One More Piece in the Collection

The design of the Museo Tamayo, in the hands of architects Teodoro González de León and Abraham Zabludovsky, began in 1972. Following various interruptions in the development of the project – which resulted in some modifications in its conception – final construction began in 1979, concluding two years later. The result was a multi-level, modular building, harmoniously incorporated into its surroundings. Special attention was placed on the design of interior spaces, which, illuminated with natural light, create varied ambiences. The building occupies 2,800 square meters of terrain and 5,100 square meters of indoor space. Both for its design details and for the plastic and practical solutions it incorporates, the building received the National Prize for Architecture 1981.

The Museo Tamayo is considered one of the examples of contemporary architecture bound to serve as a museum. From the beginning, the building was conceived of as one more piece of the collection of the Museum -- in fact, the most important, most active, and of course, greatest in size.
 
The building has a structure of multiple levels that refers to pre-Columbian architectural heritage. The many steep slopes with vegetation are a fundamental part of the composition; they establish the relationship of the building to the Bosque de Chapultepec, creating the impression that the Museum rises from the ground.
Walking through the galleries is a pleasing and dynamic experience, with the visitor gradually ending up in the patio. With two intercalated ramps between the galleries, the visitor descends at the end of the visit, practically without realizing. Breadth and spaciousness are another virtue of the building.

The natural and artificial light mix to create contrasts that intensify the relationship between the visitor and the works of art. At the end of every gallery, there are main and side doorways, in the form of a terrace or large window that receive natural light.

National Prize for Architecture 1981 for its design details and for the plastic and practical solutions it incorporates