Built in 1948 in the Tacubaya area of Mexico City, this was the home and studio of the architect Luis Barragán until his death in 1988. He kept altering it over four decades, using it as a kind of laboratory for his ideas.
From the street, the house shows only plain walls of rough cement, much like its neighbors. Inside, Barragán combined the simple, massive walls of traditional Mexican building with modern open planes, and painted surfaces in bright colors inspired by the vibrant colors of traditional Mexico. Windows and openings are placed so that no artificial light is needed during the day, and the house keeps his original furniture, his personal objects and his art collection.
It opened as a museum in 1994, and visits are by appointment. In 2004 UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site as one of the most influential examples of modern Mexican architecture.
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