Preserving our national heritage is synonymous with development and pride in what is ours
By José Arias
Special for El Inmobiliario
SANTO DOMINGO.-The House of Roots or Villa Hena is an architectural heritage of the city of Santo Domingo, located in the historic and emblematic Gascue sector.
In 1914, over a century ago, it was built by the engineer Zoilo Hermógenes García as a family residence. Don Zoilo named it Villa Hena in honor of one of his daughters. Two years after its construction, he died from a serious illness.
Engineer García was nicknamed Mojito and was originally from La Vega. He died very young, at the age of 35.
We've all walked past it and admired its unique facade crafted from tree roots. This singularity is thanks to the Catalan craftsman José Domenech. The roots reflect the aesthetic principles of Art Nouveau, an artistic style from the Belle Époque period in late 19th and early 20th century Europe.
Some kiosks and rest stops in Parisian squares and parks feature structures designed to resemble tree trunks. It is believed that Domenech was hired by the engineer García when the former was working on the interiors of the old Government Palace (now the Museum of the Royal Houses) in the early 20th century.
In the 1990s, the house served as the headquarters for several Dominican government institutions. Its interior has been remodeled several times; however, thanks to the good faith of its tenants, its exterior retains its historic appearance.
As is always the case with national heritage sites, the record of data and information about the property is meager or nonexistent. The preceding paragraphs reflect the scant data available on the building located at the corner of Moisés García and Doctor Delgado streets.
Thanks to the interest in preserving a relevant urban symbol like Villa Hena, the prestigious Dominican architect José Enrique Delmonte was in charge of the restoration of the property.
The recovery of the House of Roots required architect Delmonte and his team to undertake an extensive and in-depth search, conducting consultations, interviews, and documenting reliable evidence.
Therefore, it is necessary to investigate each of the properties with heritage value, not only in the city of Santo Domingo, with the aim of preserving their origin and conservation.
Different generations of Dominicans preserve in their memory, whether out of curiosity or pleasure, this legendary way of making art in homes, such as the memory of Villa Hena.
Let's preserve our national heritage. In doing so, we also proudly display our past, a true expression of love for what is ours.
In the field of architecture, the Belgian architect Victor Horta is credited as the founder of this current of modern architecture.
