There is so much amazing art and architecture in Mexico City. While you’re visiting, you can take a tour of Casa Gilardi, a house that was built in 1976 by famous Mexican architect Luis Barragán. It was the last project he completed before he died in 1988. Luis Barragán’s work has been highly influential to contemporary artists. In 1980, he won the highest award in architecture, the Pritzker Prize. In this post, I’ll dive into how you can book a tour of this colorful privately owned home.
In 2004, his personal home was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can also tour this private home, Casa Luis Barragán, in Mexico City, but you must book far in advance.
To Get There
- Address: Calle Gral. Antonio León 82, San Miguel Chapultepec I Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11850 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
- Contact the owners via their Facebook Page to schedule a tour. Tours are by reservation only since this is a private home.
Alternativey, you can book a tour with Get Your Guide: Mexico City: Legacy of Luis Barragán Tour at Casa Gilardi
When To Go
The best time to visit Mexico City is from March to May, with the temperature being in the mid to high 70ºFs. The sun is out but not blazing.
The History
Casa Gilardi was commissioned by friends of Barragán, two young advertising executives named Pancho Gilardi and Martín Luque. They approached him with the idea of designing a modern and functional home but did not provide many constraints, allowing Barragán creative freedom.
The Tour
It’s an incredible experience to have the owner give you a personal tour of her home. The house has a bottom-level indoor pool, a gorgeous outdoor courtyard, and Barragán’s signature vibrant colored walls throughout. It feels like Mondrian’s artwork has turned into a three-dimensional space.
The shadows at different times of the day create new vibrant colors as they reflect off the other walls.
One specific request from the clients who commissioned this space was to preserve a Jacaranda tree that grew on the property. Barragán not only honored this request but incorporated the tree as a central visual element in the design, shaping the courtyard around it. This showcases his deep respect for nature, a consistent theme throughout his work.
Since this was built in the later stages of Barragán’s career, he had already developed his signature style of blending vibrant colors with clean, geometric lines.
This is an image of the lovely owner of this home below in the red dress (2018).
If you love unique experiences, then tour Casa Gilardi and get a taste of Mexico’s rich art history.
More Tours to Explore
There are many other museums and historical points of interest in Mexico City. Here are a few tours below to explore the colorful history and culture of Mexico City. If you want some more inspiration, check out my post 4 Days in Colorful Mexico City.
Book Your Trip
These are some of my favorite sites for finding the best prices, places to stay, book tours, and more:
Book Your Accommodations
Use Booking.com for the best hotel deals and easy change or cancellation, or VRBO as a great resource if you prefer a house, condo or apartment.
Find A Tour
Search Get Your Guide to book a variety of tours and activities
Book Your Flight
Browse Expedia for deals on flights, hotels, rental cars and more
Shop Comfortable Hiking & Athleisure
Shop Vuori for long-lasting comfortable hiking and workout apparel for men and women (my fave!)
Shop Travel Gear
Shop Herschel for nice luggage and other travel goods and accessories that are made to last
Travel Resources
Check out my resource page for a list of the best travel tools you can use to save time and money when booking travel.
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