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Barragan Studio House Part 1 PDF
Barragan Studio House Part 1 PDF
Barragans primary influences were created during his childhood. He grew up on a large
traditional Mexican ranch with its configuration of a central court yard encircled by ranch
buildings and in Guadalajara with courtyards enclosed by high walls and wide entrances.
This inwardly focused approach translated very strongly into his Studio House in Mexico
City. High garden and court yard walls block all views to the outside, capturing light and
creating deep, cool shadows. This is in direct
contrast the the typical modernist approach used
by Neutra and Reyner Banham, who epitomized
the ideal expression of modernist space to be
the Farnsworth house by Mies van der Rohe.
Although Neutra became a close personal friend,
Barragan could not possibly envision opening up
his dwelling in such a way. He felt such open
structures left a person too exposed and
unprotected. He once stated “I think closed in
spaces give you a feeling of tranquility”. Image 1
Image 2
conditions which were neither interior nor exterior, Barragans focus was strictly and simply
to the interior. The only large opening within the structure is on the inside and focused an
internal garden, well hidden from any external gaze.
Image 6
long periods in order to fully understand the spacial implications and lighting effects.
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Pauly D., (2002). Barragan: Space and Shadow, Walls and Colour. BertelsmannSpringer
Publishing Group, Basel Switzerland,
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Images:
Cover, Images 2,4,5,8 : Pauly D., (2002). Barragan: Space and Shadow, Walls and Colour.
BertelsmannSpringer Publishing Group, Basel Switzerland