Ivana Martin

Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Art Business

First Advisor

Agnes Berecz

Second Advisor

Morgan Falconer

Abstract

This thesis examines how Luis Barragán’s Convento de las Capuchinas Sacramentarias (1955) is a medium for spiritual experience. In his work, Barragán explores the use of color, light, and emotion as central elements and the ways in which they transform sacred space into an embodied, contemplative experience. There is also a comparison to other churches and other similar projects that were done during the same time period, specifically in Mexico. Modernist architecture in mid-century Mexico was largely defined by rationalist and more functional ideals, but Barragán separated himself from these tendencies to create an architecture that privileges silence, intimacy, and creates a different feeling for the viewer, which is what makes the Convento de las Capuchinas particularly interesting. In order to have a better understanding of Barragán’s approach, there is an analysis of the convent’s design through a phenomenological framework, incorporating first-hand observations, and archival research from the Barragán Foundation in Rheim, Germany. Interviews with experts including Jorge Gamboa de Buen, president of the Barragán Foundation in Mexico City, and Ramón López Quiroga, a predominant gallery owner in Mexico City are also included (there is a note in relation to this interview under the limitations for this thesis). There is also another interview, which was done to Soeur Verónica, who is a nun that lives in the convent. This thesis also situates the convent within the broader contexts of Latin American and global modernism, comparing Barragán’s sacred architecture to contemporaneous works by José Villagrán García, Le Corbusier, and Tadao Ando. This thesis demonstrates that Barragán expanded what was already known of modernism in order to embrace spirituality, cultural identity, and human emotion. Color and light function are vital because they serve as theological and emotional instruments. This thesis also concludes by positioning the Convento de las Capuchinas Sacramentarias as a really important work that redefines sacred modernism, not only through decoration or architectural rules, but through atmosphere, perception, and the quiet power of devotion made visible.

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