In 1929, Juan O’Gorman built the first functionalist house in Mexico, an architectural movement that prioritizes the utility of buildings and the maximum efficiency of their spaces, dispensing with decorative elements.

Located in San Ángel, south of Mexico City, the house was presented by the architect to Diego Rivera, who, intrigued by its low cost and social approach to housing, commissioned him to design a house-studio for himself and Frida Kahlo, which was designed and built between 1931 and 1932.

The complex consists of a residence housing Frida Kahlo’s studio, a second building serving as Diego Rivera’s workshop and gallery, as well as a photography lab for Guillermo Kahlo. Rivera’s studio stands out for its design as a box elevated on stilts, accessible via a spiral staircase that leads first to the first-floor gallery, where the artist exhibited his collection of pre-Hispanic and folk art, as well as his easel paintings.

On the second level, accessible via an interior or exterior staircase, is the artist’s studio, where he created much of his easel work, as well as sketches, studies, and stencils for his murals. Designed as an environment conducive to creativity, the studio features a north-facing window that allows indirect light to enter, and is topped by a sloped “sawtooth” roof, characteristic of industrial aesthetics.

Admission: $45

50% discount with ICOM membership card; free admission for students and teachers with valid ID and Inapam beneficiaries. Free admission on Sundays.