Architect: Luis Barragan

Luis Barragan
Prepared by:
Dania Abdel-Aziz
Duaa Al-Maani
University of Jordan
Architecture and Contemporary Technology
0902731
1Dania Abdel-Aziz, Duaa Al-Maani

CONTENS
CHAPTER ONE:
Introduction
Objectives
Organization
CHAPTER TWO: Barragan' s works.
Literature review:
Schooling
Beginnings
In search of identity
CHAPTER THREE:
Project Abstract & Graphic Overview
Barragan studio house
CHAPTER FOUR:
Local Case study
Abu Samra Residence- Khalid nahhas.
CONCLUSIONS.
REFRENCES.

CHAPTER ONE:
1.1- Introduction
Architect: Luis Barragan
1.2- Objectives
The goal of this research is to come to a greater
understanding of Brragan's works , and what makes his
architecture unique . In addition to focusing on one
project – Brragan studio house - and the philosophical
foundations for its design.

1.3- Organization
The main text of this research is divided into five sections: Chapter
One is an introduction to Barragan ; in Chapter Two, an
overview of the approach of Barragan's designs and the identity
of his works in addition to a short review of critical regionalism
and its role in his designs ; in Chapter Three information
concerning the generative idea, type , Images, drawings,
photographs , and general description of the project were
mentioned.
Chapter Four deals with inverse of chapter three focusing on the
data, observations, and analysis of a local project –Abu samra
residence,by Khalid nahhas- that we may see as an application
of critical regionlasim and similar to Barragan's approach &
principles; and finally Chapter Five summarizing the results of
this report, as well as conclusions and observations .

CHAPTER TWO : Luis Barragan
2.1-Schooling
Luis Barragan (1902–1988), born and raised in
Guadalajara, Mexico, He studied as an engineer in his
home town, while undertaking the entirety of
additional coursework to obtain the title of architect.
Towards 1925, recently graduated from the faculty of
engineering, he made a voyage that would mark the
beginning of a fruitful career as an architect in
México.
In Paris, during the Exhibition of Decorative Arts, the work
of Ferdinand Bac came to his attention, a landscaper,
writer and illustrator whose drawings referred to
Hispanic-arabian and Mudejar architecture.
( a DEL ARENAL,2OO?)

2.2-Beginnings
Barragán leaves Guadalajara in 1936 and upon his arrival in Mexico City
begins work with a functionalist style of architecture. It is toward
1940 that he develops his first great housing development: ‘El
Pedregal de San Ángel’. The refinement of wide open spaces,
particularly gardens, gave him the opportunity to exercise
imagination and management of different scales in public and
private space, always preserving the magic touch. “A perfect
garden”, he said, “no matter its size, should enclose nothing less
than the entire universe.”

Besides landscaping, Barragán searched for the technical
domain of materials, elements and concepts in
architecture in order to create emotional
architecture.
This new concept was coined by Mathias Goeritz, one of
his best colleagues, around 1950 as an antidote
against the rationalist excesses of modern
architecture.
However for Luis Barragán both concepts were
interesting: it was not only a functional perception
like the precepts that Le Corbusier´s ‘La Maison Outil’
marked in the first third of the 20th century.
Although interested in this new conception of ‘house’,
he never forgot the importance of the house as a
refuge, as a space for introspection and solitude.
FIGs 1,2,3 : Exterior shot of the Satélite Towers (source www.barragan-foundation.org)

An icon of contemporary architecture, received the Pritzker Prize in
1980. His work is considered ‘as a sublime act of poetic imagination’
(Park et al., 2008) (Del Arenal et al. 0000). Sublime is the experience
of either space or energy that is so overwhelming, that the indivisual
diminishes, in order for revelation to take place.( color as a pathway
of light : searching the shadow in Luis Barragan, Maria joao
durao,2010, Lisbon technical university APCOR- Portugees color
association, Lisbon , Porugal)

2.3-In search of identity
His architecture responds to the contextual and natural inheritance of
Mexico, signifying a new residential dwelling predicated on
modernity and indigenously rooted in the symbol of Mexican living.
Luis Barragan´s Architecture has been recognized by its
aesthetical and philosophical values. For Barragan, the existence of
an international or even national architecture was absurd, because
every region had to generate its architecture rooted on its time,
culture, traditions, climate and materials. A strong emphasis was
given to the natural environment and the cultural context. (Figueroa
and Castorena, 2006).

2.4.Critical regionalism and its role in Barragan's designs :
Barragan developed a school of thought that Kenneth Frampton defined
as “critical regionalism” that was based on the idea of a regional
attitude towards design. For Barragan, a design must take into
account its physical and climatic conditions as well as its cultural
background. (Figueroa & Castorena, 2006).
However, his approach to traditional design is based on the ability of the
architect to identify the essential building elements and then to
“convent” them into a contemporary image. (Ibid).

Barragan´s architectural designs consider the sensual perception as a
key element of the spatial experience. Therefore his proposals pay
particular attention to sun patterns, day lighting, noise
control and ventilation.
He used his personal intuition and perception to manipulate the physical
factors and achieve a carefully balanced equilibrium between
physical conditions and built environment (Figueroa & Castorena,
2006).
The manner in which his buildings are integrated within their given
‘‘place’’ is perhaps the key factor in his signiﬁcance and renown (Park
et al., 2008)

While drawing from cultural and regional
references of Mexico, Barragan offered
a utopian vision of the uniﬁcation of the
vernacular Mexican style with architectural
purity and simplicity (Ibid).
Stucco walls with bricks, intense saturated
colors,and natural illumination possessing
a spiritual quality deﬁned Barragan’s
designs (Park et al., 2008).
FIGs 4,5,6: Different projects for Barragann (source www.barragan-foundation.org)12Dania Abdel-Aziz, Duaa Al-Maani

Barragan continues to exert a profound inﬂuence on contemporary
architecture (Park et al., 2008).
Barragan’s architecture is associated with two primary
connections:
1. The abstract neo-plasticity of De Stijl and Bauhaus strongly
inspired the geometry of the house,
2. whereas Barragan’s association with avant garde artistic circles,
which included Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and Jos Clemente
Orozco, infused him with indigenous culture and regional
principles (Park et al., 2008).

Natural light–direct and indirect- give spaces a different character thought
the day and in various times of the year. Therefore, he planned to
control amount and quality (color temperature) of natural light. This
was done through the extensive use of large scale models that were
professionally photographed. This stage was always preliminary,
allowing for options to be evaluated and new ideas tested. As the
building was constructed, he will supervise construction daily and
modify “on site” many of the openings, including its proportion, size
and location (Figueroa and Castorena, 2006).
FIGs 7,8: Different projects for
Barragan (source www.barragan-
foundation.org)

Most of the interior walls were painted white. It was
for special areas of the building that intense colors
were used such as pink, yellow or orange. Barragan
found out an effect that can be described as
“colored light”. He usually hidden the light source
and then painted the glass, mixing “warm” light
with planes lit by “cold” light. The result was a
mixture that changed the indoor quality of space and our perception
of color. (Figueroa & Castorena 2006).
FIGs 9,10,11: Different projects for legoretta (source: www. legorretalegorreta.com)

His vision has inspired some of the best
known contemporary Mexican
architects including Ricardo Legorreta,
Andrea Casillas, and Enrique Norton of
TEN (Taller Enrique Norton) Arquitectos,
among others (Park et al., 2008).
Ricardo Legorreta is among the disciples
of Barragan who make use of his
sense of color, spatial composition,
and design vocabulary
(Ibid).
FIGs12,13,14: Ricardo Legorreta work (source http://www.flickriver.com/)16Dania Abdel-Aziz, Duaa Al-Maani

The 1966 Folke Egerstrom House and Stables built around a brightly
coloured, sculptural sequence of horse pools (Barragán loved
horse riding) and the 1975-77 Francisco Gilardi House framing an
indoor pool.
FIGs 15,16: Gilardi house- Mexico city (source www.barragan-foundation.org)

From the above ,we can conclude the following principles and design
approach of Barragan when it comes to architecture:
*1* The application of critical regionalism ; the regional attitude toward
design, and by that we do not mean vernacular architecture or the
regional style , but taking the context as a main source of design.
*2* Color as a part of light: Barragan pays a large amount of the
attention to day lighting, natural light give spaces a different
character thought the day and in various times of the year. (
bioclimatic lessons)
*3* The technical domain of materials.

*4* The ability of the architect to identify the
essential building elements and then to
" convent" them into a contemporary image.
*5* Landscaping as an essential part of the
project. the exterior space, patio or garden,
had a new connotation and use on Mexican
contemporary architecture. His concepts about
green space, terraces, porticoes, fountains and
many other outdoor elements had become a
major contribution to a more “natural”
approach to architecture.

*6* Reframing: the studio house is Barragan's microcosmos, a place for
his introspective memory and a living body that grows and changes.
This kind of approach can be traced back from the work of Schon.
*7* The use of Elements and notions in order to create "emotional
architecture“.

CHAPTER THREE: Project Abstract & Graphic Overview
Barragan's studio house
FIGs 17,18,19: Different shots for the studio (source www.barragan-foundation.org)

Barragan's studio house
This chapter is intended to provide information concerning the generative idea, type ,
Images, drawings, and photographs that provide an overview and general
description of the project.
3.1-Concept:
"A house is never finished; it is an organism in constant evolution".
Studio house of barragan in Tacubaya ( place where water comes together)
Luis kahn visited the house, and remarked that it was
not just a house:
IT IS THE HOUSE.
Luis Barragán’s house has no time. It could have been
built a hundred years ago or a hundred years from
now.” —Louis Kahn 22Dania Abdel-Aziz, Duaa Al-Maani

3.2-Form :
The house is located on two adjacent lots
on a small street (12 and 14 General
Francisco Ramirez Street) in the Daniel
Garza suburb of Mexico City.
The total surface area is around 1,161 m2

• The entrance is directly from the street on the east side. The garden opens
towards the west. The studio takes the northern part of the building, with
an entrance directly from the street; the rest is Barragán's private
residential quarters.
FIGs 22,23 : Exterior shot of the project (source: www. barraganstudio.com/)

3.3-Context :
FIGs 24,25 : Google map for the project (source www.googlemap.com)

3.4-Function:
There are three main types of functions can be recognized in this project:
3.4.1- Pragmatic function: living rooms, saloons, entertainment room,
kitchen, dining room ,gallery, office space , bedrooms, studio and terrace.
The separate dining room is reached from the hall and the living room, next
to which there is a small breakfast room and the kitchen. All these spaces
open towards the garden. On the first floor are the master bedroom and a
guest room, as well as an 'afternoon room'. On the second floor, there are
service spaces and a roof terrace. The upper storeys are accessed via
narrow stairs without railings. The levels of the different floors are not
regularly placed, but are designed so as to allow spaces of different
heights. Thus, the living room is double height.

1-garage
2-vestibule
3-hall
4-Kitchen
5-Breakfast room
6-Dining room
7-Living room
8-library
9-studio
10-vestibule
11-Secretary’s office
12-Office
13-Patio
14-Reflecting pool
15-garden
FIG 26: Ground floor plan (source: www.barraganstudio.com)

The upper floor is more private space with
thick wood shutters for the
windows. Access to this area and the roof
terrace is via stone stairs lacking railings, a
typical Barragán characteristic.
The upper floor contains a master bedroom
with dressing room, a guest room and an
“afternoon room.”[ The main bedroom
has a window facing the garden and was
where the architect slept, simply calling it
the “white room.” It contains a painting
called “Anunciación” as well as a thirty cm
tall folding screen with images of an
African model which were cut from
magazines.
FIG 27: Interior shot for the project (source www.barragan-foundation.org)

The dressing room attached to the bedroom is
also called the “cuarto del Cristo” or Christ
room, with its crucifix. The guest room faces
east onto the street and originally was a
terrace. This and the bedrooms have a
monastic feel because of their sparseness and
type of furniture, reflecting the Franciscan
beliefs of BarragánThe north side of the
property is reserved for the studio with direct
access from the street. There is also internal
access from the living room. The main studio
space is linked with the garden through a
patio. On the street side, there are two small
offices, and on the first floor there is a small
private office.
FIG 28: Section drawing, conceptual section

3.4.2- Cultural and Contextual function: the building’s form is a response to
its physical setting and climate; WORLD HERITAGE….
Barragán called himself a landscape architect;
"I believe that architects should design gardens to be used, as
much as the houses they build, to develop a sense of beauty and the taste
and inclination toward the fine arts and other spiritual values."
FIGs 29,30: Exterior shot of the
project with the landscape
(source: www.barraganstudio.com)

3.4.3- Symbolic function: The building conveys symbolically the sensation of
simplicity, a dry climate and a little of ambiguity.
FIG 12; Zoning diagram MISSING DRAWING HERE

3.5-facades:
The entrance facade aligns with the street and
preserves the appearance of the neighbouring
facades. It is a massive boundary with precise
openings.
All the windows of the eastern facade represent the
possibility of hiding the direct communication
between domestic space and the city. The entire
exterior conserves the color and natural
roughness of the plastered concrete.
The facades of the house align with the street and
are very plain, with rough cement walls very
similar in color and composition of its neighbors.

Since the facade is plain and flat, there is no way to guess the layout
inside. Instead, the house focuses inward, centered on a garden, which
itself is surrounded by high walls except on the west. The house has been
compared to an oasis with high walls to keep out the “urban chaos.
FIGs 33,34,35: elevations, and openings (Source: www.barraganstudio.com)

Among Barragan’s work, his own house and studio
stands out for its interplay of abstract planes and
bold masses. Its colorful walls provide internal
rooms and patios with pleasant ﬁltered light.. By
the use of large wall.
surfaces one can also obtain spaces with varying
luminosity, which creates an ambience more
comfortable and intimate.’’ (Park et al., 2008)
By reducing artificial lighting to a minimum, his
attitude that artificial light was not to substitute
daylighting, but convey spaces a sense of mystery,
intimacy, enclosure and relaxation. Those
emotions were accomplished by lowering and
controlling the direction of light sources (Figueroa
and Castorena, 2006)
FIGs 36,37 : Different shots for the openings (source www.barragan-foundation.org) 34Dania Abdel-Aziz, Duaa Al-Maani

3.6-Materiality:
"Architecture, like its great teacher, nature, should choose and apply
its material according to the laws conditioned by nature, yet should it
not also make the form and character of its creations dependent on
the ideas embodied in them and not on the material. If the most
suitable material is selected for their embodiment, the ideal
expression of a building will of course gain in beauty and meaning by
the material’s appearance as a natural symbol ... Let the material
speak for itself; let it step forth undisguised in the shape and
proportions found most suitable by experience and science. Brick
should appear as brick, wood as wood, iron as iron, each according
to its own statical laws". Semper, Gottfried.
The house is built from concrete with a plaster rendering,
due to the use of this material there are no irrelevant
ornaments to distract the eye of the visitor, also color is
an essential part of materiality in Barragan's designs.

3.7-Color:
"The eye does not see form, but what the eye sees is color". –Aristotle
"Color is the most sacred element of all visible things". – Ruskin
We can interpret the use of color and color temperature as the following:
1. Francis bacon says that the shadow in paintings is due to its escape from
the body.
2. Deleuze analyzing bacon's Scream remarks that it is the entire body that
escapes through the mouth.

CHAPTER FOUR: Abu Samra Residence
SYMBIOSIS Design / Arch .Khalid Nahhas
FIGs 5,6,7 : Exterior shot of the project (source: www.symbiosisdesign.com)

Schooling
Symbiosis Designs ltd. is an award winning consultancy firm known for its
design excellence and alternative innovative buildings. It was founded by
the senior architect Khalid Nahhas in 1991.Nahhas received a bachelor’s
degree in Geographic and Economic Planning from the University of
Victoria in 1985, and a graduate degree in Architecture from the
University of British Columbia in 1989.

Beginnings
Khalid Nahhas has been practicing architecture since 1989, beginning his
professional career in Vancouver, at Spaceworks architects. In 2002,
Nahhas received the first Dubai-based Cityscape Young Architect Award ,
His first major design in Amman was the Blue Fig Restaurant. The building,
which was completed in 2000 and received the 2002 Dubai-based
Cityscape Young Architect Award, became a sensation in the city upon its
completion

In search of identity
Symbiosis (from Ancient Greek σύν "together" and βίωσις "living"), in biology
, is close and often long-term interaction between two or more different
biological species.
Symbiosis borrows from the arts, literature and poetry, film, music,
psychology and sociology, culture, economy, science and many other
disciplines. they also draw from their intuitions, dreams, emotions,
fantasies and sensibilities to evolve and fine-tune conceptual constructs
balancing the rational with the emotional. Subscribing to phenomenology
in design, the meaning of materials and their assembly plays a key role in
our approach. Each material carries a quality and a spirit. The selection of
appropriate materials and the method of assembly dictate a resultant
quality to spatial resonance.

The selection of raw and rough materials and express primitive assemblies to
appeal to primal grounding qualities. In other projects, where the building
typology concept calls for it, resort to modern use of steel, revealing
assemblies and tectonics. Yet in some projects special care was given to
conceal the project structure .
Nahhas emphasizes his debt to Canadian architects John and Patricia Patkau,
who in addition to being sources of inspiration for him, taught him as a
student of architecture at the University of British Columbia. Their
influence is evident, amongst other things, in emphasizing the connection
of the building to the landscape, the concern for building tectonics, the
strong volumetric presence of the building, the incorporation of color, the
concurrent use of various materials, and the emphasis on high-quality
detailing.

Project Abstract & Graphic Overview
4.1-Concept:
"The clients are a husband and wife team. They are young,
well-travelled, exposed and have a very nice art collection, so when we
started off it was designed in many ways to be a gallery, and the
concept of walls was very important because of their artwork"
FIG.1 :Concept drawing (source: www.symbiosisdesign.com)

4.2-Form :
"The essence of a work of architecture is an organic link between
concept and form. Pieces cannot be subtracted or added without
upsetting fundamental prosperities . a concept, whether a rationally
explicit statement or a subjective demonstration , establishes an order, a
field of inquiry, a limited principle." Steven Holl.

The deign features two cubic masses, placed
carefully as not to change the topography of the
site . In its simplest terms, the composition is
rectilinear, divided into two main clusters; a
freestanding wall was added in order to join these
two volumes creating a visual axis, and to become
the focal point of the project.
The effect is achieved through the strong slope is
that the visitor comes from main The northern
volume was re-oriented and rotated toward the
west in order to maximize the view of the
landscape. The entrance was pushed back while
the freestanding wall was pushed forward to
identify and emphasize on the entrance
FIG.2 : Form creating process

• 4.3-Context :
FIG 3 :Site plan aerial view (source: - google map 2012)

Analytical
diagrams:

4.4-Function:
The southern mass consists of living rooms on the first floor and four
bedrooms on the second. On the other hand the northern volume consists
of a two –storey – height saloon, kitchen and formal dining area and office
space on the first floor, with laundry and service room on the basement.
This mass was reoriented and rotated toward the west in order to
maximize the view of the landscape, connecting inside & outside, and
providing views of the oak trees that the site overlooks.

4.4.1- Pragmatic function: living rooms, saloons, entertainment room,
kitchen, dining room ,gallery, office space and bedrooms.
FIG 9: Section drawing, conceptual section

4.4.2- Cultural and Contextual function: the building’s form is a response to its
physical setting and climate; the earth toned color and the local trees and
shrubs were used to fit in well within the dry local landscape and the
bright Jordanian sun.
FIGs 10,11; Exterior shot of the project with the landscape (source: www.symbiosisdesign.com)

4.4.3- Symbolic function: The building
conveys symbolically the sensation of
simplicity, a dry climate and a little of
ambiguity.
4.4.4 Circulatory function: the visual axis –
the corridor- was designed as part of
the architectural concept as a
transitional element to link between
the two main clusters to create a
sense of hierarchy.
FIG 12; Zoning diagram

4.5-Openings:
"There was a lot of push and pull of the forms, there were very minimal
openings and it becomes fluid. If you approach the street from a higher
distance, or from a higher street, you won’t see a single opening, just a
combination of walls playing with shadows. Then, if you make your way
around the corner, you will see start to see doors and window."

The openings are positioned according to the function they perform, the first
type of openings – which is located along the corridor & at its ending
frames views of the surrounding landscape , the second type - at the
corners-reveals the thickness of the exterior walls of the house.
FIG 13,14: Interior shots, showing different types of opening (source: www.symbiosisdesign.com)

FIG 15: East elevation , blank façade with no openings as seen from the street (source: www.symbiosisdesign.com)

4.6-Axiality:
The long axial corridor has 5 functions due to its
verticality :
1* expressing identity and anchoring the masses.
2* serves as a gallery by displaying painting for
famous artists.
3* forced perspective
4* sun control & wind block.
5* aesthetic value :focal point of the design.
FIG 16: Axiality diagram

4.7-Materiality:
Honesty of materials is what sets this residence apart from other projects of
Nahhas.
The materiality of this residence is of great importance; Working with
smooth-exposed- concrete, trying to create a new image for residence
design in Amman , instead of the typical stone one. Due to the use of this
material there are no irrelevant ornaments to distract the eye of the
visitor, and by using the earthed-tone color unnecessary visual noise was
reduced.
"The whole house, whether it’s the plaster or the tiling, belongs to the same
tonality. There’s no articulation, just as little material as possible"
This use of the earth toned plastering provides formal references to two
Mexican architects, Luis Barragan, and Ricardo Legorreta

Verticality in Barragan’s , Loegerotta’s
and Nahhas’s works
Residence by Legoretta Residence by Barragan Residence by Nahhas

Residence by Legoretta
Residence by Nahhas

Vistas & axilaity in Barragan’s ,
Loegerotta’s and Nahhas’s works
Residence by Legoretta Residence by NahhasResidence by Barragan

Openings & materiality in Barragan’s ,
Loegerotta’s and Nahhas’s works
Residence by Legoretta Residence by Nahhas

Similarity in form
Residence by Barragan Residence by Nahhas

Wooden interior stairs
Residence by Barragan Residence by Nahhas

CONCLUSIONS:
It is most important to learn from Barragan that a good architectural, interior,
landscape or urban concept will always take into account the passive and
low energy aspects. An approach rooted on tradition can be
contemporary. A well done passive and low energy design must attend all
senses and response to enrich our perception of nature and environment.
1* Barragan's work has references on traditional Mexican architecture.
2* The use of landscape "gardens" as inherent part of architecture
3* Considering the sensual perception as a key element of the spatial
experience.

CONCLUSIONS:
4*Nahhas's design concepts and materials have a crucial role in the aesthetics
of his work.
5* Nahhas aimed to mimic the style of the Mexican modernist architects
Barragan, & Legorreta, featuring exposed finished concrete , and local dry
landscape
6* The abstracted reductionist geometric forms, large glazed openings, and
earth-toned plastered surfaces, provide a contrast to the white limestone
buildings and the small punched in or strip openings that are characteristic
of many parts of Amman.
7* The development of architecture based on traditional elements.
8* Considering the sensual perception as a key element of the spatial
experience.

REFRENCES :
• Park, J. Lee, H. Cho, Y. and Lee, K. (2008) Abstract Neo-Plasticity and Its
Architectural Manifestation in the Luis Barragan House/Studio of 1947.
Springer Science + Business Media, LLC., Volume 31, Number 1, 2009.
• DEL ARENAL, M. ALCALÁ, H. and GODARD, N. () Luis Barragan's
Architecture: return to the origins. ALBERTINA Proyectos Culturales
• Figueroa, A. and Castorena, G. (2006) Bioclimatic Lessons from Luis
Barragan’sArchitecture. Conference on Passive and Low Energy
Architecture, Geneva, Switzerland, 6-8 September 2006
• www.barraganstudio.com
• www.symbiosisdesign.com
• www.logerretaandlegoretta.com

Architect: Luis Barragan

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