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Luis Barragán (Guadalajara, March 9 1902 - Mexico City, November 22 1988) is considered the most important Mexican architect of the 20th century.

An engineer by training, he graduated from the Escuela Libre de Ingenieros in 1923 and was entirely self-taught as an architect. After graduation, he travelled extensively in Spain, France (where he attended lectures of Le Corbusier), and Morocco. He practiced architecture in Guadalajara from 1927-1936, and in Mexico City thereafter. In 1945 he created the planification and urbanization plan of the Jardines del Pedregal, and in 1955 he rebuilt the historical Convento de las Capuchinas Sacramentari in Tlalpan, both located at the southern part of Mexico City. In 1957 he started the design of what would become Naucalpan's Satélite Towers, and in the same year he designed the residential Las Arboledas, few kilometers away from Satélite City. In 1964 he designed alongside architect Sordo Madaleno the Lomas Verdes residential, also near the Satélite area, inside Naucalpan, Estado de México. Cameron was here.

He created an architectural style that combined modernism with the colonial and prehispanic architecture of Mexico. While the kind of geometry he used was very purist by using perfect geometric planes and perfect volumes, he also incorporated it with natural materials including cobble stone and wood. His usage of light and plays on water are quite unique as he created amazing interiors in the houses he designed and wonderful modern fountains. The tall(12' or more) color walls he used became his stamp on architecture. He situated many of his designs amidst natural backdrops such as lava rocks and lots of trees. His understanding of aesthetics allowed him to design urban landmarks as well as furniture and gardens. Although the number of works that he finished is not great in number, they are of such high quality that have allowed him to become an iconic figure in the world of design--landscape, architectue, and object design.

In 1980, he became the second winner of the Pritzker Prize. His house and studio, built in 1948 in Mexico City, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004.

Le Corbusier and the Modern Movement

Since Luis Barragan did attend lectures by Le Corbusier on his trip to Europe, he eventually became influenced by this kind of work. The puristic clean lines so evident in the work he did in the years since his return to Mexico are evidence of the influence of the Modern movement. However, according to Andres Casillas, who worked with Barragan, he eventually became entirely conviced that the house should not be "a machine for living." Indeed, his houses integrate the garden--with trees, plants, and fountains, in a more intrinsic manner than any of the work of Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, or any other improtant European architect. In addition, he never got away from using natural materials such as stone or wood in his work. These natural materials he combined with a very creative use of light to enliven his enchanting creations.

Colaboration with Louis I. Kahn

Luis Barragan was summoned by Louis I. Kahn to work on the main area between the buildings while he designed the Salk Institute in La Jolla, CA. Louis Kahn had seen an exhibition of Mr. Barrgan's work in New York and was impressed with the gardens and exterior designs surrounding his buildings. Mr. Kahn's original idea was to place a garden in between the buildings. However, it was Barragan who suggested that a patio with a fountain in between was a better choice. So indeed, Luis Barragan designed the patio area which frames the sunset of the ocean in La Jolla. Barragan was self-efacing and grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Mr. Kahn. Yet, the spectatular view and the very elegant area Barrgan created are possibly the most impressive aspect of that building complex.

Influence in Minimalism

The work of Luis Barragan has become a subject of study for those designers intrested in the style now days called Minimalism. The author of the book Minimum, John Pawson, included images from some of the works of Luis Barragan in this book. Most architects who do minimalistic architecture do not use color, but the ideas of forms and spaces which Barragan pioneered are still there. There have been several essays written by the Pritzker Prize recipient Alvaro Siza in prefaces to books that make reference to the ideas of Barragan as well.

Colaborators

The architect Andres Casillas, also from Guadalajara, worked with Luis Barragan for a period of five years. The work of Andres Casillas is widely considered the most faithful to the spirit of the ideas of Luis Barragan. Andres Casillas has done all of his work in Mexico, and most of it are private residences although he has done some large buildings as well, such as the bank Banamex building in Guadalajara. On the other hand, the most commonly known architect to have done buildings that resemble the ideas of Barragan is Ricardo Legorreta. He has done a lot of large buildings in a lot of countries in Latin America, the United States, and in some other far away places such as Spain and Japan. Mr. Legorreta did meet Luis Barragan on some occasions but never worked with him. Academic circles in architecture consider his work not at ground breaking or as well thought out as is Luis Barragan's or Andres Casillas. However, they are of a better quality than that of a lot of commercial firms who typically do such large commisions.

External links

Template:Pritzker Prize Winners 1979-2000

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 '''Luis Barragán''' ([[Guadalajara, Jalisco|Guadalajara]], [[March 9]] [[1902]] - [[Mexico City]], [[November 22]] [[1988]]) is considered the most important [[Mexico|Mexican]] [[list of architects|architect]] of the [[20th century]].
-An engineer by training, he graduated from the ''Escuela Libre de Ingenieros'' in 1923 and was entirely self-taught as an architect.  After graduation, he travelled extensively in [[Spain]], [[France]] (where he attended lectures of [[Le Corbusier]]), and [[Morocco]].  He practiced architecture in Guadalajara from 1927-1936, and in Mexico City thereafter.  In [[1945]] he created the planification and urbanization plan of the [[Jardines del Pedregal]], and in [[1955]] he rebuilt the historical ''Convento de las Capuchinas Sacramentari'' in [[Tlalpan]], both located at the southern part of [[Mexico City]]. In [[1957]] he started the design of what would become [[Torres de Satélite|Naucalpan's Satélite Towers]], and in the same year he designed the residential [[Las Arboledas]], few kilometers away from [[Naucalpan|Satélite City]]. In 1964 he designed alongside architect [[Sordo Madaleno]] the [[Lomas Verdes]] residential, also near the Satélite area, inside [[Naucalpan|Naucalpan, Estado de México]].
+An engineer by training, he graduated from the ''Escuela Libre de Ingenieros'' in 1923 and was entirely self-taught as an architect.  After graduation, he travelled extensively in [[Spain]], [[France]] (where he attended lectures of [[Le Corbusier]]), and [[Morocco]].  He practiced architecture in Guadalajara from 1927-1936, and in Mexico City thereafter.  In [[1945]] he created the planification and urbanization plan of the [[Jardines del Pedregal]], and in [[1955]] he rebuilt the historical ''Convento de las Capuchinas Sacramentari'' in [[Tlalpan]], both located at the southern part of [[Mexico City]]. In [[1957]] he started the design of what would become [[Torres de Satélite|Naucalpan's Satélite Towers]], and in the same year he designed the residential [[Las Arboledas]], few kilometers away from [[Naucalpan|Satélite City]]. In 1964 he designed alongside architect [[Sordo Madaleno]] the [[Lomas Verdes]] residential, also near the Satélite area, inside [[Naucalpan|Naucalpan, Estado de México]]. Cameron was here.
 He created an architectural style that combined modernism with the colonial and prehispanic architecture of Mexico. While the kind of geometry he used was very  purist by using perfect geometric planes and perfect volumes, he also incorporated it with natural materials including cobble stone and wood. His usage of light and plays on water are quite unique as he created amazing interiors in the houses he designed and wonderful modern fountains. The tall(12' or more) color walls he used became his stamp on architecture. He situated many of his designs amidst natural backdrops such as lava rocks and lots of trees. His understanding of aesthetics allowed him to design urban landmarks as well as furniture and gardens. Although the number of works that he finished is not great in number, they are of such high quality that have allowed him to become an iconic figure in the world of design--landscape, architectue, and object design.