March 9 marks the birthday of one of the most important Mexican architects worldwide. A pioneer of the Modern Movement in Mexico whose work has transcended geographical limits to be studied by different generations of architects who have rewritten his teaching to make it their own. Every year, this date represents the perfect excuse to rethink Barragan's legacy to architecture not only in Mexico but also in the world, and different projects have been carried out with this intention, awakening the interest of new generations. However, until a few years ago, the record of the architect's work was not very accessible since more than 50% of the projects he built remained anonymous due to the lack of a proper archive of his work.
Two years ago, as part of an initiative of the Barragan Foundation, the launch of the institution's renewed website was announced through its Instagram account. This represented an effort to compile all the information available so far from the Barragan Archive, which enriches the study of his career, opening up the panorama to understand his trajectory and evolution through a clear chronology, from experiments and collaborations, as well as unbuilt or demolished projects. The website compiles these five decades of career where a list of 170 works within and outside the country is presented and is constantly updated as more material is researched and collected.
Today there are 15 projects of different scales that unveil sketches, plans, unpublished or little-known photographs, as well as descriptive memories that talk about the processes. Among these works are some of the most famous, such as the Casa-Estudio, the Casa Gilardi, or the Torres de Satélite. However, it is possible to explore collaborative urban-level projects such as Lomas Verdes, unbuilt projects such as the Fuente en Fraccionamiento de San Francisco, or demolished buildings such as the Casa Aguilar. Whatever your interest, this list will awaken your curiosity and make you question fundamental aspects of Barragan's work. All the material presented is available on the Barragan Foundation's website, where each project is further explored. Keep reading to discover the complete list.
Aguilar House (1928)
"As the first major design by Barragán for an urban villa, this residence for the Aguilar family exemplified his exploration of spatial and formal components in his early architectural works. It was representative of the architect's approach to housing for the wealthy bourgeoisie at that time, particularly his attention to transitions between spaces and his treatment of the study as an independent unit."
Location: 1505 Calle López Cotilla, Colonia Americana, Guadalajara, Jalisco
Cristo House (1929)
"This is the design of a house for Gustavo Cristo, head of the Guadalajara City Council in the late 1920s, which is usually dated to 1929. This residence marks a milestone in the evolution of Barragán's design language, announcing a decisive change in the treatment of outdoor spaces."
Location: 1612 Calle Pedro Moreno, Colonia Americana, Guadalajara, Jalisco
Houses in Avenida Parque México (1936)
"This small building comprises two independent housing units with garages. Representing a milestone in Barragán's exploration of European functionalism, the adjacent family residences feature particularly ingenious and well-articulated design solutions."
Location: 141, 143 Avenida México, Colonia Hipódromo, Ciudad de México.
Luis Barragan's Casa-Estudio (1948)
"The personal residence built by Barragán in 1948 on Francisco Ramirez Street 14 in Mexico City, where he lived and worked until his death, is one of his undisputed masterpieces. The experience of the interior, which simultaneously embraces modernity and tradition in a contemporary interpretation of domestic space, has an emotional component that continues to fascinate."
Location: 14, 12 Calle General Francisco Ramírez, Colonia Ampliación Daniel Garza, Ciudad de México.
Prieto López House (1948-1951)
"One of the first houses built in the Jardines del Pedregal development was a residence designed by Barragán for the young lawyer Eduardo Prieto López and his wife Esther Sánchez Mejorada de Prieto. The design work covered all aspects of the project, from the demarcation of the plot to the interior furniture and key decorative details."
Location: 180 Avenida de las Fuentes, Colonia Jardines del Pedregal, Ciudad de México.
Capuchin Convent (1954–1963)
"Barragán's Chapel at the Convent of the Capuchinas is indisputably recognized as one of his fundamental architectural works. Its prolonged genesis reflects meticulous attention to detail and a slow process of refinement that took more than six years to develop."
Location: 43 Calle Miguel Hidalgo, Colonia Tlalpan Centro, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México.
Gálvez House (1955)
"The house built for the Gálvez family in Chimalistac is located on a rectangular plot of 2,200 square meters, which originally formed part of the orchards that surrounded the old Convent of Carmen. The design places special emphasis on the garden and the walled enclosure between the cobbled street and the house, two open spaces that play an essential role in the way the interior design develops sequentially."
Location: 10 Calle Pimentel, Colonia Chimalista, Ciudad de México.
"Torres de Satélite is a national landmark consisting of five vertical concrete prisms, located at the southern entrance of Ciudad Satélite, one of the first new cities that were developed outside the administrative limits of the Federal District of Mexico City. The monumental work was soon recognized as one of Barragán's major achievements and enjoyed broad international recognition."
Location: Plaza de las Torres, Boulevard Manuel Ávila Camacho, Ciudad Satélite, Naucalpan de Juárez, Estado de México.
Lomas Verdes (1964–1967)
"In 1964, Luis Barragán and Juan Sordo Madaleno were commissioned to develop a master plan for a new town with a projected population of 100,000 inhabitants in an area of 380 hectares on the outskirts of Mexico City. The master plan was completed in 1967, however, the subsequent development - of which there are still parts - did not fully adhere to the original design. The project was published in the magazine Arquitectos de México (1967) and was also presented at the Barragán Retrospective held at the Rufino Tamayo Museum in 1985."
Location: Lomas Verdes, Naucalpan de Juárez, Estado de México.
Cobre de México (1965–1966)
"This landscape design, first published by the Barragan Foundation, is a new entry on the list of Luis Barragan's built works. Its actual design, location, and current state have been evaluated by the Barragan Foundation based on the results of research and site study."
Location: Calle Norte 67 and Avenida Biólogo Maximino Martínez, Colonia Obrero Popular, Ciudad de México.
Cuadra San Cristóbal (1966–1968)
"This is a private property that includes a house, horse stables, and auxiliary facilities, located in Los Clubes, a residential enclave adjacent to Las Arboledas, both of which were developed by Barragán in a formerly rural area in the northeast of Mexico City."
Location: 20 Calle Manantial Oriente, Colonia Los Clubes, Atizapán de Zaragoza, Estado de México.
Fountain in Fraccionamiento de San Francisco (1969)
"The design of a large-scale fountain arose from alternative concepts with one or three round basins fed by central jets of water. It was developed for a new residential neighborhood in the Coyoacán district."
Location: Avenida Melchor Ocampo, Colonia Pedregal de San Francisco, Ciudad de México.
"Casa Gilardi was commissioned by the advertiser Francisco Gilardi to be built on a plot of land in a densely populated area of the capital, south of the Bosque de Chapultepec park and not far from Barragán's own residence."
Location: 82 Calle General Antonio León, Colonia San Miguel Chapultepec, Ciudad de México
Faro del Comercio (1982–1984)
"After the unrealized project Placa Roja, conceived in 1981 for the chemical products manufacturer Cydsa based in Monterrey as part of the Route of Labor monuments series, the office of Barragán + Ferrera was contacted by the Chamber of Commerce of Monterrey (Canaco) to design a work in celebration of its centenary in 1983."
Location: Macroplaza, Monterrey, Nuevo León.
To see the complete list of projects, visit the Barragan Foundation website.
