Alberto Kalach's mixed-use 1930s building is revamped in Mexico City

Photography: courtesy of Fantastic Frank

In the genteel neighbourhood of Santa Maria la Ribera, ‘Caleta’ unfolds around a sequence of interior courtyards — a spatial strategy deeply embedded in Mexico City’s domestic architecture. Originally built in the 1930s, the 699sqm structure retains its high ceilings, mosaic floors and restrained art deco geometries, with zigzag motifs and linear ornament set within textured plaster and original finishes.

Alberto Kalach’s restoration removed later additions and reopened the patios as planted voids within the plan. Circulation now moves directly between courtyard and room, reinstating the building’s spatial rhythm. The ground floor operates as a continuous gallery surface of mosaic tile, where subtle shifts in flooring reveal the former division between commercial and residential uses. Upstairs, former living quarters function as large studios, their scale and natural light aligned with the building’s mixed-use history.

At the centre, the main courtyard gathers light and air, while the rooftop terrace extends across the full footprint with views towards Museo del Chopo. Listed for $28,500,000 MXN ($1.65M USD), the property remains a 1930s structure reworked for contemporary occupation in Mexico City.