Atención: Eye on Architecture. The Soul Of Architecture In San Miguel

By Cathi House

San Miguel de Allende is an exquisitely beautiful Spanish Colonial town with a complex mix of centuries of architectural styles, protected by the National Institute of Anthropology and History. Declared a National Monument in 1926 and a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2008, San Miguel’s historic center has long been protected from modern intrusions such as traffic lights, billboards, neon signs and fast food franchises. Spanish Colonial, often called Mexican Baroque, is a unique style. Quietly observing the buildings, one can almost feel the flow of Moorish traditions from North Africa into southern Spain, across the Atlantic Ocean to mix with local materials and indigenous masons to become what it is in San Miguel - luscious - in color, texture, shadow, moldings and balconies. Most walls are stone or adobe, plastered then washed with lime mixed with natural pigments. The result is walls that are bold yet soft, feeling almost alive to the touch. Moldings are cut from cantera, a volcanic stone that can be found throughout the country in shades of grey to black, pink, orange, lavender, lime green, white and brown.

At 6,200 feet altitude, the sharp lines of shadows embellish the walls with layers of patterns cast from exquisitely carved cornices, ornate light fixtures and balconies draped in greenery - living shadows that tell the time of day and year. The lime-washed colors glow in the sunlight as though illuminated from within. Facades are further decorated with potted plants along the roof, garlands of flowers around doorways and decorations that are hung and removed in a regular rhythm of festivities. Crosses or small statues crown peaks or corners.

Under a buttress of the San Francisco church it is possible to still see the original geometric painting that once covered the facade.

There are beautiful churches with their towers reaching to heaven, courtyards providing peaceful retreats, rhythm in the facades lining each street, plazas alive with celebration, markets overflowing with colorful goods, people with kind eyes and willing spirits - it takes all of this to create the richness of the architecture found in San Miguel, because architecture is not just the buildings, it is a whole world. There is balance between the past and the future, the old and new, what has been and what possibilities still lie ahead…

Steven and I were fortunate to learn early that to truly experience another culture, we must let it penetrate into our very souls. Travel is our source of inspiration and growth, allowing us to see beyond the limits of our own imagination. In ancient lands, vibrant colors and extraordinary people - we learned that soulfulness is the most important quality to nourish. When you slowly feel a place, breathe its aromas, taste its delicacies, listen to the stories of those who live there and stand in awe before its beauty, then you begin to see.

I have had the honor and pleasure of designing more than forty homes in San Miguel, working intimately with builders, craftsmen and artisans.

My crew, led by Maestro Guadalupe González, has given me the opportunity to do work not possible in the US and their passion for the art of building and willingness to figure out how to build things they have never imagined has given my work a new voice. In gratitude for all we have learned in our travels and how it has given our lives so much depth, seventeen years ago we established CASA - the Center for Architecture Sustainability + Art - a study abroad program to help the next generation of architects step away from their technology and learn how to see, feel, understand in the deepest parts of themselves that their soul is where they should create from. San Miguel is the perfect place to learn this lesson.

Life is a journey – through places and relationships – with ourselves and with each other.

Opening our souls to other cultures with respect and understanding of our different histories, experiences and hopes has been our greatest joy, for which we are eternally grateful.

“I think that the ideal space must contain elements of magic, serenity, sorcery and mystery.”

Luis Barragán

Cathi House is a resident andpracticing architect in San Miguelsince 1992.

cathi@houseandhouse.com

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