His futuristic forms inextricably woven with references drawn from Mexico’s history – via structures and relics of the Mayan, Aztec and Zapotec periods – Mexican architect and sculptor Agustín Hernández Navarro pioneered an idiosyncratic approach to 20th century Modernism. A living monument to his architectural philosophy, his Brutalist home-studio Praxis House stands on the outer edge of Mexico City, a sculptural concrete landmark levitating among the treetops of the Bosques de la Lomas.

In short film Praxis, Jordanian-Palestinian director Raya Shaban captures Agustín Hernández Navarro in his home environment, amassing some of the last-known footage of the architect before his passing at 98. Within the walls of the iconic Praxis House, he discusses the trinity that forms architecture – structure, form, and function – and its relation to his life and practice.

Guiding the eye through the physical space, Hernández Navarro unlocks the essence of his being through carefully curated objects and books, sharing insight into his inner world and the sources that stimulated him privately and professionally. Dedicated to his memory, the film situates a design innovator against the otherworldly geometry for which he became known, offering an intimate portrait of a monumental space intended to be lived through its influences.