“This profession represents a meaning in life for me,” sums up 26-year-old career Domingo Antonio Alás Rosell, who recently received the 2026 National Life and Work Award by the Architecture Society of the Union of Architects and Engineers of Cuba.
"Father" of important buildings, he confesses that he did not intend to follow this path; being a physicist was what really stole his heart. However, “later, I discovered that my career could also be a way to fulfill my dream, and an example of this is our Casa Insólita (Unusual House). Likewise, the José Martí Plaza and the Caimito de Hanábana Memorial have to do with the kinematics of the movement of the sun and shadow.”
He says that he has been nominated for the award since last year, which has now happily come to fruition. “I am very happy. It is something important for any professional in our field; it is given to people with extensive experience. Obtaining this recognition is not easy because there are colleagues in Cuba with remarkable qualities. Architecture has undoubtedly brought me great joy,” he says.
The well-known Architect of the Sun (or of Light, as he prefers) began his career in construction in 1971 and has always been, in some way, linked to that field. Even in teaching, a job he has held, for example, at the University of Oriente. Subjects such as Prefabrication, Construction Techniques, and others have benefited from his wealth of knowledge.
It is therefore not surprising that his impressive list of achievements includes several garlands: replicas of the mambises machetes of Vicente García and Máximo Gómez; medals such as the Hazaña Laboral, “Armando Mestre,” “Jesús Menéndez,” Por la Producción y Defensa... But it is contributing to his homeland, he says, that is the greatest reward.
"I fondly remember the construction and inauguration of the Plaza Martiana, in which I put all my effort and rigor, as well as all the mathematics, astronomy, and history I had learned, to achieve a space where the sun, together with Martí, were the protagonists. I also feel this way about the Plaza de la Revolución Mayor General Vicente García, which I designed, among many others.
“Another happy moment was when a group of my former students invited me to their 40th anniversary celebration. They recognized me there; it was nice. I am also excited about the revival of the Parish of San Jerónimo, a project I completed in 2021. It had been halted due to certain circumstances, but it took off with great force in 2025,” he says.
Domingo is grateful for his 74 years of life and more than four decades dedicated to construction and architecture. With several projects still waiting to be realized and creations that bear his mark in different places, from provinces such as Havana, Matanzas, and Mayabeque to other countries, this architect never stops dreaming. Investor, tutor, consultant, and even advisor to ministers in Grenada and Timor, these are some of the accomplishments of this ten-time recipient of the National Culture and Vanguard Award in the construction sector.
“My entire career, despite the obstacles, has been a happy one. I have only tried to improve architecture and urban planning. I am willing to continue working for Las Tunas and my country,” concludes this avid lover of watches and solar calendars.
