This project started as an extension of the course “Architecture since 1950” that Kate and Nhi took with Professor Ross Elfline. We were initially interested in modernism in Mexico City, particularly the works of Luis Barragán for their harmonization of both European and Mexican architectural languages.

Nhi

I was born and raised in Saigon whose architecture was also heavily influenced by the principles of modernism. Saigon architects in the mid-20th century, primarily French-trained, had enthusiastically adapted the style to fit Vietnamese culture and climate. I am excited then to compare my hometown’s strain of modernism with that in Mexico City. How does national identity retain and develop when one builds on foreign guidelines?

Kate

I am interested in murals and Mexico City has several famous ones that we got to visit. During the fall, I wrote a paper about how murals can disrupt oppressive city planning, and I was curious to see this in action in Mexico City. I also speak some Spanish and was excited to practice it an area where English is less commonly spoken.  Finally, I took a course called Cities of Latin America my freshman year. This gave me the opportunity to  write a longer paper on regional policy changes around the turn of the century and made me extra excited to see the effect of those changes in person.

References

Here are some resources on Barragán and Mexico City’s architecture that we read while writing this blog:

O’Rourke, Kathryn E. Modern Architecture in Mexico City : History, Representation, and the Shaping of a Capital. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2016.

Barragán, Luis, Álvaro Siza, Antonio Toca, José María Buendía Júlbez, Antonio Fernández Alba, and Raúl Rispa. Barragán : The Complete Works. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996.

Eggener, Keith. Luis Barragán’s Gardens of El Pedregal. 1st edition. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2001.

Vanquez, Sheryl Tucker de. “Light Is like Water: Barragán and the Question of Magic.” Third Text 19, no. 3 (2005): 233–42. https://doi.org/10.1080/09528820500049510.

Photos

And here are some photos (of us) on the trip

We applied and received funding from the Larson Fellowship, which was created to support projects involving international travel by three Carleton alumns/siblings in honor of their parents, ergo many many thanks to them and the Carleton Fellowship Department.