte deliberately detached himself from the political sphere, holding no positions during the subsequent regimes of Fulgencio Batista.
Echarte was married to Carmen Romero Ochoterena, and the couple had three children: Jorge, Luis and MarÃÂa Teresa Echarte Romero. Following the Cuban Revolution in 1959, Echarte and his family emigrated to the United States. They settled in Miami, Florida, where he lived until his death in July 1979 at the age of 88.