30 Sites Every Architect Should Visit in Mexico City

02/08/2017

Photo Courtesy of Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos

Architectural Tours

30 Sites Every Architect Should Visit in Mexico City

April 20, 2017

Though the idea of a vacation in Mexico usually brings to mind images of margaritas on white-sand beaches, it seems the country is slowly but surely gaining recognition in other aspects as well. Among the most populated urban cities in Latin America and the world – not to mention The New York Times’ number one “Place to Go in 2016” – Mexico City offers a particular cultural diversity evident both in its traditions and in its architecture. Considering it’s the main tourist, educational, cultural, economic and political center of Mexico, it makes sense that it’s the perfect scenario for the social encounters of its multicultural inhabitants and tourists.The sites of architectural interest alone are worth the visit, with prehispanic, classic, modern and contemporary examples ranging from Juan O’Gorman and Luis Barragán to Felix Candela and David Chipperfield. Add to that the fact that its gastronomic scene has garnered much praise and attention in recent years, and you’ve got a perfect combo. Below is a carefully curated list of 30 sites that every architect should know and visit.

(Disclaimer: though roughly half the links direct to our Spanish site, the pictures are worth the click, we promise!)

01. Ciudad Universitaria / Mario Pani + Enrique del Moral – Biblioteca Central / Juan O´Gorman

© Adlai Pulido

Address: Avenida Universidad 3000

02. Casa Barragán / Luis Barragán

via © Usuario de Flickr: LrBln Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Address: General Francisco Ramírez 12-14

03. Casa Gilardi / Luis Barragán

via © Usuario de Flickr: pov steve. Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Address: Calle General Antonio León 82

04. Casa O´Gorman / Juan O´Gorman

via © Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera

Address: Calle Diego Rivera & Avenida Altavista

05. Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo / Juan O´Gorman

via Usuario de WikiArquitectura Pilar

Address: Calle Diego Rivera & Avenida Altavista

06. Torre Latinoamericana / Augusto H. Álvarez

Courtesy of Museo de Torre Latinoamericana

Address: Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas 2

07. Museo de Antropología / Pedro Ramirez Vázquez, Rafael Mijares, Jorge Campuzano

© Dan Gamboa Bohórquez

Address: Avenida Paseo de la Reforma & Calzada Mahatma Gandhi

08. Museo del Templo Mayor / Pedro Ramírez Vázquez y Jorge Ramírez Campuzan

via © Usuario de Flickr: Jesús Gorriti Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Address: Acceso desde Plaza Seminario, Zócalo

09. Palacio de Bellas Artes / Adamo Boari – Federico Ernesto Mariscal Piña

via © Wikipedia User: Jptellezgiron Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

Address: Avenida Juárez & Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas

10. Monumento a la Revolución / Carlos Obregón Santacilia

via © Wikipedia User: Haakon K Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5

Address: Plaza de la República s/n

11. Plaza de las Tres Culturas

via © Wikipedia User: Haakon K Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5

Address: Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas & Avenida Ricardo Flores Magón

12. Torre Insignia / Mario Pani

via © Usuario de Flickr: LANCER. Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Address: Avenida Ricardo Flores Magón & Avenida Insurgentes Norte

13. Los Manantiales / Félix Candela

© Erik Eugenio Martínez Parachini

Address: Calle 27, 60, Xochimilco

14. Jose Vasconcelos Library / Alberto Kalach

Courtesy of Alberto Kalach

Address: Eje 1 Norte Mosqueta & Calle Juan Aldama

15. Palmas 555 / Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos

Courtesy of Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos, fotografía por Guillermo Zamora

Address: Paseo de Las Palmas 555

16. Museo Tamayo / Abraham Zabludovsky & Teodoro Gonzalez

via © Usuario de Flickr Omar Omar. Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Address: Paseo de la Reforma 51

17. Reforma 27 / Alberto Kalach

© Yoshihiro Koitani

Address: Paseo de la Reforma 27

18. Museo Jumex / David Chipperfield Architects

© Simon Menges

Address: Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra 303

19. Museo Soumaya / FR-EE / Fernando Romero Enterprise

© Rafael Gamo

Address: Boulevard Cervantes Saavedra esq. Presa Falcón

20. Cineteca Nacional Siglo XXI / Rojkind Arquitectos

© Rojkind Arquitectos. Photo: Paul Rivera

Address: Avenida México Coyoacán 389

21. Casa Azul – Museo Frida Kahlo

via © Usuario de Flickr: Rod Waddington Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Address: Londres 247

22. Elena Garro Cultural Center / Fernanda Canales + arquitectura 911sc

Address: Calle Fernández Leal 43

23. “Los Clubes” – Cuadra San Cristóbal y Fuente de los Amantes / Luis Barragán

via © Usuario Flickr: Esparta. Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Address: Manantial Oriente 20, Atizapán de Zaragoza

24. Torres de Satélite / Mathias Goeritz en colaboración con Luis Barragán

via © Usuario Flickr: úbilo·haku

Address: Perif. Boulervard Manuel Ávila Camacho & Paseo de la Primavera

25. Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México

via © Wikipedia User: Guillermo Calva Márquez Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Address: Plaza de la Constitución S/N

26. Basílica de Santa María de Guadalupe / Pedro Ramírez Vázquez

© Oscar Ruiz

Address: Calzada de los Misterios & Zumarraga

27. Torre BBVA Bancomer / LEGORRETA + LEGORRETA + Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners

© Roland Halbe

Address: Paseo de la Reforma & Lieja

28. Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso

via © Wikipedia User: Zarateman Licensed under public domain

Address: Justo Sierra 16

29. Castillo de Chapultepec

via © Usuario de Flickr: lion05 Used under CC BY 2.0

Address: Bosque de Chapultepec / Acceso por Paseo de la Reforma

30. Museo de Anahuacalli / Diego Rivera

via © Usuario de Flickr MexicoCityVibes

Address: Museo 150

Find your Tour

You might be interested...

The Luis Barragan Tour

The Luis Barragan Tour

$195.00 USD p/person

Visited Places:

Northern: Torres de Satélite , Fuente de los Amantes, Cuadra San Cristóbal, El Bebedero and Casa Ortega. Southern: Convento de las Capuchinas, Casa Pedregal (aka Casa Prieto Lopez) and Casa Gilardi.

The Luis Barragán Tour (Private Tour)