Edificio Metalico, San Jose

The Metallic Building (Edificio Metalico), also known as the Metallic School, is a historical building located in San Jose. It was built in 1896 and is situated in front of Morazán Park. This building is the headquarters of the Buenaventura Corrales School, which is one of the oldest primary education institutions in Costa Rica. The Metallic Building is considered one of the most representative buildings of the educational and industrial revolution that took place in the country.

The Metallic Building was inspired by the design of the Eiffel Tower and was made of wrought iron. It was designed and built in Belgium by architect Charles Thirion. The structure was transported to Costa Rica by ship and assembled on-site. The building was declared a relic of national historical and architectural interest on July 29, 1980.

The Metallic Building has a symmetrical composition with three volumes on its main façade and responds to neoclassical canons, which was a frequent historicist trend in Latin America at the time. The central volume coincides with the building for the assembly hall. The building is two stories and spans just over 2400 square meters. It is organized around two patios separated by the central body, and the patios are surrounded by corridors and balconies with richly ornamented railings.

Since its inauguration in 1886, the Metallic Building has functioned as a school and has housed two schools, one for boys and one for girls. Today, three schools merged under the name of Escuela Buenaventura Corrales operate in the Metallic Building. The Metallic Building is an iconic landmark in Costa Rica and a testament to the country's commitment to public education and infrastructure works that project into the future.