Residential design and Mexican architecture make for an exciting combination, so when Casa Mexicana, a new book from Thames & Hudson, landed on our desk, we were thrilled. Not only that, but the publication features the striking imagery of architectural photographer and regular Wallpaper* contributor Edmund Sumner, and has been penned by Wallpaper* editor Jonathan Bell, making this a must-read for genre enthusiasts around the world.
Flick through the pages of ‘Casa Mexicana’
The captivatingly designed tome offers a lush exploration of some of the best houses in Mexico, blending retreats and primary homes, urban and rural. Striking forms present contemporary twists to the local vernacular, while modern interpretations of brutalist architecture and minimalist getaways will entice even the most demanding reader.
The richness of the country's architectural offering is presented in all its landscape and variety, from formal explorations to diverse materials, as the book spans anything from handmade straw surfaces, timber constructions, torn brick, and local stone, balancing tradition and innovation, captured expertly through Sumner's lens.
The photographer says about his inspiration for the book, and his passion for documenting Mexican architecture: 'Mexico has infectious optimism in the air. The people I meet, the designers I work with, the architecture I shoot there are all united by a sense of curiosity, confidence and the purest, most understated style. It’s a scene with an eye on the past but one foot firmly in the future, a “primal future” whose influence is now exploding onto the global stage.'
He continues: 'If there’s one word to describe how my work has left traces across different continents, it’s ‘conversation’. While photography is a visual medium, I hope my work serves as a conduit through which to bring conversations of emerging architecture to a global stage. It is an honour and a privilege to be so deeply embedded in Mexico. It has a scene like no other.'
The publication is structured around four chapters, each focusing on a loose typological grouping, including sections that look into family homes, experimental structures, live/work spaces and retreats. Examples of buildings in it include Casa Alferez by Ludwig Godefroy, Casa Wabi by Tadao Ando, Casa Reyes by Pedro Reyes and Casa Tiny by Aranza de Ariño.
Casa Mexicana's 26 case studies are accompanied by architectural plans and drawings, while the homes are introduced with a thoughtful essay by architect Fernanda Canales, who is a deft hand in residential design for all scales and budgets - from Casa Bruma to her socially minded creations Casa Eva and Casa Productiva. Canales is also featured in this book with two of her latest projects, Casa Terreno and Casa 720.
A versatile and thoughtful architect, Canales explores in her preface 'What makes a house Mexican?' A fitting question, perhaps, in an age of rapid growth and globalisation in many parts of the world. While this may be true in some cases, in Mexico, the country's unique blend of influences, spanning colonial structures, Aztec and Mayan history, haciendas, Islamic nods, Native American heritage, and modernist architecture visions, have resulted in a meaningful, site-specific architecture that not only serves its purpose beautifully, but truly delights.
-
A postcard from Malmö’s Southern Sweden Design Days 2025Southern Sweden Design Days offers a more gentle approach to a design festival, and an opportunity to discover new talent
-
2025 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize winner announced as Kunimasa AokiThe Japanese sculptor describes his work as ‘50 per cent tradition and 50 per cent innovation’
-
Photographer Geordie Wood takes a leap of faith with first film, DiversGeordie Wood delved into the world of professional diving in Fort Lauderdale for his first film
-
In Quintana Roo, a park mesmerises with its geometric pavilionA Mexican events venue in the state of Quintana Roo rings the changes with a year-round pavilion that fosters a strong connection between its users and nature
-
Casa La Paz is a private retreat in Baja California full of texture and theatricsLudwig Godefroy designed Casa La Paz in Baja California, Mexico to create deep connections between the home and its surroundings
-
Modernist Travel Guide: a handy companion to explore modernism across the globe‘Modernist Travel Guide’, a handy new pocket-sized book for travel lovers and modernist architecture fans, comes courtesy of Wallpaper* contributor Adam Štěch and his passion for modernism
-
Pedro y Juana's take on architecture: 'We want to level the playing field’Mexico City-based architects Pedro y Juana bring their transdisciplinary, participatory approach to the Mexico pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025; find out more
-
Ukrainian Modernism: a timely but bittersweet survey of the country’s best modern buildingsNew book ‘Ukrainian Modernism’ captures the country's vanishing modernist architecture, besieged by bombs, big business and the desire for a break with the past
-
New book 'I-IN' brings together Japanese heritage and minimalist architecture at its finestJapanese architecture studio I-IN flaunts its expert command of 21st-century minimalism in a new book by Frame Publishers
-
A barrel vault rooftop adds drama to these homes in Mexico CityExplore Mariano Azuela 194, a housing project by Bloqe Arquitetura, which celebrates Mexico City's Santa Maria la Ribera neighbourhood
-
Ten contemporary homes that are pushing the boundaries of architectureA new book detailing 59 visually intriguing and technologically impressive contemporary houses shines a light on how architecture is evolving
