Why did some Latin American architects seek a national style in the early 20th century?

In the early 20th century, some Latin American architects sought a national style as a reaction against the dominance of academic, European-influenced architecture. During the late 19th century, many Latin American capitals were heavily influenced by French Beaux-Arts traditions, resulting in buildings that mirrored European capitals rather than reflecting local history or identity.123

To counter this, architects began searching for a distinct "American" identity through two primary approaches:

• Pre-Columbian Heritage: In Mexico, some architects looked to indigenous roots, attempting to define a style based on pre-Columbian architecture, such as the neo-Aztec revival.1
• Revalorization of the Colonial Past: The search for identity frequently shifted toward the colonial era. Architects adopted Neocolonial and Neo-Baroque styles, often incorporating elements from viceroyal palaces or Hispanic traditions to evoke a shared cultural history while occasionally blending these with modern construction techniques.1

This nationalist movement represented a deliberate effort to move away from the eclectic, random use of Classical elements that characterized the preceding academic period.12