Mexican Houses, Verna Cook Shipway and the representation of the Mexican house

Abstract

This article deals with a series of five books on the Mexican house published in the United States between 1960 and 1970. Considering the importance of the series, which was widely circulated in Mexico and abroad, this paper carefully reviews the books’ contents in terms of locations, owners, architects and features of the houses presented. This information and a review of the main author´s professional life (Verna Cook Shipway) leads to the conclusion that, while the format to the books follows the tradition of foreign publications on Mexican architecture (through photographs, line drawings and short texts), their contents emphasize features (such as handcrafted elements, transitional spaces, tropical vegetation, and the seclusion and intimacy of inner courtyards, among others) which reflect the aversion of both authors and readers to Modernity. In this sense the books do not only present houses, but a return to traditional values and the possibility of a different way of life associated with the house. The current popularity of pictu-re books that associate Mexican houses with color and tradition may be associated with a trend in residential tourism in Mexico as baby boomers retire.