Tag Archives: architecture

December 2023

Mexico’s Rich Architectural Heritage and Present Global Influence

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By Noémie Bourdin-Habert

It’s probable that most foreigners who decided to live full- or part-time in Huatulco had a crush on Mexico’s unique culture. At least, I did. I loved that its rich history and diverse influences have played a crucial role in shaping its art and design, but little did I know when I first set foot in the country that what is shown of it, back in Europe, is only the tip of the iceberg. And one of the things that I fell in love with is Mexico’s modern architecture.

Exploring Mexico for the first time back in 2020 shed a special light on the country’s architectural diversity encompassing various historical periods – and therefore styles.

Delving into Mexico’s history and evolution revealed a vibrant pre-Hispanic architecture, marked by – now disappeared – vivid color schemes, the utilization of stone and wood, along with geometric and clean lines, as well as a deep connection to nature.

Of course it was also deeply influenced by the contrasting colonial style introduced by the Spanish, more visible today than the pre-Hispanic style. The Mediterranean building type gave birth to central courtyards, ornate decorations, and elements such as arches, domes, fountains, and patterned tiles, all while retaining the use of colored facades.

But an unexpected surprise for me was the influence of the modernist and art-deco movements in Mexico in the 20th century. Perhaps because of a desire to break away from the colonial style, modernist architectural trends from the United States and Europe were received with acclaim in Mexico and brought the use of a minimal style, large roof overhangs, clean lines, glass walls, and a strong emphasis on functionality.

The 20th century, marked by two World Wars and the Mexican revolution, was an era of redefining identity for the country. It gave rise to two contrasting movements, one leaning towards internationalization, and the other one towards exploring the roots of Mexico. Eventually, these blended thanks to a forward-looking mindset combined with true pride in pre-Hispanic history. It led to the development of a distinctive Mexican architectural identity that now exerts a significant influence on the global architectural landscape.

All of this is reflected in contemporary Mexican architecture, visually characterized by pure horizontal lines, the use of local and ancestral materials, but above all, by a deep desire to adapt to regional climates and blend into the landscape.

Characteristics of contemporary architecture in Mexico include :
-Integration of Interior and exterior : a focus on maximizing the use of light, climate and landscapes, often achieved through the use of large windows and the creation of shaded areas.

-Simplicity over ornateness : a preference for clean, geometrical lines over the intricate designs of the colonial architecture and the adoption of a minimalist approach, featuring raw materials like wood, marble, or concrete.
-Emphasis on sustainability and nature : contemporary architecture gave center stage to ecological considerations with a strong emphasis on respecting the local environment, using local and durable materials, and connecting with nature.
But Mexicans being Mexicans, cold minimalism quickly evolved into a warm and welcoming minimalism, thanks to the use of wood, touches of colors, and the invitation of nature in.


As of today, Mexico, Brazil, and Chile are the only Latin American countries whose architects have received the prestigious Pritzker Prize (a.k.a. the “Nobel Prize for architecture”). Of these, Mexican architect Luis Barragán, master of the modernist movement, left an indelible mark on the world of architecture.


While the government, through its federal tourism agency FONATUR, initially introduced a colonial architecture in Huatulco in the 1980s, the resort area began promoting Mexico’s unique contemporary architectural movement around 2010. Award-winning architects are making significant contributions to the “look” of Huatulco – here are eight stunning modern projects.


The new school of Un Nuevo Amanecer (A New Dawn, a nonprofit that Works with children with disabilites) was designed by Manuel Cervantes of Manuel Cervantes Estudio, in collaboration with Angel Garcia (2023, http://www.facebook.com/manuelcervantescc/).


The ALMA development – 36 villas and 10 condos – located between Playas Violin and Organo, was designed by José Juan Rivera Río of JJRR/Arquitectura, in collaboration with Modica-Ledezma (2023, http://www.jjrrarquitectura.com/portafolio/alma/).

The Huatulco Convention Center at Chahue Marina was designed by Enrique Norten of Ten Arquitectos (2022, http://www.ten-arquitectos.com/ccchahue).

The Biulú Condos in Tangolunda were designed by María Alicia Gómez Castañares, who runs her own firm just outside Mexico City (2022, https://biulu.mx/). Gómez was a cofounder and designed the Yeé lo Beé Mariposaro (butterfly farm) in Jabalina, just north of Huatulco on Route 200. The Mariposarium is currently closed; Gómez is working on designs for residences on the property.


Montecito Beach Village, developed over the last decade or so, was designed by renowned architect Diego Villaseñor. It lies high above Playa La Bocana, on the eastern península that forms Bahía Conejos (www.dva.com.mx/#/montecito/).


FONATUR, the federal agency that set up Huatulco as a resort, commissioned architect Mario Schjetnan of GDU (Grupo de Diseño Urbano) to build the Museum at the Copalita Eco-Archeological Park (2010, gdu.com.mx/proyecto/parque-eco-arqueologico-copalita).
The Civic Center in Copalita contains a kindergarden and primary school, plus a chapel. It was designed by 128 Arquitectura y Diseno Urbano (2010, https://128asc.com/proyectos).


Despite some misconceptions, Mexico has evolved beyond being viewed as an extension of the United States by upper North Americans or a colony of Europe by Europeans. Instead, it has harnessed its diverse influences to forge a distinct identity rooted in its rich history and vibrant present. Mexico’s design culture is now celebrated globally, with artists, architects, designers, actors, painters, and other creative minds achieving international recognition.

2023, April 2023

Mayan Revivalist Architecture

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By Randy Jackson

One “best book” list I continually return to over the years is National Geographic’s 100 Best Adventure Books. A number of these true adventure epics have held me riveted from cover to cover. One of the books on this list is Incidents of Travel in Yucatan by an American lawyer turned archeologist John Lloyd Stephens (1805-52). The two volumes, published in 1843, contain the classic adventure tales of hardships, endurance, fascinating characters, and life in the Central American jungles of the 1800s. However, the tale’s mark on the world went far beyond a tale of adventure; it introduced a virtually unknown (and lost) civilization to the world, the Mayan civilization.

The Aztec civilization was well established in the historical records as a result of the Spanish Conquest. But right up until the beginning of the 20th century, very little was known of earlier ruins found in Mexico and Central America. The Eurocentric view, held by most scholars of the era, was that the Aztec civilization originated long before the Spanish conquest, with the arrival of some unknown peoples from Asia, Europe, or the Middle East (a foundational belief still held by the Mormon Church). Stephens’ book marked an important turning point away from this view, towards our understanding that the Mesoamerican civilizations originated independently. As a result of this book’s publication, the mystery of and fascination with an unknown civilization, the Maya, exploded in the popular imagination of the early 20th century. One aspect of this interest was the birth of Mayan Revivalist Architecture, which emerged in the 1920s and 1930s.

The Mayan influence on design and architecture came from the illustrations in Stephens’ book, which were made by a British artist, Frederick Catherwood, who accompanied Stephens on his Yucatan adventures. Catherwood’s illustrations not only conjured up romantic images of the discovery of a lost civilization in the jungle, they also inspired new concepts of design in architecture. As an indication of the importance of Catherwood’s illustrations, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of New York called his work in the Yucatan “a landmark of architectural illustration.”

Frank Lloyd Wright and Mayan Revival Architecture

One architect who first incorporated ideas from Mayan design was the famed American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright’s first exposure to Mayan architecture was in connection with some architectural work he did at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. One exhibit Wright would have seen at the fair contained full-scale models of four Mayan structures in the Yucatan, based on Catherwood’s illustrations. One was the Gateway at Labnah, southeast of Uxmal.

Any web searches of Mayan Revivalist Architecture will list a number of buildings designed by Wright. Wright’s renowned contribution to architecture, known as the Prairie School, has elements that can be seen as inspired by the ancient Mayans. Some observable architectural elements common to Wright’s Prairie School designs and extant Mayan ruins are horizontal lines, flat roof construction, use of natural materials, and Mayan motifs.

Later in Wright’s career, he drew most directly on the Mayan Architectural style for some commissions in Southern California. The first of the buildings he designed in this style was the Hollyhock House in Los Angeles (completed in 1922).

Beyond Frank Lloyd Wright, there were other architects whose designs are considered Mayan Revival; to name two, Manuel Amábilis designed the Monumento a la Patria in Mérida and Stiles Oliver Clements designed the Mayan Theatre in Los Angeles.

Of the many buildings designed using the concepts of Mayan Revival architecture, most of them are in the United states. Five alone – four residences (including the Hollyhock House) and the North Hollywood Masonic Lodge – are listed in the Los Angeles Conservancy, which protects historically important buildings in LA.

One building in the Mayan Revivalist style that caught my attention is in Mexico City: The Templo de la Ciudad de México. My attention was first arrested by the architecture, but I was quickly astounded by the fact that it is a Mormon Temple. Astounded because of the irony: this architectural style was chosen in part because of the Mormon belief that the indigenous peoples of the Americas originated from the lost tribes of Israel.

The long-held belief that outside influences established the Mesoamerican civilizations that preceded the Spanish conquest was the very theory discredited by John Lloyd Stephens in his book – the very book that started the Mayan Revivalist Architectural style in the first place. Nevertheless, the Templo de la Ciudad de Mexico is a beautiful building. There are many other impressive buildings designed under the influence of Mayan Revival architecture. They are well worth some of your Google time.

Email: box95jackson@gmail.com

2023, April 2023

Developing New Private Coastal Residential Communities

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By Marcia Chaiken and Jan Chaiken

We have been watching with fascination the construction of one of the new private residential communities in Huatulco. The fence that divides this new property from our Huatulco winter rental condo is only a few feet from one of the swimming pools where we exercise for a least an hour almost every day. And the newest triplex building being constructed is just a few feet away on the other side of the fence. For several years, we’ve experienced the clearing and pounding first carried out to prepare the land before building, then the constant drone of digging and cement mixing for foundations. And currently, hammering starting early in the morning and often continuing until sundown as walls rose up around the property. We watch with awe as workmen perch precariously on the partly constructed building, spend hours bending metal rebar by hand into infrastructure, line up and toss bricks man-to-man to positions readied for laying, and build wooden sections higher and higher from the ground. We’re always impressed with the appearance of the giant concrete extruder that looks and sounds like a mechanical Tyrannosaurus rex but is obviously tamed since workmen guide the mouth to the perfect place where the beast spits just the right amount of concrete to reinforce the structure.

How Does It All Get Done? Let’s Ask Greg Glassman

Although for several years we’ve experienced this ongoing construction, we realized we had little understanding of how this development and other new private residential properties come into being. So asked one of the primary people involved in developing the next-door property, Greg Glassman, who with his partner, Engineer Fernando Gonzales, founded their construction company, PROH (pronounced “Pro”) in 2016. PROH is responsible for the ongoing development of the new community named “Amanecer” (dawn/sunrise) designed by Architect Jorge Herrera. Our outreach to Greg was hardly a “cold call.” We’ve known Greg and his wife Courtney even before they moved here from California in 2005 to start their real estate company, Resort Real Estate (now in the capable hands of Valerie Verhalen and Arianna Rollo).

Greg, who was born in Los Angeles, raised in Agoura Hills, attended college in Boulder, Colorado, and earned a BA degree from the University of California, San Diego, first came to Huatulco in 1997. At that time his father was building his dream retirement home in Conejos – it was Greg’s first taste of coastal construction. When we first arrived in Huatulco in 2001, the Glassmans were already entrenched in the community and provided a warm welcome to us, as we were among the few Americans who had also discovered paradise.

In additional to Amanecer, Greg was also instrumental in building the private residential community Montecito (near La Bocana) and also a third development called the Cove at Reco that is in its beginning stages in Tangolunda. When we asked Greg for a basic tutorial on community development, he graciously agreed to answer our very fundamental questions, realizing that we and many The Eye readers had no knowledge of what is entailed.

Development Is Collaborative

Greg made very clear his involvement in Huatulco development has been through collaborative endeavors involving realtors, investors, architects, the construction company, and subcontractors including carpenters, electricians, and plumbers. The very idea of private residential communities in Huatulco arose from realtors whose clients asked about the availability of that type of living arrangement in Huatulco. Although there were a growing number of private gated condo associations and residential areas with private homes in publicly accessible areas, unlike in the U.S. there were no gated developments of private homes here, much less with ocean views.

The idea of developing such a community appealed to a developer with whom Greg had a relatively long association. Together, Greg, that developer, and architect Diego Villaseñor developed the conceptual design, which is basically an artistic concept rather than a specific design. As in the development of other conceptual designs, the team, using graphic “mood boards” discussed and identified the characteristics of potential residents, including income level, whether they are likely to be permanent or part-time residents, the life-style that would be most appealing to them and the impact on the larger community. The graphics of possible lay-outs for the proposed community used simple circles to demarcate homes and other buildings. The concept that emerged in this case was to develop a luxury community for affluent clients who desired a unique living experience by the sea. The concept ultimately was translated into Montecito (little mountain), the “private and exclusive” gated community of large villas above La Bocana. “Montecito” echoes the name of an exclusive community near Santa Barbara, California, currently home to Prince Harry and other notables.

Site Selection

Greg said that in general when developing private residential communities, his site selection criteria include an accessible location with good existing infrastructure such as electricity and water, a size sufficient for multiple homes, a site that faces east or south to provide ideal sunlight conditions, and an ocean view that provides an interesting perspective such as lights across a bay or other natural features, rather than just endless water. He also seeks topography that allows for creative design, and likely prevents any other structure being built that would block the view. FONATUR (Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo), the government agency that controls development in Huatulco, constrains site selection with its zoning and its schedule for when to release particular sites. After the collaborating team viewed a relatively large tract of land in the area of La Bocana that Fonatur was willing to sell, they agreed that the site met their criteria.

Design – Conceptual and Schematic

Although, according to Greg, it is usually best to have a conceptional design before selecting a site, sometimes an appealing tract of land becomes suddenly available, and a decision is made to purchase it before the conceptual design is finalized. The development of a conceptual design is more philosophical and artistic than nuts-and-bolts. The team develops overall concepts such as what the “pillars” and what the “soul” of the community will be. Informed by these concepts and of course considering the terrain of the site, the architect can begin formulating the layout of the community, indicating structures with circles rather than specific designs.

The next step is referred to as schematic design. The team, especially the architect, turn their attention to all the details of the homes, common areas, and circulation to be constructed. The process is not only art, but engineering as well. In Huatulco and other coastal areas developed by FONATUR, all designs must be reviewed by the agency to make sure that regulations established by FONATUR, including distance from the ocean and elevations, are in compliance. And all construction and engineering plans and documents must be reviewed by an independent agent who reports to the municipality. In addition, as north of the border, an environmental impact study (called MIA) must be submitted to and approved by SEMARNAT (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, the oversight department in the Federal government) – a practice initially ignored in the early years of construction in coastal Oaxaca but now a regular procedure.

Construction

Once all government documents are signed, sealed and delivered, the actual construction process that neighbors can watch begins. The workmen whom we’ve watched with fascination preparing the land and building the triplex homes in Amanecer are a mix of construction teams either employed full time or subcontracted by PROH.

While some full-time construction workers live locally and go home at night, a substantial number are from relatively distant areas, including out-of-state residents, and live on the construction site. To serve their needs, PROH is responsible for providing shelter and dining facilities. And of course, the construction company is responsible for the purchase and delivery of all construction materials.The ongoing day by day supervision of the construction process is provided by one or more employees at the management level who are on site whenever work is being performed.

After construction is complete, the finishing touches of homes are left up to individual clients. However, because Huatulco has limited businesses providing furniture and other materials for creating a home from an empty house, PROH, in concert with an interior design team, provides furniture packages and other services, so that after taking possession of a unit in a new private residential community, the owner can simply walk into a fully-furnished and stocked home, relax and enjoy the view.

When asked when his job is done and he can walk away from one of the communities he’s involved in developing, Greg laughed and explained; “Building of the last Villas at Montecito is still in process, Amanecer just broke ground on 2 new buildings and the Cove at Reco has 17 new homes in the pipeline. The future of Huatulco is bright, I love what I do and don’t see myself walking away anytime soon.” We however will not be sorry to see the PROH workmen depart from constructing the building adjacent to our pool viewing area – knowing that they will be gainfully employed drilling, hammering, and tossing bricks at another developing private residential community.

2023, April 2023

The Diverse Faces of Mexico City: Architectural Gems

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By Carole Reedy

Perhaps Mexico City’s greatest gift to tourists is diversity, represented in its people, food, culture, and architecture. No matter how often one visits, each trip presents an unexpected joy, whether it is a new restaurant, art exhibit, or a chance to delve into the architectural face of the city.

Here are some buildings for exploration during your next visit. For those of us who live here, as well as for visitors, a stroll through the various colonias (neighborhoods) of the city can offer hours of discovery into new worlds through architecture. A sampling of popular buildings that you may have overlooked, as well as some hidden gems, follows.

Diegos Rivera’s Museo Anahuacalli
Museo 150, San Pablo de Tepetlapa Coyoacán

After 13 years of living in Mexico’s multifaceted capital and many previous years of visits, I finally took advantage one Sunday afternoon to explore this highly respected museum.

You may think, as I did, of Diego Rivera as Mexico’s finest artist and muralist, but this misconception proves the short-sightedness of our vision. He has proven to be a distinguished architect in addition to his artistic aesthetic. In 1945, Rivera visualized and began building this unique museum and art center to house his personal collection. He collaborated with the Mexican architect Juan O’ Gorman. Unfortunately, the project depleted Rivera’s finances, and was not finished until 1964. Rivera had died in 1957, but O’Gorman worked with other Mexican architects, including Heriberto Pegalson and Rivera’s daughter Ruth, to complete the main exhibition building and four secondary structures by 1964.

The name Anahuacalli is Nahuatl for “house surrounded by water.” The museum is made of lava rock produced from the eruption of Xitle in the southern part of Mexico City around 245-315 AD. It houses Diego Rivera’s collection and obsession: Pre-Columbian art and artifacts. There are over 2000 pieces of his collection (of almost 40,000) on permanent display in the museum. His first wife claimed that Diego was always exploring, always with his eyes on the ground in order to discover new finds.

On the second floor of the museum, 16 sketches of his famous murals are on display. In addition, the entire property is dedicated to artistic and cultural pursuits, such as a dance studio, a library, workshops, and lots of space for ecological enjoyment. The Museo Anahuacalli was expanded in 2021 with the addition of three new spaces – a central storage facility for museum holdings and two additional multipurpose buildings designed by modernist architecture firm Taller Mauricio Rocha.

The Museums of Chapultepec Park
Paseo de la Reforma

Chapultepec Park, a work of art itself, is not just a relaxing and enjoyable place to spend a day; it is filled with culture provided by the several museums that are scattered along Reforma Avenue.

Museo de Antropología: Perhaps the most popular cultural center in Mexico, the museum is divided into 22 salas, each with concentration on the different eras of culture, such as that of Oaxaca, the Aztecs, the Maya, Toltecs, etc. You need days to see the entire museum, so don’t make the mistake of trying to do it in one afternoon. I suggest doing one section at a time!

The large fountain in the entrance adds a relaxing background to the busy environment inside each area.

Museo del Arte Moderno: This is one of my favorite museums in the city. There are only four main rooms for exhibitions, but they provide ample space for viewing. A sculpture garden behind the museum provides a relaxing rest area. Some of the best exhibitions in the world have been housed here.

Museo Tamayo: Recent renovations and a variety of contemporary art make this a must on everyone’s list. Artist Rufino Tamayo, the museum’s founder (along with Diego Rivera, José Orozco, and David Siqueiros), brought the 20th-century muralist movement to the art world’s attention. Tamayo’s distinct pre-Hispanic style is evident in all his works.

The museum houses exhibitions of varying styles as well as Tamayo’s own works.

The famous Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama had an exhibition here several years ago that stunned the city. The museum kept its doors open 24 hours a day the last few weeks of the show due to the increasing demand for tickets. The only other occurrence of such an insatiable ticket demand was for a Pablo Picasso exhibition at the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes.

Castillo de Chapultepec: Chapultepec Castle overlooks the entire city, nestled atop the park in all its glory. The castle’s history starts in 1530 when Charles I of Spain began appropriating the properties from the Aztecs.

Over the past 500 years, various changes have taken place, but one of the most memorable is during the 19th century when the Emperor Maximillian and his wife Carlotta lived in the castle for his short reign (1863-1867) until Mexicans, tired of foreign interference, executed the monarch. You can view the many rooms Maximillian and Carlotta occupied and used for daily living. In the past, the castle also has been a military academy and a presidential home.

The Castle also hosts lovely gardens and the National Museum of History (the latter since 1941), offering visitors the opportunity to reflect on Mexico’s often violent, yet ever-changing, history.

You will want to have your camera ready, not just for the beauty of the castle but for the panoramic views of the entire city, as well as the statues of the Niños Heroes. And don’t miss the stained glass windows of the goddesses on the second floor of the garden area.

Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes
Centro Histórico, Avenidas Juárez and Lázaro Cárdenas

I can’t pass up an opportunity to mention my favorite building in the city, and perhaps the world. No matter the number of times I have visited this architectural wonder, my heart literally skips a beat each time I stroll down Avenida Juárez from Paseo de la Reforma to see the Art Nouveau and Neoclassical exterior in its majestic glory at the end of the Alameda (centro historico’s famous park).

The building itself is made of Italian marble. Construction started in 1904 but was delayed due to the Mexican Revolution of 1910, as well as social and economic problems. It was completed in the 1930s.

The Art Deco interior houses murals by Mexican artists Diego Rivera, Jose Orozco, and David Siqueiros. Yearly, many temporary art exhibits occupy the four stories. There is an architecture museum on the top floor.

Concerts and operas are staged in the lovely main theater, as well as in intimate side salas. As in the city as a whole, prices for the entertainment are reasonable and affordable, even in these days of inflation. All museums in the city offer free admission to everyone on Sundays.

Mitikah Mall
Rio Churubusco 601, Xoco

The complex, created by Pelli Clarke & Partners, a U.S. firm that works internationally, contains the tallest building in Mexico City, a brand-new skyscraper that tops off at 267 meters (about 875 feet). It was inaugurated in September of 2022. Residents of the building will enjoy the spa and pool, area for children and entertainment, as well as ample parking facilities.

The commercial complex, with its five levels of popular shops, is built “to create a sense of connection, linking diverse spaces where people can gather to socialize, be entertained, relax, and enjoy a variety of cuisine. Guided by Mexico’s lively color palette, and visual themes from indigenous architectural and textile traditions, we wove color and form with function to create pedestrian-friendly plazas and avenues, joining commercial-retail spaces to residential and office towers. Patterns and colors inspired by Aztec culture appear and reappear, flowing along concrete walkways and retail facades.”

The center itself has suffered a backlash from local residents. They have cited, beyond traffic-flow problems, the extreme usage of water for a building complex of such proportion.

If you are not too tired after a visit to the center and a bit of shopping, you easily can make your way to the charming Centro of neighboring Coyoacán.

Museo Soumaya
Telcel Plaza Carso
Polanco/Granada

One can’t discuss the architecture of the buildings in CDMX (Ciudad of Mexico: the city is no longer referred to as DF or Distrito Federal) without a mention of the spectacular Museo Soumaya in Plaza Carso. It was created and funded by by Carlos Slim Helú, astute businessman of Mexico City and owner of communications companies Telmex and Telcel. The purpose of the museum is to share the collection of the Carlos Slim Foundation. It is a homage to his late wife Soumaya Domit, who died in 1999. The doors to the museum opened in March 2011. (The original Museo Soumaya is located in Plaza Loreto, opened in 1994, has five permanent and two temporary galleries, and frequently collaborates with Museo Soumaya in Plaza Carso. The museum shares Plaza Loreto with a shopping center located in a restored historic site, some of which dates to the 16th century, and is worth a visit in itself.)

Mexican architect Fernando Romero, Slim’s son-in-law, designed Museo Soumaya in Plaza Carso. The building’s six stories are connected with a unique spiral staircase. The exterior, which is covered by 16,000 aluminum hexagons covering 17,000 square meters, is unique to the city.

Inside you will find art to suit your taste. From Dalí to Van Gogh and Monet to Rodin, the museum contains art from many centuries and countries, with an emphasis on Art from Europe and the Americas. The Chinese ivory collection, however, is one of the areas that stands out in my memory.

The museum is open 365 days of the year and is free to everyone, every day. We are thankful to Slim and his Foundation for this generous gift to the city and the world.

This has been just a smattering of the hundreds of architectural wonders of this most famous megalopolis. Enjoy the entire city over several visits; we have almost perfect weather conditions all year long!

2023, April 2023

Mexico’s Lost Hope for Sustainable, Low-Income Housing

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By Kary Vannice

In 2018, the National Institute of Housing for Workers of Mexico (Instituto del Fondo Nacional de la Vivienda para los Trabajadores, known as INFONAVIT) contracted 32 architects and architecture studios to innovate sustainable, low-cost home designs capable of improving the quality of housing and the living conditions of low-income workers throughout Mexico.

INFONAVIT and Sustainable Housing

Although never officially stated, some say this was in response to the devastating earthquakes in 2017 that did extensive damage in Mexico City, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. It is speculated that INFONAVIT was searching for a better, safer, more sustainable way to house low-income families. The idea was to investigate several different designs to find the perfect combination of safety, economy, and sustainability to take into the future.

The Housing Research and Practical Experimentation Laboratory

The remarkable thing about these contracts was that INFONAVIT set aside a large plot of land in the city of Apan in the state of Hidalgo to create the Housing Research and Practical Experimentation Laboratory where they could test and showcase the designs. It became an experimental community where each of the 32 structures was built, evaluated, and validated to be integrated into INFONAVIT’s nationwide housing development plan. All 32 modern, pioneering designs were built side-by-side to perfection, complete with sustainable furnishings also commissioned from top Mexican design firms, essentially creating a sustainable architect’s version of Disneyland.

Each design had to reflect modern social housing and promote a better quality of life for its inhabitants. The objective was to use sustainable

construction materials while also incorporating rainwater harvesting techniques, black and grey water treatment, and renewable energy sources. In addition, designers were tasked to use endemic vegetation surrounding the home and include a community garden, all while keeping the cost at or around the same as INFONAVIT’s traditional low-income housing.

Each architect was asked to use the above principles to create a suitable residence for one of the nine climatic zones found in Mexico. The result would then yield several designs that could be implemented in each area of the country. So, while some architects focused on building materials that withstand climates with high humidity, others drafted designs that combat intense heat and considerable temperature swings like those found in desert environments.

Designers also had to consider that homeowners would eventually need to make home repairs, so local, low-cost, easy-to-source materials were a must. And each model home also had to hold the potential for growth, either by simple repetition of the design or by strategies of extension or addition.

All of these criteria made for a wide range of designs that, after they were constructed, could be visited and toured within the experimental village. Visitors to the site could walk through homes and look up at the brick barrel-vaulted ceilings, touch the silky finish of clay brick walls, and even sit comfortably in the sustainably designed furniture commissioned as part of the project.

The design studio Esrawe Studio was contracted to develop sustainable, low-cost, easy-to-make furniture to decorate the houses. Esrawe Studio produced several collections to match the aesthetic of the home’s design. One collection was made from simple solid wood frames using natural fabrics woven to create platforms for mattresses and seating areas for chairs and couches. A second collection used tubular metallic frames and wooden plywood surfaces for a “clean line” look to match the surrounding architecture.

Each home also featured the architect’s blueprints on the walls of the show home, so visitors could see their original vision and read about the different building materials and techniques used in the construction.

The Demise of the Laboratory

The Housing Research and Practical Experimentation Laboratory was revolutionary in 2018 and it was implemented beautifully. The 32 residences were built alongside a welcome center that provided a permanent display of low-cost housing possibilities throughout Mexico. Sadly, however, it’s no longer possible to visit the site. Despite the initial good intentions and promise for a safer, more sustainable future, the initiative has been completely abandoned only four years after its inauguration.

By February 2023, INFONAVIT Director General Carlos Martínez Velásquez determined that, at this point, a total rehabilitation of the Housing Laboratory would be required to continue the project. Martínez Velásquez’s attention has been refocused on improving credit for low-income people to purchase INFONAVIT apartments.

Even more sadly, it seems that none of the 32 designs were ever implemented by the housing commission, and only a few architects have made their original designs available to the public. So, despite the good intentions, considerable resources and future promises the Housing Laboratory was founded on, it now simply serves as a run-down reminder of how quickly government officials can forget the suffering of others, at least until the next major earthquake or natural disaster. INFONAVIT’s current solution is to donate all the prototype houses, as well as the infrastructure and land that support the housing, to a local organization that works to protect women and children who have been subjected to domestic violence.

April 2023

The Mexican Houses of Luis Barragán

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By Deborah Van Hoewyk

At any given point in its 5,000-year history, Mexican architecture represents a chronicle of cultural change. From ancient Mesoamerican ruins and Spanish colonial buildings, followed by Spanish and French styles (mostly reflections of European Baroque and Neoclassical), through a series of modernist/brutalist approaches that work to incorporate Mexican themes and traditions, Mexican architecture has reflected external influences and tried to integrate them with native themes. These styles are all represented by well-known public buildings, many in Mexico City – think the Metropolitan Cathedral (1813), the Palacio de Bellas Artes (1934), the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadeloupe (1976), and the Museo Soumaya in Plaza Carso (2011).

Mexican Modernity, Mexican Houses

It is the Mexican house, however, that created a true Mexican modernism that synthesizes international modernist influences with Mexican architectural traditions. And the architect (and engineer) who accomplished this synthesis was Luis Ramiro Barragán Morfín (1902-88), largely through the houses he designed in the 1950s and 1960s. Barragán is the only Mexican to have won the prestigious Pritzker Prize, often referred to as the “Nobel prize of architecture.”

Born in Guadalajara, Barragán graduated from the Escuela Libre de Ingenieros de Guadalajara in 1923. He would complete coursework elsewhere that qualified him as an architect as well. Two years later, and again in 1931, he toured western Europe, where his observations led him to see landscape as integral to architecture. He also met modernist European architects, saliently Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, the Swiss-French architect known as Le Corbusier, from whom Barragán learned to appreciate clean, simple lines; open, sculptural spaces; deftly handled color and light; and gradually, a softening of the mechanical relationship between the architecture and its purpose.

According to Andrés Casillas, who worked with Barragán, the “rules” of the Modernist movement had a functionalist tendency to make the house “a machine for living,” and Barragán had moved on to a more “emotional architecture.” Barragán claimed that “any work of architecture which does not express serenity is a mistake.” Furthermore, Barragán felt that “In alarming proportions, the following words have disappeared from architectural publications: beauty, inspiration, magic, sorcery, enchantment, and also serenity, mystery, silence, privacy, astonishment. All of these have found a loving home in my soul.”

The Houses of Barragán’s Soul

Barragán is usually referred to as a modernist, and his buildings do use clean lines and raw, natural, and simple materials. What sets his houses apart, however, is the use of color and light, along with a surprising use of space – both interior and exterior – to create a flowing, connected, or self-contained spatial composition.

Casa-Jardin Ortega, Tacubaya, CDMX, 1942: Tacubaya is an old working-class neighborhood in CDMX; Barragán bought several lots there and built this house as his own. He lived there from 1942 to 1947, when he sold the house to a silversmith named Alfredo Ortega to raise money for another landscape project. Barragán started with the jardin (garden) part with a wandering multi-level garden, but the casa (house) gradually emerged in the form of a large, T-shaped house. While little-visited today, the Casa-Jardin Ortega is considered the first of Barragán’s mature works, and a primary example of his ideas about uniting the setting with the house. About Casa-Jardin Ortega, Barragán said, “In 1941, I created my first garden in Mexico City. I acquired a piece of land with various slopes, complemented and leveled various platforms to create a garden in compartments, recalling the beauty of the patios and gardens of the Alhambra and the Generalife [palaces Barragán had visited in Granada, Spain].”

Casa-Estudio Luis Barragán, Tacubaya, CDMX, 1948: Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, Barragán’s studio is considered a remarkable regional adaptation of the international modern movement in architecture, achieved through Barragán’s integration of modernist design with traditional Mexican vernacular architecture. The casa-estudio has three stories and a private garden.

According to UNESCO, the house and studio “represent a masterpiece of the new developments in the Modern Movement, integrating traditional, philosophical and artistic currents into a new synthesis.” Of specific importance are “the profound dialogue between light and constructed space and the way in which colour is substantial to form and materials.”

Cuadra San Cristóbal, Egerstrom House in the Los Clubes subdivision northeast of CDMX, 1968: Accomplished in collaboration with his colleague Andrés Casillas, Cuadra San Cristóbal is perhaps Barragán’s best-known work. Formerly rural agricultural land, Los Clubes offered the architects the opportunity to echo the ranches the subdivision replaced. Cuadra San Cristóbal features a huge swimming pool (sometimes used to cool the horses), an architecturally integrated fountain (Fuente de las Amantes, or Lover’s Fountain), stables, gardens, plus a large house defined by a typical Barragán palette of pinks, purples, other bright accent colors grounded with earth-toned elements.

Casa Gilardi, San Miguel Chapultepec, CDMX, 1977: Casa Gilardi is Barragán’s last house, designed as a “bachelor pad” for two friends who ran an advertising agency; it is now occupied by the family of one of the friends. The commission had two requirements. First, the house had to surround an old jacaranda tree in the center of the lot, and second, there had to be a large indoor pool. In somewhat of a departure from his other houses, Casa Gilardi works to preserve the privacy of its residents, rather than allowing spaces to flow together; on the other hand, Casa Gilardi may be the epitome of Barragán’s use of color to define the architecture.