Luis Barragan House Patio Color Facade - Exterior Walls
Casa Luis Barragan House Patio

The Luis Barragán House and Studio, also called Casa Luis Barragán, is a seminal piece of architecture in Mexico City. The property, designed and lived in by the renowned Mexican architect, was completed in 1948 and serves as both a testament to Barragán’s signature style and a museum dedicated to his life’s work. Owned by the Fundación de Arquitectura Tapatía and the Government of the State of Jalisco, the house and studio offer a unique glimpse into Barragán’s creative process and the principles that informed his work.

Luis Barragan House Technical Information

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

Exterior of Luis Barragan House
View of Casa Barragan from the Street | © Creative Commons
Luis Barragan residence glass wall
Exterior Window | © Forgemind ArchiMedia
Luis Barragan studio water fountain
Patio of the House | © Forgemind ArchiMedia
Colorful walls at Luis Barragan House
The color at Luis Barragan’s House | © Forgemind ArchiMedia
Stairs at Barragan residence
Stairs at Barragan’s House | © Forgemind ArchiMedia
Barragan House Office | © Forgemind ArchiMedia
Mexican architect interior house
Casa Barragan Interior | © Forgemind ArchiMedia

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.

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

Floor Plan of Luis Barragan House and Studio / Luis Barragan
Luis Barragan House Floor Plan | © Fundación de Arquitectura Tapatía Luis Barragán
Floor Plan Luis Barragan House and Studio
Luis Barragan House Level 2 |© Fundación de Arquitectura Tapatía Luis Barragán
Floor Plan Luis Barragan House and Studio
Luis Barragan House Level 3 |© Fundación de Arquitectura Tapatía Luis Barragán

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

  1. Landscapes of Modern Architecture: Wright, Mies, Neutra, Aalto, Barragán by Marc Treib
  2. Barragán: Space and Shadow, Walls and Colour by Danièle Pauly
  3. Luis Barragán: The Quiet Revolution, by Federica Zanco
  4. Luis Barragán: The Complete Works by Raul Rispa