23/05/2026
Designed by Antonio Attolini Lack in 1959, Casa Gálvez forms part of the architectural development of El Pedregal de San Ángel in Mexico City, an urban project established over the volcanic lava fields created by the eruption of the Xitle volcano approximately 1,700 years ago.
The house reflects the principles that defined the Pedregal movement after the original urban vision promoted by Luis Barragán: integration of architecture with the basaltic landscape, use of endemic vegetation, and spatial adaptation to the irregular topography of the lava terrain.
Attolini Lack, who collaborated with Barragán during the early development of Pedregal, developed an architectural language characterized by geometric clarity, controlled natural light, and the use of regional materials including volcanic stone, concrete, wood, and plaster. In Casa Gálvez, the volcanic substrate was preserved as an active component of the site rather than removed, following the environmental and urban strategies that distinguished Pedregal from other modernist developments in Latin America during the mid-20th century.
The residence belongs to a broader period of Mexican modern architecture in which domestic space was conceived through climatic response, landscape continuity, and structural rationalism. Large openings, patios, and transitional spaces allowed natural ventilation and visual continuity between interior and exterior areas while responding to the climatic conditions of southern Mexico City.
Today, Casa Gálvez remains part of the architectural legacy of El Pedregal, an area internationally recognized for its contribution to modern residential architecture and landscape integration.
