"They Wanted to Make It Feel Younger, Fresher, and More Reflective of Who They Are" — So the Designer of This Mexico City Home Built a Cosmic Fantasy From a Modernist Treasure
"The idea was to allow different moments in Mexican design and visual culture to coexist within the same space," Andrés Gutiérrez says of the spark for the revamping of this mid-century modern house
Being bestowed with a home of great architectural heritage is a joy and an honor — but together with legacy, new owners often also acquire a side helping of pressure. The young couple who inherited this house in Mexico City’s San Ángel neighborhood — an affluent area that, alongside its colonial architecture, also features standout modernist buildings such as Frida Kahlo's and Diego Rivera's house-studio — loved the original structure, designed in 1962 by mid-century architect Jaime Ortiz Monasterio. And yet, they still felt like it needed a shake-up.
That's why they called on architect Andrés Gutiérrez, whose A-G estudio has a penchant for cheerfulness and surprising texture. "They wanted to take away some of its seriousness and make it feel younger, fresher, and more reflective of who they are; a modern home that felt contemporary, playful, and full of color, while still respecting the original architecture," says Andrés, who handled both the renovation and the upbeat interior design. "They also wanted it to have a distinctly Mexican identity, but without falling into folkloric clichés."
All furniture in the home was manufactured in Mexico — and all artwork is by Mexican creatives, too.
The meeting point between those two ideas is precisely where Andrés Gutiérrez's work has been focusing lately. Ever since he started his studio sixteen years ago, with projects spanning residences, restaurants, and hotels, he's always felt drawn to exploring and unpacking the culture of his own country. "I often feel the need to approach design as an ongoing exploration of national identity," he says. "Research is a very important part of my process, and I have a deep love for art."
With this project, that translates into many shrewd choices, from materials to decor. All of the furniture — from modernist armchairs by Ciudad Juarez-born Antonio Attolini Lack to pieces by contemporary studios Ad Hoc, Bibi Bibi, and Comité de Proyectos — was made in Mexico. Much of it was customized in specific hues or finishes for a unique result; some items — including cabinets, credenzas, and the outdoor dining chairs — were designed by Andrés himself (who trained in industrial design as well as interiors).
The art on the walls, too, is all by Mexican creatives. "We were particularly drawn to works that reference Mexico’s pre-Hispanic past and to pieces with a very strong use of color," explains Andrés. "The idea was never to recreate a particular period, but rather to allow these different moments in Mexican design and visual culture to coexist within the same space."
This leather-and-chrome armchair captures the same cool charm as this home.
Designer Andrés Gutiérrez has a preference for bold, "voluptuous" forms in furniture.
Still, Andrés' pick of a striking color palette — lilac rugs and sofas, duck-egg walls, and pea-green upholstered chairs — also comes from a very personal place. "I've always been deeply connected to color, and I simply can't imagine designing interiors in any other way," he admits.
"For me, one of the most important aspects of interior design, perhaps the most important of all, is making people feel something," he continues. "Color is one of the most powerful tools I have to achieve that. Sometimes I think I use design simply as a means of artistic expression. For me, design and art are first experienced through the eyes, and that visual impact is incredibly important."
That same exuberance applies to his use of volume and shape: from the marble table with chunky metal legs to a tubular, padded bed-frame, many of the pieces have an abundant, sculptural — often quirky, almost wacky — quality. "I've always been a maximalist. I'm drawn to voluptuous forms, and I'm not particularly interested in discretion or simplicity," he adds. "In most of my projects, I tend to choose pieces that feel like substantial objects with personality, weight, and presence."
This upholstered bedframe has the same voluptuous forms as the one picked by Andrés.
Despite respecting the original mid-century structure, the home's new owner desired a "fresher" approach to the interiors.
In the context of this decisive, bold stylistic spirit, it's remarkable (but telling) that the architectural renovation could still have been carried out with a light touch, in a way that feels both sensitive and nuanced.
"The main challenge was finding the right balance between preserving the original architecture and giving the house a completely new life," explains Andrés. "We wanted to retain as much of its original character as possible, particularly the floors and the extensive woodwork throughout the house."
Other than replacing some of the timber and renewing window frames and glass, much of the intervention actually consisted of retrofitting rather than reinventing the structure.
"The house was originally designed almost as a ‘library to live in’, and by the time I first saw it, very little of that idea remained. Recovering that spirit became fundamental to the project," says Andrés. The original bookshelves, which run almost floor-to-ceiling in the living room, had been removed by the previous owners. "We restored everything we could, reintroduced the library as a central element of the house, and used that original concept as the starting point for the entire interior."
A shiny chrome lamp is the perfect way to bounce light and add a bit of character to your space.
Newly designed spaces, such at the kitchen and bathrooms, share bold and sculptural aesthetics.
The living room also features another striking architectural highlight from the original mid-century design — one that arguably anchors the whole space: a large, wooden umbrella-like column that spans different mezzanine floors, connecting them almost like a central tree radiating outwards.
"It creates a very particular sense of intimacy within what is otherwise a very open space," says Andrés. "During the modernist period in Mexico, these kinds of structural 'umbrellas' were quite common in architecture, combining a structural purpose with a very sculptural presence."
Architect Jaime Ortiz Monasterio used this solution in several of his other projects — as did masters such as Félix Candela and Pedro Ramírez Vázquez.
All details around the house are intended to make a loud statement. "I'm drawn to irreverence; I will always prefer something that stands out," says Andrés.
That period of Mexican architectural history is a recurring source of inspiration for Andrés, but his influences also span beyond the national borders: the Memphis movement of the 1980s and 90s is a frequent point of reference.
"I'm drawn to irreverence; I will always prefer something that stands out, something that might even verge on the ridiculous, over anything too discreet or conventionally elegant," he says. "That is why I love Ettore Sottsass and the Memphis movement so much. I draw inspiration not only from its forms, but also from its philosophy."
He is also interested in how different European styles — from Art Deco to functionalism — were adapted and transformed in Mexico to suit this new context.
This side table has the same poppy chartreuse color as pieces from this playful home.
Throughout the house, the palette is a riotous meeting of daring shades. "I've always been deeply connected to color, and I simply can't imagine designing interiors in any other way," says Andrés.
His take on exploring Mexican architectural identity is about unpacking that hybridity; it is also inevitably shaped by his own personal viewpoint and aesthetic sensibility.
"I'm interested in simply being myself, in understanding and exploring who I am through design, using the references, materials, stories, and imagery that surround me. And inevitably, Mexico is at the heart of that," he explains.
"For me, living in this country is an extraordinary gift. Its history, its culture, and its visual universe are an inexhaustible source of inspiration. So rather than trying to define what Mexican identity is, I'm more interested in discovering what it means to me, and allowing that personal interpretation to evolve through my work."
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