Carlos Thays

Carlos Thays (August 20, 1849 – January 31, 1934) was a French-Argentine landscape architect, and a student of French landscape architect Édouard André.

Biography

Born Jules Charles Thays in Paris, France in 1849, Carlos Thays arrived in Argentina in 1889, after he was recommended by Jean Alphand to Argentine pioneer Miguel Crisol, who contracted Thays to design Sarmiento Park in Córdoba. During his time in Córdoba Thays became infatuated with the young country and decided to spend the rest of his life in Argentina. After moving to Buenos Aires he was named the city's Director of Parks & Walkways in 1891. This position gave him significant influence over the design of the city's open spaces, and his legacy is still strongly felt in the city's open spaces today.

Major projects included tree planting along streets, remodeling and designing public plazas and walkways as well as designing completely new parks and expanding older ones. Major parks and plazas that particularly show Thays influence on Buenos Aires include the parks Centenario, Lezama, Patricios, Barrancas de Belgrano and the plazas Constitución, Congreso, and Mayo. Thays' French heritage is reflected in many of his designs, in so far that Buenos Aires' parks and plazas are often compared to similar designs in Paris.