Located in Mexico City’s vibrant Roma Norte neighborhood, the iconic Edificio Francia stood as a symbol of innovation and community since its construction in 1927. One of the first multi-family residences in the area, its architectural significance and social history made it a cultural landmark. Its walls held the stories of its past inhabitants, reflecting the multiple layers of time that shaped it.
In February 2023, the building—empty and poised for transformation into a hotel—became the stage for HUÉSPED by FARO Studio, an immersive project that explored memory, impermanence, and domesticity through the narrative power of light.
A Journey Through Light Installations in Edificio Francia
Designed by Cecilia González Barragán, Sofía Arredondo Reynaud, and Andrés Bravo, with contributions from Montserrat Quintanar Vázquez and Rena Izawa, HUÉSPED transformed the spaces of Edificio Francia with eight site-specific light installations. These installations interacted with the building’s architecture—worn walls, uneven floors, and time-stained windows—while incorporating objects found on-site, such as mirrors, satellite dishes, and fluorescent tubes.
Visitors, guided only by flashlights, became essential participants, bringing the installations to life as they wandered through the space.
This approach aligned with the project’s broader theme of impermanence and renewal, using light as the main medium to tell stories and transform spaces.
FARO continues to innovate as a multidisciplinary art and design studio, using light as the primary medium to create transformative experiences and reimagine spaces.
