The New Hacienda [antikvár]

OREWORDGrowing up in Mexico as a child, I was repeatedly told that Mexico was a cornucopia of abundance with all sorts of fruits, vegetables, and grains spilling out of the mythical horn. Teachers would even point out how the shape of the Mexico map resembled the fabled horn of abundance. One of the untapped riches of Mexico that surely needs to be included as part of the country's abundance is its legacy of architecture. From the pre-Hispanic monuments through colonial magnificence to today's vibrant modern Mexican movement, the architecture of Mexico is truly one of its unique riches.A main component of Mexico's rich architectural heritage Is, of course, what Karen and Joe are so beautifully presenting in the theme of this bookthe hacienda and its rich design style.With advancement through the ages and changes in the economy, land tenure, and the onslaught of the modern industrial age, the hacienda system of production became obsolete and most of these sprawling architectural complexes were abandoned. Except for a few outstanding examples whose owners have heroically maintained their ancestral inheritance into modern times, hacienda complexes had fallen into dismal abandonment and disrepair.Luckily for Mexico and the rest of the world, there is a strong movement afoot, mostly by private individuals and institutions, to salvage these architectural wonders that hark to a bygone era.With a strong vision, hefty investment of funds and time, and, above all, the creative juices that fuel these endeavors, the haciendas that dot the varied Mexican landscape are being rescued from the jaws of destruction and neglect and lovingly brought back to their former glory. This labor of love is happening not a moment too soon.Haciendas can be found throughout Mexico and vary according to their purpose. From the cattle and mining operations in arid desert regions to the north, to the coffee plantations of the Chiapas lowlands; from the mining enterprises found in the mountains of Guanajuato, to the henequén plantations in Yucatán; from the pulque palaces of the highland plains, to flamboyant sugar ingenios of Morelos with imposing chacuaco smokestacks piercing the skies and visible for many a league in the distant landscape, Mexican haciendas are many and varied.Haciendas in Mexico were built through a span of four centuries. Their architectural styles reflect the style in vogue at the time they were built, along with the technology and building materials available in the region. The baroque exuberance of La Casa de los Perros in Apaseo del Alto in Guanajuato or the serene splendor of San Gabriel de las Palmas, the eclecticism expressed by the fantasies of the owners of the late-nineteenth-century pulque haciendas of Hidalgo and the henequén haciendas of Yucatan, where seemingly landed estates of neo-