Mexican Architect's Work Honored

Mexican Architects Work Honored
Behind a drab concrete wall, down a back street in the working class neighborhood of Tacubaya, sits a hidden jewel of Mexican architecture.

Architect Luis Barragan built his home here in 1948 to serve as a peaceful refuge in the hectic capital city. Now, more than 10,000 people come each year to tour the home and to soak in the meditative ambiance Barragan created.

UNESCO added the home to its list of World Heritage Sites this month in recognition of the worldwide influence of Barragan's work.

Barragan's home is only one of a dozen or so 20th century sites on the list of UNESCO, short for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It was the only Latin American site added by UNESCO at its July conference in Suzhou, China, said Francisco Morales, director of World Heritage sites for the Mexican government.

"He is an important architect, perhaps the most important one we have here in Mexico, because he was able to produce a cultural and architectural synthesis where he unites the oldest traditions of Mexico, meaning pre-Colombian, with colonial heritage and ... modern architecture," said Juan Palomar, architect and author of a book on Barragan.

Born in Guadalajara in 1902, Barragan studied engineering at university and never formally trained as an architect. He was an avid reader, and the boo