The story
Welcome to the heart of Hipódromo Condesa. As you stand here at Avenida México 187, look up. Towering above the leafy canopy of the neighborhood is a masterpiece of Mexican modernism, a structure that feels less like a functional apartment block and more like a vertical sculpture frozen in time.
This is the Edificio Basurto. Completed in 1945, this fourteen-story giant was designed by the visionary architect Francisco J. Serrano.
At the time it was built, it was one of the tallest residential buildings in the city, a soaring symbol of the ambition of a Mexico City moving toward a cosmopolitan, mid-century future. But Serrano didn’t just want to build high; he wanted to build with movement. Take a moment to study the facade.
Do you see how the balconies and windows aren't just flat surfaces? They curve, recede, and jut out in a rhythmic, zigzag pattern. This is a prime example of late Art Deco, often referred to as Streamline Moderne.
It reflects the era’s obsession with speed and aerodynamic shapes, translating the sleek lines of ocean liners and locomotives into static concrete. The Basurto family, for whom the building is named, owned this land when the area was still transitioning from the old Jockey Club’s horse racing track—the Hipódromo—into the chic residential enclave you see today. Serrano was presented with a challenging triangular lot.
His brilliant solution was to create a building with a central core that spirals upward, allowing light and air to reach every corner of the interior. If you were to step inside the lobby, your eyes would immediately be drawn to the most famous staircase in Mexico. It is a breathtaking, helical spiral that winds up the entire height of the building without a central pillar.
Looking up from the bottom is like looking through the lens of a giant, geometric eye. It is an engineering marvel that has survived the city’s major earthquakes, standing resilient through 1985 and 2017, though it has been lovingly restored to keep its white concrete gleaming. In its prime, these apartments were the height of luxury, offering panoramic views of the lush Parque México just steps away.
Today, the Basurto remains an anchor of the neighborhood’s identity. As you continue your walk along the perimeter of the park, look back once more at those iconic curves. The Edificio Basurto reminds us that our urban spaces can be more than just shelter; they can be a testament to the beauty of human imagination.