In Residence: Casa Gilardi
by NOWNESSDec 19, 2019
•make your fridays matter with a well-read weekend
by NOWNESSPublished on : Oct 25, 2019
The Mexico City home of artist Pedro Reyes and fashion designer Carla Fernández is a continually adapting architectural project. Coarse concrete walls divide the sprawling space into discrete sections that, over the years, has evolved to meet both the demands of a working atelier and comfort of a family home.
“Their home is more than just a living space but a reflection of their commitment to working with the community”
The daunting brutalism of the space is offset by Fernández’s vibrant textiles and Reyes’ sculptural work. A larger than life-sized sculpture of Vladimir Lenin’s head lies in repose, a wooden ‘hand chair’ with articulating fingers sits in the corner, and shovels cast from melted down weapons hang on a wall. Moving from the man-made to the natural, the master bathroom resembles an ancient geological site with its carved volcanic stone basin and roughly-hewn rockpool bathtub. Around the home lightwells of brilliant yellow interrupts the grey of the concrete, while large cacti and palms beckon a sense of the outdoors.
Their Coyoacán home is more than just a living space but a reflection of their commitment to working with the community. Most of the cement work was completed in-house by local craftspeople and the workshop is continually awash with neighbourhood artisans working on Reyes’s new sculptural projects.
Reyes’s opus extends far beyond material arts and sculptures - most notably his People’s United Nations (stylised as “pUN”) invited 193 volunteers to find resolutions to geopolitical conflicts using psychology and theater.
Meanwhile, Fernández’s eponymous fashion label works alongside indigenous communities in order to promote traditional weaving techniques and patterns to global audiences. As the couple continually seek out new partnerships and opportunities for knowledge exchange, they have both been visiting lecturers for the MIT program in Art, Culture and Technology. The couple’s work, just like their cavernous home, is a testament to the rewards of local collaboration and celebration of Mexico’s rich heritage.
Next up, In Residence: Amanda Levete
To see more episodes from the series ‘In Residence’, click here.
For more details, visit www.nowness.com
by Bansari Paghdar Sep 25, 2025
Middle East Archive’s photobook Not Here Not There by Charbel AlKhoury features uncanny but surreal visuals of Lebanon amidst instability and political unrest between 2019 and 2021.
by Aarthi Mohan Sep 24, 2025
An exhibition by Ab Rogers at Sir John Soane’s Museum, London, retraced five decades of the celebrated architect’s design tenets that treated buildings as campaigns for change.
by Bansari Paghdar Sep 23, 2025
The hauntingly beautiful Bunker B-S 10 features austere utilitarian interventions that complement its militarily redundant concrete shell.
by Mrinmayee Bhoot Sep 22, 2025
Designed by Serbia and Switzerland-based studio TEN, the residential project prioritises openness of process to allow the building to transform with its residents.
make your fridays matter
SUBSCRIBEEnter your details to sign in
Don’t have an account?
Sign upOr you can sign in with
a single account for all
STIR platforms
All your bookmarks will be available across all your devices.
Stay STIRred
Already have an account?
Sign inOr you can sign up with
Tap on things that interests you.
Select the Conversation Category you would like to watch
Please enter your details and click submit.
Enter the 6-digit code sent at
Verification link sent to check your inbox or spam folder to complete sign up process
by NOWNESS | Published on : Oct 25, 2019
What do you think?