Architect: Luis Barragán.
Location: Mexico City, Mexico.
Year: 1948.
Photographs: Barragán Foundation.

Luis Barragan is known for his emphasis on colour, light, shadow, form and texture, and the former residence of Pritzker Prize winner Luis Barragan encompasses all of his trademarks. The most prominent aspects of the design are the use of flat planes and light, both natural and artificial, which allow for visual tracking of light throughout the day. The main room is lit and decorated with simply a chair and a table, and the double-height space of the main room is separated only by lower partition walls. On the roof, a window is accentuated by the use of wooden girders. The play of privacy and visibility is seen throughout the front and back halves of the house, with high windows, letting light in but maintaining privacy, and large windows opening up the back to the garden.

Luis Barragan created Casa Barragan with a fascination for animals and symbols, creating a mythical and spiritual architecture. He found many of his furnishings at craft markets and antique shops and chose bold pink, yellow and lilac colours. The minimalist style gives reason to the significance of detail, and the purist of stairs leads visitors through the other stories of the house. The house became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004.