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Part 1 of 3 — interviewed award-winning industrial designer Nao Tamura () at the installation in Milan.
Tamura is a New York City based designer, but grew up in Tokyo. She is celebrated for her thoughtful and rigorous work across product design, interiors and architecture.
Marcel Breuer inadvertently defined the interiors of the Bauhaus in Weimar between 1924 and 1927 with this simple set of drawers.
The design functions as an extruded volume with minimal articulation, relying on the rhythmic interplay of black and white drawers. Its hardware reflects a specific obsession with stripping functional components down to their simplest possible expression, where the drawer pulls either disappear into the surface or provide immense visual contrast.
On the sides of the cabinet, interestingly, an off-the-shelf or “readymade” handle is fastened so the user can roll the cabinet on its wheels. These functioned as studio cabinets and had to be durable, so Breuer incorporated a metal plate at the bottom of the volume.
Although minimalistic, it’s important to view this piece in the context of the time period within which it was designed.
Made by in Germany. Available at Rarify.
06/14/2026
CASA PEDREGAL in Mexico City
Rarify recently visited Casa Pedregal—Luis Barragán’s largest private residence and the centerpiece of the neighborhood he developed from a vast field of jagged volcanic lava.
Tours are arranged by emailing [email protected].
Part architect, part landscape architect, Barragán preserved the site’s original lava formations, designing pathways and platforms that lightly traverse the terrain rather than dominate it. At one point, a later owner buried much of the lava beneath soil to create a miniature golf course. The current owners later excavated and restored the landscape, returning the property to Barragán’s original vision.
The house itself is surprisingly restrained. Painted a muted pink on the exterior, it employs a softer palette than many of Barragán’s later works, yet remains a masterclass in the orchestration of light, shadow, color, and perception. Even the pool participates in this exploration: painted green on the interior, it appears algae-filled despite being perfectly clear.
Inside, monolithic furnishings crafted from ahuehuete wood reflect Barragán’s fascination with pure planes and volumes. The immense trunks of these trees yield exceptionally wide boards, allowing furniture to be made from singular, uninterrupted surfaces. The home contains furniture by Clara Porset, including pieces developed in collaboration with Barragán, as well as a Donald Judd bed.
Throughout the house are Barragán’s distinctive cubic wooden door pulls, custom lamps with hand-blown glass bases produced using regional techniques, and original Esferas de Pulquería and Esferas de Tlaquepaque. These reflective glass objects are intentionally positioned to distort perspective, catch and scatter light, and reflect the surrounding space. As sunlight moves through the spaces, walls seem to change tone and depth, creating illusions throughout the home.
After changing hands several times, the property is now stewarded by a family dedicated to preservation.
Adjacent to the house, they have opened TETETLÁN restaurant and a cultural center—an architectural gem in its own right.
Thanks to Alejandro Artvarado for making this visit possible.
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