The Villalobos House

Salvador Villalobos’s house was built in February 2014 with assistance from Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity and ACTS Housing. His family was engaged in planning and designing this new building. He helped out in construction during the weekends. As a result, Villolobos and his family have very strong attachments towards his house.
 
After moving in, the family tended the building and the property with care, decorating the porch with flowerpots and carefully maintaining a beautiful garden. The interior of the home also displays the extent of the homeowner’s love for this residence. Framed pictures with family portraits and photographs hang on the walls along the staircase and the two floors. The rooms are infused with memories of the family.
 
The basement of this house is a unique space that reflects the personality of Salvador Villolobos. The walls are painted purple and yellow and decorated with old images of an old church and a Mexican parade. Here Villolobos has tried to reconstruct a world from his past. In reality, he migrated to the United States as a young boy and doesn’t have much recollection of his hometown in Mexico. Nevertheless, according to him the basement ambience reminds him of his roots, his culture, and his identity as a Mexican American. For Villolobos, therefore, the basement is more than a typical utility room or a storage space. It is a memorial and a sanctuary representing his identity, taste, and interest. The basement also holds a private bar with vintage photos of Mexican celebrities and musicians, a collection of miniature cars, a number of posters, souvenirs, and fan paraphernalia of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team and the Green Bay Packers football team. For Villolobos the basement is a private and personal space where he relaxes in his cozy couch in order to watch sports on a large television. It is also an intimate and social space where he hangs out with his father, brothers and close friends. The interior spaces in Salvador Villolobos home reflect the unique yet related identities of those who inhabit them.