13 mexican designers show at 'casa del atrio,' captured by alejandro ramirez orozco

casa del atrio: a modernist gem in mexico city

The San Ángel neighborhood of Mexico City is home to the iconic Casa del Atrio by architect Antonio Attolini Lack, a key yet often overlooked figure in modern Mexican architecture. Designed in 1990, the house exemplifies Attolini’s later works, characterized by bold geometric forms, rich textures, and a masterful interplay of light and space. It is here that photographer Alejandro Ramirez Orozco curates his latest project, Casa del Atrio — The Container and What it Contains, during Zona Maco 2025.

For Ramirez Orozco, the project was an opportunity to explore the spiritual essence of a room through photography. ‘The container and its contents completely cohere — in space, time, and in twenty-five indelible photographic compositions,’ pens writer Suleman Anaya, describing the essence of the project. By staging contemporary design throughout Attolini’s spaces, Ramirez Orozco has created a visual narrative that bridges past and present, celebrating the enduring legacy of Mexican modernism.

images © Alejandro Ramirez Orozco

a photographic exploration of space and design

‘Being an architect is a presence in life, a way of being. My architecture has an emotional component, like poetry,’ said Casa del Atrio designer Attolini, whose career spanned two distinct phases. His early works, rooted in the International Style, featured sleek steel-and-glass structures that harmonized with the dramatic volcanic landscape of Jardines del Pedregal. However, it was his later period that truly defined his legacy. Drawing inspiration from colonial cloisters and Mexico’s artisanal traditions, Attolini’s designs evolved to incorporate thick slabs, crisp angles, and sensually rich spaces. Casa del Atrio, with its expansive rooms, custom cabinetry, and careful detailing, embodies this later phase, blending luminous complexity with monastic simplicity.

Alejandro Ramirez Orozco’s photography project, Casa del Atrio — The Container and What it Contains, captures the essence of Attolini’s architectural vision while showcasing contemporary design pieces by thirteen Mexican makers. The project features twenty-five photographs, each carefully curated to highlight the interplay between the house and the objects within it. ‘Interiors fascinate me — there has to be a coherence between the container and what it contains,’ Attolini once remarked, a sentiment that resonates deeply with the photographer’s approach.

Mexico City’s Casa del Atrio is the setting for Alejandro Ramirez Orozco’s new photography project

the house as a stage

Casa del Atrio’s labyrinthine layout, with its lofty ceilings, mysterious staircases, and colorful garden, lend the backdrop for Ramirez Orozco’s vision. The photographer meticulously positioned each piece within the house, from sculptural furniture to textured rugs, ensuring a harmonious relationship between object and space. Some items were specially designed for the project, while others were adapted from existing prototypes. The result is a series of images that not only celebrate Mexican craftsmanship but also highlight the house’s architectural nuances.

The photographed works span a range of materials and techniques, from volcanic earth to lacquered wood, reflecting the diversity of Mexico’s design landscape. Ramirez Orozco’s use of a telephoto lens flattened the pictorial plane, emphasizing contrasts and shadows to create images with surprising depth. Human figures, dressed in neutral tones, occasionally appear in the frames, further underscoring the proportional harmony between space and object.

design objects are staged throughout Antonio Attolini Lack’s architectural gem