the brutalist beauty of praxis house
a car ride down avenida paseo de las palmas in the northwestern part of mexico city - starting near the shiny soumaya museum - will take you past the low-key brutalist palmas 555 office building before putting you in one of the city’s most opulent neighborhoods. eventually, the avenue will connect you to another; head southwest on avenida paseo de la reforma and you’ll soon enter the bosques de las lomas neighborhood
it’s here where, up a hill reached after making a few turns this way and that, you’ll suddenly come across an otherworldly concrete building towering over the forest that gives this place its name. a spaceship of cement and sharp angles, this curious design may seem odd at first, but it is no strange structure. what you’re looking at is an icon of mexico city’s brutalist architecture and the mind of one of the country’s most renowned architects. welcome to bosque de acacias 61. welcome to praxis house
what is the praxis house in mexico city?
praxis house is the home and studio of mexican architect agustín hernández navarro. this brutalist building uses concrete, glass, and a design inspired by pre-hispanic architecture to create a unique structure that quite literally stands out from its surroundings
standing forty meters above the ground, the residence overlooks the street paseo ahahuetes norte like a control tower from “an airport out of blade runner,” per david pérez of national newspaper el país. looking up at the building from its base down below, that certainly seems true - but that’s only one way to describe this curious building
the house’s inverted-pyramid design uses triangular features in a way that makes its entrance façade seem like a bunker or even a spaceship. throw in the fact that the house is nestled between more traditional residences in what appears to be an otherwise regular neighborhood, and you definitely get the sense that you’re looking at something truly special amid the stark contrast
praxis design
according to archdaily, hernández navarro was inspired by palm beach huts to create the concept of tension and compression that praxis is based on. four prisms - half of which utilize compression and the other half pressure - are used to “seek structural equilibrium.” these four t-shaped elements are slotted into the structural centerpiece and then rotated sixty degrees on the horizontal axis. the result is a design that strikes a balance between defying gravity and the building’s own equilibrium
the house seems to be well integrated into the hillside on which it is built. there’s a singular walkway that connects the house to the street where its main entrance is located. there, a locked metal double door greets outsiders. furthermore, the use of raw concrete gives the house its characteristically brutalist look
and as navarro himself says, his home is “everything he’s sought in architecture, for structure, form, and function to be united as one”
the interior of praxis house
in an online article, fundarqmx states that praxis has three levels: a study in the first; the main bedroom and living room in the second; and navarro’s library on the third
archdaily writes that “circulation was an essential part of the project,” something especially demonstrated by a spiral staircase with triangular metal steps. this staircase has no railing, and instead uses “a system of springs and support” that form part of its “aesthetic.” the sliding windows found throughout the residence are used to “incorporate light” and view the exterior. additionally, the architectural magazine writes that the “richness of the space” is due in part to the “diverse geometry” found throughout the home
you can view some of the interior elements of praxis house - in addition to some exterior shots - in video format through this interview with the architect and this short film by apartamento magazine
other common names for praxis house
praxis house seems to be the most commonly used name for the residence. however, you may find it referred to by its spanish iterations: taller de arquitectura (architecture studio) and taller de arquitectura de agustín hernández (architecture studio of agustín hernández). the house is also known simply as praxis
when was praxis house built?
praxis, an excellent example of mexican brutalism found in mexico city, was built in 1975
who designed praxis house?
agustín hernández navarro is the mastermind behind the praxis house design
where in mexico city is the praxis house located?
praxis house is located in the bosques de las lomas neighborhood in the northwestern part of the capital
the praxis house address is:
bosque de acacias 61, bosques de las lomas, miguel hidalgo, 11700 ciudad de méxico, cdmx
is praxis open to the public?
no, praxis house is not open to the public. this home-studio was still in use by its architect, agustín hernández navarro up until his passing in 2022
in late winter/early spring 2022, praxis house welcomed visitors for the first time thanks to an exhibition presented by peana, an art gallery. according to archdaily, the exhibit was part of mexico’s city cultural week in which visitors were able to tour the house and see works by hernández navarro and fourteen other artists. you can see pictures of the inside of praxis house in this archdaily post.
whether the house will open up to the public in a similar - or more permanent - fashion is still unknown
who is agustín hernández navarro?
agustín hernández navarro is a mexican modernist and brutalist architect. he is the mastermind behind some of the cities coolest buildings (author’s opinion) including the brutalist school of folkloric ballet that his sister directed and casa en el aire
online magazine archeyes states that hernández navarro is a “leading exponent of ‘emotional’ architecture” in mexico, and that he uses “elements from mexico’s pre-columbian past” in his work. furthermore, curator and author carlota pérex-jofre says the following of the praxis house architect in her book:
“while [architects] barragán and goeritz bet on serenity or the sublime,
hernández navarro explored the emotions of mictlán, the mexica infraworld”
hernández navarro passed away on november 10, 2022. his other works include: the amalia hernández school of folkloric ballet, the amalia hernández house, the heroic military school, and the calakmul complex
learn more about other examples of mexico city’s brutalist architecture
praxis house photos
click on each image to see an enlarged version as originally shot
click on each image to see an enlarged version as originally shot
