Sunday, December 08, 2024
 
 

Casa de Luis Barragán

casa luis baragán

Luis Barragán (b.1902 - d.1988) is easily the most important and influential architect in Mexican History.  Born in Guadalajara, upon graduation from engineering school, Barragán traveled extensively in Europe, including Spain and France, where he honed his self-taught architectural style. 

Upon returning to México in the late 1920s, Barragán began working in Guadalajara and later relocated to México City circa 1936, where he spent time working on several urban planning projects and later, the Torres de Satelite.

Barragán's architectural style has been referred to as both modern and minimalist, with landscape and natural materials taking a central theme.  Much influence can be derived from Mexican construction, including tall, lightly colored walls found in Mexican pueblos, and the exposed wood-work of Mexican haciendas.  Barragán often referred to himself as a 'landscape architect', as he felt that nature and water should be integrated with living spaces.

Casa Barragán: Constructed in 1948, Luis Barragán's house and studio is representative of his common design influences.  Now a musuem, most of the house is as Barragán lived in it.  Visitors may tour the living areas, design studio an gardin areas.  The house designed to create solitarity and tranquility, away from the urban surroundings.  Light is an important element, and Barragán's makes much use of reflective and light surfaces throughout the house. 

 A devout Catholic, much of the houses artwork is religious in nature.  Visitors can also see Barragán's Pritzker Prize, the highest honor given to any living architect, as well as a Picasso painting, reportedly given to Barragán by the artist himself.

Casa Luis Barragán was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004.


 

Details: Casa Barragán

Where:
General Francisco Ramírez 14
Colonia Ampliación Daniel Garza
México, D.F. 11840
(52) 55 5515-4908 y (52) 55 5272-4945

Cost:
100 pesos per person.

Time Involved:
1 1/2 to 2 hours, plus travel.

Hours Open:
Monday to Friday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, Saturdays 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, or call for appointment.

How to Get There:
Take the Metro linea 7 Constituyentes.  If you are traveling North to reach Constituyentes, when you exit the train, take the cross/under walk under the tracks to the West side and exit the station there.  This will put you on the correct side of the street, along with those exiting the train from the southbound side.  When taking escalators up out of the station, you will see signs reading 'Casa de Barragan'.

Once on street level, you will find yourself on the West side of Avienda Parque Lira.  Walk South on the sidewalk for less than half a block until you find street named Gobierno Luis G Curiel.  Walk west, up the stairs until you reach street level.  You should start seeing signs pointing to Barragan's house.  Continue walking West to the intersection of General (Gral) Francisco Ramirez and turn right, heading North. 

The Barragán house is two doors down on the left (north).  The exterior is gray.  The address actually takes up two street numbers, 12 and 14.  The office will be by #12.



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