Walls Within Walls

Rafael Guastavino (1842-1908) was a Spanish architect and engineer who created a fireproof tile arch system that became a staple in New York City, where fires were a significant problem. He immigrated to the United States from Spain with his son, Raphael Jr., in 1881 and rebuilt his career from scratch, creating the Guastavino Fireproof Construction Company. His son carried on his work with the company until it closed in 1962.

His influence on New York architecture is substantial. He designed all or elements of more than 1,000 buildings in New York City, including City Hall Station, Grand Central Terminal, and Carnegie Hall, with each using his patented tile system. Though he developed a plethora of buildings in New York and other major cities, his name faded into obscurity. Today, few people recognize his name or his impact on New York architecture, a fact Sherry plays with by using his architecture as the centralizing force around which her plot develops. Rather than choose well-known artists—the way Dan Brown does in his popular Robert Langdon Mysteries series—she follows a lesser-known artist’s life and brings his name back to light.

Beyond his architecture career, Rafael had a conflicted family life. He married his first wife, Pilar, at 17 years old when she got pregnant with his child, and they had to marry to avoid scandal. Pilar was the adopted daughter of his aunt and uncle, with whom he was living. Pilar left Rafael when she learned of his affair with Paulina, who is believed to be the mother of Rafael, Jr., and with whom he moved to New York City. He ended his career by retiring to North Carolina with his third wife, Francesca; the site of his estate now serves as the conference location for the Disciples of Christ Christian Church.