Rafael Gustavino

Rafael Guastavino was a Spanish-born building engineer who immigrated to the United States in 1881 and spent the next three decades working in New York City.

Drawing on the traditional Catalan vault, he developed the Guastavino tile system—patented in 1885—which used layers of interlocking terracotta tiles and mortar to create strong, self-supporting arches and vaulted ceilings. His innovation became widely used in major Beaux-Arts landmarks in New York and other cities, leaving a lasting mark on American architecture.