Luis Barragan

by Rene Burri

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Editorial Reviews

One of the key figures in modern architecture, Luis Barragan's influence has traveled far beyond his Mexican homeland, culminating in the award of architecture's most prestigious accolade, the Pritzker Prize, in 1980. His architecture represents a personal vision; inspired by the vernacular style of his native country, a love of Moorish architecture and a desire for spiritual beauty and harmony with nature, he set about creating serenity and enchantment in his buildings and gardens. Photographer Rene Burri visited Barragan and photographed his work on several trips to Mexico in the 1960s and 1970s. Here he pays tribute to his friend, reflecting the spirit of the man, capturing the essence of his architecture, and creating the sense of peace and contemplation that is at the heart of his work.

Customer Reviews

The Spirit of Luis Barragan, 2005-12-06
by Architecture Student (Bendigo, VIC, Australia)

This small book is a great realisation of the spirit contained within the architecture of Luis Barragan. If one thing can be said, it allows us to see what Luis saw, and not necessarily what he did, the theme of which defined a quote that was included in the book. Rene Burri has done a great job of allowing us to see what Luis saw and give us an introduction to the essential nature of his architecture. It is a book whose simplicity allows the characteristics of poetry and beauty to be conveyed in a decidedly rich manner without the need for an overabundance of photographs. Barragan seemed to be more concerned about the spirit of his architecture than the architecture itself and this book cetainly conveys that. Top Stuff!

A Barragan "Teaser" At Best, 2001-10-25
by J. Duncan (New York, NY United States)

This is a short, quirky little book, that reads more like a short book of poetry than a book on architecture or on the great architect luis barragan. It does have a few enticing pictures of his works and a few lines that offer insights into barragan's character. But it's hardly a definitive or essential work. Barragan fanatics probably want it for the collection. Fans but non-fanatics should look elsewhere.

Good, Not Great, 2000-06-16
by Brian Anderson (Sonoma County, CA)

There are some very beautiful photographs and thought abstactions from the master, but this is not specifically an architectural peice of literature, as I expected it to be. It does capture some intriguing spacial conditions, but the artistic context appears in more of photographical context.

Absolutely stunning book!, 2000-05-27
by Ming-Yeung Lu (San Francisco Bay Area, CA USA)

If you are interested in works by Mexican architects, like the recent AIA award winner Legorreta, this book is a must-have. It's filled with beautiful photographs of Barragan's works. The book is an artwork by itself. Phaidon scores again!