One of Barragán’s most famous houses becomes a cultural centre open to the public

La Cuadra San Cristóbal, completed in 1968, was designed as a residence for an entrepreneur and his horses: it is now the home of the Fundación Fernando Romero and new pavilions are planned, including one by Kengo Kuma.

Forty kilometres north of Mexico City, an expanse of architecture defies the colours of the surrounding vegetation. La Cuadra San Cristóbal is one of the masterpieces of the Mexican architect Luis Barragán, who, inspired by the ranch typology, gave further proof of his profound compositional and chromatic sensitivity with this work. The volumes, which are easy to read, create a space that alternates between enclosed and open, and includes a house, stables, a monumental fountain, a barn, a paddock and a large grazing area, covering almost three hectares. 

Fernando Romero at La Cuadra San Cristóbal. Courtesy Juan HDZ

Today, the spaces originally intended for these functions are home to the cultural centre of the Fundación Fernando Romero, a point of reference for Mexican and international artists and architects. Its founder, architect, curator and philanthropist, Fernando Romero, purchased the property with the dual aim of preserving the integrity of the site and providing a worthy home for his non-profit foundation: Our work at the Fundación is guided by the conviction that architectural innovation and artistic production can contribute to a more just and culturally vibrant world. It is a great honour to begin this work by imagining La Cuadra as a dynamic cultural centre that stimulates new possibilities at the intersection of art and architecture.

Marina Abramović, The Hero II, 2001. Foto TheMahler.com, courtesy Marina Abramović Archives

Future plans for La Cuadra include the integration of new pavilions designed by internationally renowned architects, including Kengo Kuma. These new spaces will contribute to the creation of a dynamic cultural destination, capable of adapting to the constant evolution of artistic programmes and initiatives.  With the aim of offering a broad and diverse proposal, the new campus, which will open this October, will house an artist residency programme, several galleries, including one for the design collection, site-specific temporary installations, a podcast production studio, a library, an events space and a gift shop and cafeteria.

On the occasion of the Zona Maco art fair, Marina Abramović, who is returning to Mexico for the first time since the 1990s, will be the guest of the Fundación Fernando Romero for an initiative involving a first group of participants, including 150 students. The artist will carry out an intervention in the courtyard of La Cuadra.

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