Louis Barragan 1902-1988
Luis Barragan was a prominent Mexican architect acclaimed for his poetic architectural style, resulting in him winning the Pritzker Prize in 1980. He transformed the International Style by fusing it will Mexican architecture through the use of vivid colours, textures, light and a harmonious connection to the landscape. He was particularly skilled in the manipulation of light and water, his favourite themes, around which many of his projects are composed.
Despite being known as an architect he was a professionally trained engineer and all of his architectural skills were self-taught. In 1920 left Mexico to travel Europe and ending up in Morocco where he was inspired by the native North African architecture, which influenced his designs when he returned to Mexico.
Though Barragans works are rich in colour and light, they have also been described as minimalist. He belonged to a movement called Escela Tapatia or Guadalajara School, which was an architectural theory that focused on the adherence to religious traditions.
The compositional elements of Barragans architecture are pure planes that interact with nature.
"I beleive that architects should design gardens to be used, as much as the houses they build..." (Hyatt Foundation)
Barragan called himself a landscape architect, influenced by painter and landscape architect Ferdinand Bac who focused on the garden as a magical environment. The link between the house and the landscape is a theme that can be seen in projects such as Barragan House and Galvez House, both located in Mexico City (shown below).
References:
Barragan Foundation (n.d) Life and Works [online] Available from: http://www.barragan-foundation.org [Accessed 17th October 2015]
Design Museum (n.d) Luis Barragan [online] Available from: http://design.designmuseum.org/design/luis-barragan [Accessed 18th October 2015]
Great Buildings (n.d) Luis Barragan [online] Available from: http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Luis_Barragan.html [Accessed 18th October 2015]
Hyatt Foundation (n.d) Luis Barragan - Biography [online] Available from: http://www.pritzkerprize.com/1980/bio [Accessed 17th October 2015]