And there was that mural, impressive, large, with other colors, and it was very dramatic. Today, Saner's own work can be found on walls around the world, including his hometown of Mexico City.

No need to tear down walls, says James Eddy ... "You're able to use specific (Mexican) colors and concepts in most any space," says Steven House, of House + House Architects in San Francisco.

Our critic Jason Farago shares what you shouldn’t miss in a city imprinted with seven centuries of cultural history.

Sometimes Barragán also used blue walls to extend the cloudless sky in patios or for interior spaces. But the intense colors cannot be taken for granted. Mexico’s harsh sunlight requires the ...