Architect and landscape designer, Luis Barragan
This paper will discuss the work of the Mexican architect Luis Barragan through two points. First, the interpretation of his work from a psychoanalytic viewpoint. We will show how his work affects the mood and emotions of the people visiting his projects everyday. In the second point we will see the relation between his work and the modernism movement at his time and how he used the Mexican design elements along with the modern architectural elements to create his modern masterpieces.
We will discuss the first point through analysing three of Barragan's projects, "The Church of Tlalpan", "The Barragan House" and "The Source of the Lovers Fountain". Barragan appreciated solitude. He tried to show that in all of his work. "Only in intimate communication with solitude may man find himself. Solitude is good company and my architecture is not for those who fear or shun it", Luis Barragan (Arc Space, 2001). His buildings were mysterious and intimate, the walls were built to make you feel protected, safe, welcomed and isolated from the problems of the outside world (Julbez, 1997, p.8). Even the colours he used for the walls -interior and exterior- provided complete silence. They reflected the mood of the residents and viewers. As a matter of fact, the lights he used whether natural or artificial, also affect the mood, emotions and feelings of the inhabitants (Martinez, 1996, p.30). Most of his projects were affected by his religious ideas and thoughts, so when you study them you will feel the exact deep feelings Barragan had when he created them.
First let's take Capilla De Tlalpan "The Church of Tlalpan", AKA Chapel for The Capuchinas, for example. This was a special work for Barragan affected by his deep religious compassion (Ambasz, 1976, p.45). It combined between the modern French churches Barragan studied when he was in France, and the Mexican tradition (Zanchi, 2004). Barragan deliberately avoided using sculptures in this project, he believed that prayer temples are supposed to be simple on the outside as well as the inside to fulfil its purpose of providing complete peace and harmony in the place (Zanchi, 2004).
He also did that by expanding the space even more through the use of natural light that stroke the space mainly from two sources, a divided window covering the entire back wall and another window on the side wall. This light achieved its purpose perfectly, soothing the souls of the visitors. The use of light here was elementary, the work will simply not be the same without it (Martinez, 1996, p.147).
Barragan also worked on blending the church with the space and the elements around it to make it a more natural, comfortable and relaxing place. He gave the interior walls a rough texture and covered most of the floor with wooden plates that reflect the honey colour of the sunlight. The rest of the floor is natural soil which helped naturalizing the place even more. Just like every structure Barragan built, the church had a mixture of simple, modern design and the traditional Mexican design. This shows in the lemon colour Barragan used for the walls, the light paint he used helps evoke deep emotions in the visitors (Zanchi, 2004). Also the huge pink cross in the chapel added a clear modern Mexican touch to the place.
Another one of Barragan's most important projects is his own house, the casa Barragan "Barragan house" is considered an architectural master piece. It was Barragan's legacy. This work represents him perfectly since he did everything he wanted and preferred in it (Weston, 2004, p.96). It was influenced by Barragan's love for the architecture of the Mexican villages, farms and convents, which was one of the most important influences to many of Barragan's projects (Ambasz, 1976, p. 33).
Starting with the exterior of the house, apart from the huge size of it that drives the visitors attention, you cannot actually differ the house from its surroundings (UNESCO, 2004). It is in complete harmony with the nature of the area. That is because Barragan used only one material for this place, concrete, it unified it, made the house blend in with the nature of Mexico City (Martinez, 1996).
At the same time, when you study the house it is very obvious that this work is a clear example of modern architecture. The interior of it consists of a ground floor, two storeys and a private garden (UNESCO, 2004). Since Barragan was obsessed with landscape and garden design and he had principles of what a garden should provide, peace, solitude and harmony (Eggener, 2001, p.57). That is why most of the rooms on the ground floor are open to a quiet garden, to make the place a comfortable space for the residents to live in.
Barragan used pink and yellow for the interior rooms and walls on the terrace as well. This gave the place an even more modern-Mexican feeling. As for the rooms, each room of the house was designed differently, you will not find two similarly designed rooms, even the height of the doors differ from one room to another. As you visit each room you will notice your mood changing with the change of the walls paint and décor of the rooms. Blue and green were never used in the interior of his houses, Barragan thinks these colours are supposed to be for nature only (UNESCO, 2004).
As we said before, Barragan was a religious person, it is only natural for his house to have religious elements everywhere. Crucifixes and religious paintings can be seen all over the house, filling the entire place with a Christian air.
Now we will take another one of his great projects. This time it is not a building, it is his famous "Source of the Lovers fountain" or "Fuente De Los Amantes". This fountain is thought to be one of his best landscape projects he had ever made. It attracted architects and non-architects as well from all around the world to see the remarkable work of combining landscape architecture and nature. When Barragan visited the gardens of La Alhambra in Spain, he became fascinated by the beauty of the Islamic garden design, and that was reflected in this masterpiece and all the landscape projects he created (Ambasz, 1976, p. 105).
The fountain was built as part of a bigger project, a horse stable. It was called the source of the lovers to reflect and emphasize the deep relationship and love a man has for his horse. The sound of the water running down the wall provides peace and relaxation to the rider as he passes by the fountain (Ambasz, 1976, p. 73).
Pink and brown (Red-Earth) were used for the walls. The reflection of the walls on the surface of the water is a work of beauty (Anaya, 2011). The whole scene of the fountain is derived from Barragan's childhood and his love for horses (Textosa, 2011). He wanted the horse rider and the horse itself to feel comfortable and enjoy the quietness of this place which is why he created the fountain.
Now we will talk about the second point and another two of his projects, "The Towers of Satellite City" and "The Gilardi House". Barragan's work is known to be impossible to describe or photograph, it is hard to be classified as part of Surrealism, Modernism or Post Modernism since it had its own distinguished style. But mainly it is very simple, with a modern look and a mix of brilliant colours to reflect his Mexican background. His work, from gardens and fountains to buildings, is mostly a combination of traditional and modern aspects through the use of light and colour.
If you notice, the second tallest tower was built in front of the others. That was actually intended so that as you drive by the towers, they seem as if they are moving with you (Goeritz, 1970, p. 4). If you look at them from one angle they will look like flat sheets, another angle makes them looks as if they have a square base while in fact they are triangle shaped sculptures (Ambasz, 1976, p.55).
Casa Gilardi "the Gilardi house" is considered one of the most important works of modern architecture in Mexico and Barragan's final masterpiece. Through this project he experienced using new methods and different elements. There are special touches in this work that make it different than any other. For example, the Jacaranda tree that the house surrounds is of a big importance and considered an icon that the house is known for. The client "Francisco Gilardi" made a deal with Barragan which is to respect the presence of the tree as a part of the house no matter what (Ximena, El Fanzine). So the tree became the heart of the house, it gives life to the place as the colours of it reflect on the light pink and white exterior walls (Julbez, 1997, p. 192).
Inside the house there is a corridor that is filled with yellow light whenever the sun strokes the yellow painted glass plates covering the huge window on the side wall (Julbez, 1997, p. 192).
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Barragan created space, serenity and peace in the Gilardi house through the use of light and colour only, which is something that was not introduced in Mexico until he came up with these designs. That is why Barragan is considered the architect that took Mexico to the peak of modern architecture.
When you pass the corridor to the dining/ living/ swimming room, you will see the famous red wall standing next to an indoor pool and another blue wall. This alone defines the modern aspect of Barragan's work, the simplicity of design combined with the creativity of applying (Martinez, 1997, p. 195).
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Bibliography
Books:
· Ambasz, Emilio. (1976). The Architecture of Luis Barragan. New York: Museum of Modern Art.
· Burri, R. (2000). Luis Barragan. London: Phaidon press.
· Eggener, K. (2001). Luis Barragan: Gardens of El Pedregal. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
· Julbez, J.B., and Maria, J. (1997). The life and work of Luis Barragan. New York: Rizzoli International Publications.
· Martinez, A.R. (1996). Luis Barragan Mexico's modern master. New York: Monacelli press.
· Obrist, H.U., Romero, F., and Reyes, P. (2006). The air is blue: insights on art and architecture: Luis Barragan revisited. New York: DAP.
· Weston, R. (2004). Key buildings of the 20th century: plans, sections, elevations. London: Laurence King Publications.
Journal aticles:
· Goeritz, M. (1970). Highway sculptures: The Towers of Satellite City. Leonardo (Oxford), 1, pp. 319-322.
Online resources:
·
Anaya, L.
(2011). El Universal Estado De Mexico. Retrieved March 30, 2012, from http://www.eluniversaledomex.mx/otros/nota19983.html.
· Arc space. (n.d.). (2001). Retrieved March 30, 2012, from http://www.arcspace.com/exhibitions/barragan/ quiet_revolution _ex/index.html.
·
Science.Jrank. Retrieved April 2, 2012, from http://science.jrank.org/pages/10258/Modernism-Latin-America-Origin-Modernism-in-Latin-America.html.
·
Ximena, N.
El Fanzine. Retrieved April 2, 2012, from http://www.elfanzine.tv/?p=13205.
·
Zanchi, F.
(2004). Floor Nature. Retrieved March 30, 2012, from http://www.floornature.es/proyectos-comercio/proyecto-luis-barragan-capilla-tlalpan-ciudad-de-mejico-4427/.
·
Textosa. (n.d.). (2011). Retrieved April 2, 2012, from http://www.textosa.es/2011/04/26/la-fuente-de-los-amantes/.
·
UNESCO. (n.d.). (2004). Retrieved April 1, 2012, from http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1136.
