I probably fall in the category of annoying tourists that everybody hates, but you know what? I don’t really care. For me, being able to visit places and be mesmerized by amazing spots is one of the best things you can do in life. Even when I don’t have the money to go on a real trip, I always try to visit new places in my city, since I strongly believe that the only way you can expand your horizons is by traveling. In one of my many local expeditions, I came across one of the destinations that have shocked me the most in a long time, in a good way, of course. This was the famous Barragán House located in western Mexico City, a real architectural masterpiece and a place you must put on your bucket list.
At first, when you arrive at the house, there’s no way you could imagine that within those dull gray walls lies an amazing architectural wonderland of color, lines, and modernism. This was the house and studio of one of Mexico’s most important architects, and you can definitely see why this guy is still so revered. Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, a state with a lot of tradition (the land of tequila and mariachis), you can tell that despite his modern style and architecture knowledge, he always remained close to the country’s colorful traditions. This house is a perfect balance between the aspects that he loved the most, his minimalist style, and the many Mexican traditions he lived in.
As you enter the house, you start to notice a very interesting use of bright colors on the walls, contrasting with the Mexican furniture and decoration. At first, your eyes get caught in the bright pinks, yellows, and oranges, but the moment you get used to that splash of color, you start noticing the little details that add to the greatness of the place. Floating stairs, stone floors, huge tall walls, asymmetrical roofs, and my favorite spot, a cloud garden you could easily lose yourself admiring. But what exactly is a cloud garden, you might ask?
Well, as you can imagine more than actually creating a garden filled with clouds it’s more of a concept. After being delighted by each of the rooms of the house, you have to go upstairs to that special roof patio in which there’s literally nothing but the tall colorful walls that draw your eyes up to the sky. The only thing your eyes can find is the endless blue sky that contrasts interestingly with the bright colors surrounding you, As I said before, you realize there’s nothing else you’ll want to do but stare at the immensity of the clouds. The great thing about this concept is that, yes, you can stare at the sky basically anywhere in the world, but the fact that this place’s uniqueness lies on capturing it and making it the main attraction of the place is what makes you realize that this architect was a real master when using every single aspect of the space.
After Barragán’s death in 1988, the government of his home state, the Secretariat of Culture, and the national lottery decided to turn this amazing complex into a museum for the public to admire his unique vision and style. However, if you’re planning on going soon, you have to know it’s not just open for you to visit whenever you want, but you actually have to schedule an appointment (to contribute to the preservation of the place). All in all, if you’re visiting the city, this is definitely a place you must visit to see the different historical, cultural, and architectural contrasts that this amazing metropolis has to offer.
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