Father Pedro Castellanos Lambley (1902–1961) was a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

and

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

who gained renown in the state of

Jalisco Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal En ...

during a time of early

Modernism Modernism is both a philosophy, philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western world, Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new fo ...

marked by sacred purity. He is best known for designing the homes of the Rébora and Aranguren families in

Guadalajara Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the list of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Me ...

Early life

He was born in 1902 in Guadalajara, to a family that excelled in literature and politics. His grandmother was poet Esther Tapia, and his father was Guillermo Castellanos Tapia, governor of the state of Jalisco. After a basic education in the UK and attendance at a military school in the United States, Castellanos returned to Guadalajara and studied at Ambrosio Ulloa's Engineering School, obtaining a degree in engineering and architecture in 1924. His first job was collaboration with Arnulfo Villaseñor in the construction of José Guadalupe Zuno (at the intersection of Bosques and Union). By 1925 he was already a lead designer at the office of Juan José Barragán, a prominent builder of the time (he replaced Luis Barragán, who had left to open shop on his own). Around 1931, Pedro Castellanos founded Castellanos and Negrete, leading to a series of brilliant solutions to professional commissions.

Career

Castellanos was known for his talent and versatility, as well as a clever eclecticism. Together with

Luis Barragán Luis Ramiro Barragán Morfín (March 9, 1902 – November 22, 1988) was a Mexican architect and engineer. His work has influenced contemporary architects visually and conceptually. Barragán's buildings are frequently visited by international ...

Ignacio Díaz Morales Ignacio is a male Spanish and Galician name originating either from the Roman family name Egnatius, meaning born from the fire, of Etruscan origin, or from the Latin name "Ignatius" from the word "Ignis" meaning "fire". This was the name of sev ...

, and Rafael Urzúa, Pedro Castellanos became known as a proponent of ‘traditional modernity’ (a return to traditional values while also acknowledging contemporaneity). According to

Julio de la Peña Julio is the Spanish equivalent of the month July and may refer to: *Julio (given name) *Julio (surname) *Júlio de Castilhos, a municipality of the western part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil * ''Julio'' (album), a 1983 compilation albu ...

, Pedro Castellanos was "a precursor of contemporary architecture, the most authentic, with a very vivacious architecture, yet without losing a certain simplicity". While developing in the field of architecture, Catellanos continued his religious vocation, joining the convent of

Franciscan friars The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...

in Aguascalientes, in 1938. Two years later he returned to Guadalajara, ordained a priest, and in the 1940s he headed the Diesis Commission on the Arts. He built a series of religious buildings around the state, including the Main Seminary, the chapel at Ciudad Granja, and the churches of Solitude, Holy Cross, and the Sacred Heart, as well as others in small towns. Two of his best known (and appreciated) works are: the house of the Rébora family (2052 Lerdo de Tejada; built in 1934), and the Aranguren residence, also in Guadalajara. In general, one must also highlight his residential compounds, which combine the local tradition of the

patio A patio (, from es, patio ; "courtyard", "forecourt", "yard", "little garden") is an outdoor space generally used for dining or recreation that adjoins a structure and is typically paved. In Australia the term is expanded to include roofed stru ...

, while allotting great individuality to each unit. The old market of San Juan de Dios (no longer in existence) is also one of his works. At his death in 1961, the College of Architects honored him with a post-mortem ''honoris causa'' distinction, for a life devoted to the production of architecture.

External links

LakeChapalaArtists.com: Modernist Architect Pedro Castellanos Lambley

Sources

* ''Pedro Castellanos'' in Volume 11 of ''Monografías de arquitectos del siglo XX''. Gobierno de Jalisco, Secretaría de Cultura, 2006 {{DEFAULTSORT:Castellanos, Pedro 1902 births 1961 deaths 20th-century Mexican Roman Catholic priests People from Guadalajara, Jalisco 20th-century Mexican architects