Our studio was challenged to design a structure with the purpose of housing the works of Luis Barragan. We traveled to Mexico City to visit various architectural archives, museums and visited the site itself. Situated within a park with varying terrain, we chose to bridge two adjacent hills over the entrance path of the park. The form was inspired by his work of creating intersecting volumes and his famous hallways of light.

We devised a truss system of two towers that support three “floating” bar structures. These structures mimic the halls and corridors of Barragan’s work, as well as control the passerby’s direction throughout the project. The towers provide vertical circulation and support the bar typology. Exposing the stairs to the open air in one tower provides a different experience for those who visit the park and wish to take advantage of panaromic views. The openings are clad with onyx, a material native to Mexico, to create softer conditions of light to protect valuable artifacts and documents. Just as we split the structure into three main floors, accordingly, we divided the program into three general categories: reception, archive, and exhibition. Various moments in the facade frame views of the mountains in the distance, as well as the surrounding city.