The Luis Barragán House and Studio, also known as Casa Luis Barragán, is a seminal work of architecture in Mexico City. Designed and inhabited by the renowned Mexican architect, the property was completed in 1948 and exemplifies Barragán’s distinctive style. Now a museum dedicated to his life’s work, it is owned by the Fundación de Arquitectura Tapatía and the Government of the State of Jalisco. It offers a unique glimpse into Barragán’s creative process and the principles that shaped his designs.
Luis Barragan House Technical Information
- Architects: Luis Barragan | Biography & Bibliography
- Location: Miguel Hidalgo district, Mexico City, Mexico
- Topics: Color in Architecture, Plastered Concrete, Mexican Houses, Unesco
- Typology: Residential Architecture / House
- Scale: 2 stories
- Project Year: 1948
- Drawings: © Fundación de Arquitectura Tapatía Luis Barragan
- Photographs: © Forgemind ArchiMedia, © Roberto Ortiz de Landazuri, © Creative Commons
All architecture, which does not express serenity, fails in its spiritual mission. Thus, it has been a mistake to abandon the shelter of walls for the inclemency of large areas of glass.
– Luis Barragan1
Casa Luis Barragan Photographs
The History of the Luis Barragán Residence
Located in the west of Mexico City, the residence was built in 1948 after World War II. It represents one of the most internationally transcendent works of contemporary architecture and reflects Barragán’s design style during this period.
The house remained his residence until he died in 1988. In 1994, it was converted into a museum, run by Barragán’s home state of Jalisco and the Arquitectura Tapatía Luis Barragán Foundation. In 2004, it was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Luis Barragan House is a master piece in the development of the modern movement that merges traditional and vernacular elements, as well as diverse philosophical and artistic currents throughout time, into a new synthesis.
Architectural Philosophy and Context
The Luis Barragán House represents a pivotal moment in the modern movement, where traditional and vernacular elements are harmoniously integrated with diverse philosophical and artistic influences. This synthesis is a hallmark of Barragán’s approach, blending the old with the new to create something timeless.
The house and adjacent workshop occupy two lots at numbers 12 and 14 on General Francisco Ramírez Street in the Daniel Garza neighborhood of Mexico City. The two façades merge into a single, cohesive unit facing southeast, subtly integrating into the surrounding urban fabric.
Barragán’s choice to build his residence on a small street in the historic Tacubaya working-class neighborhood is a profound statement. Despite the pressures of urban development, this neighborhood has managed to retain its unique character, defined by modest, small-scale houses, known as vecindades—a traditional housing typology in Mexico City. Workshops, grocery stores, construction material vendors, and small local eateries further enrich the house’s context.
Casa Luis Barragán Design Details and Legacy
The main façade of the house is aligned with the street and mirrors the unassuming appearance of the neighboring buildings. Carefully considered openings punctuate its massive form. The façade’s austere, almost unfinished expression allows it to blend into the surroundings, though its scale subtly sets it apart from the other buildings.
The house quietly declares itself as the dwelling of an artist. Its intentionally modest and almost anonymous materials speak to a reflective and intimate nature. The most prominent feature of the façade is a translucent, reticulated library window that projects slightly from the plane. The rest of the exterior maintains the plastered concrete’sural color and roughness of th only the doors and window ironwork painted in understated hues.
Amidst this sobriety, a splash of color appears at the upper left corner of the façade, where two planes meet in a corner—one painted yellow, the other orange. The white tower, serving as a water deposit, rises vertically, crowning the house’s silhouette against the sky.
This architectural gesture, embodied in the water tower, is echoed in the neighboring building at Francisco Ramírez 20. The house on this adjacent lot shares the same silhouette and central window projection as Barragán’s house. This proximity and the continuity between the two works offer a unique insight into Barragán’s creative process, marking an embryonic stage of a project that would evolve on the neighboring lots. The close relationship between these two structures represents a rare and significant chapter in the history of modern architecture.
The north door of the residence, marked with the number 12, was Barragán’s workshop throughout his life. It can be distinguished by the simplicity and precision of the façade’s silhouette—a testament to the architect’s enduring legacy.
Casa Luis Barragan Floor Plan
Luis Barragan House and Studio Gallery
About Luis Barragan
Luis Ramiro Barragán Morfín (1902 – 1988) was a Mexican architect and one of the most influential figures in 20th-century Mexican architecture. He was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, 1902 and studied architecture in Mexico City. Barragán is best known for his innovative use of color, light, and geometry in his designs, as well as his integration of nature into his architectural spaces. He was also a pioneer in the field of landscape architecture and is recognized for his contributions to the development of modern architecture in Mexico. His works, including Casa Gilardi and Casa Pedregal, are considered masterpieces and are celebrated for their originality and timelessness. His work is often quoted in reference to minimalist architecture despite the use of color due to the architectural ideas of forms and spaces that Barragán pioneered. Barragán’s influence can be seen in many of Mexico’s contemporary architects, especially in Ricardo Legorreta’s projects.
Full Biography | Works from Luis Barragan
- Landscapes of Modern Architecture: Wright, Mies, Neutra, Aalto, Barragán by Marc Treib
- Barragán: Space and Shadow, Walls and Colour by Danièle Pauly
- Luis Barragán: The Quiet Revolution, by Federica Zanco
- Luis Barragán: The Complete Works by Raul Rispa
Hi,
For the 4 grid marks under each drawings, how long is grid in real scale ?
It should be 1 meter per mark.
I just wanted to know what scale the plans are in
Hi Sammy,
For images on the screen, you can use a graphical scale (take into account the beds are 2 meters long)