Small but Strong: Fernanda Canales Creates Concrete Reading Rooms for Mexico

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Filled with spirit and sunlight, Fernanda Canales’Reading Rooms are small but bright cultural sanctuaries for communities in need.

Located throughout Mexico, the simple, concrete cubes stand 2-1/2 by 50 meters [8 by 160 feet] — just big enough to fit a parked car. Innovative pieces of social architecture, the structures act as local gathering spaces for meetings, events and cultural activities.

Canales was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture and Infonavit, Mexico’s workers’ housing fund, to design the rooms so that they are easy to build and readily accessible for communities that lack collective services and cultural facilities. They can be used for anything from hosting informal group dance or singing lessons to serving as a platform for neighborhood assemblies. Traditionally, the rooms are free libraries with 1,000 books dedicated by the Ministry of Culture.

To engage citizens and promote the rooms as a collaborative effort, the buildings are meant to be constructed by members of the communities in which they serve. With a focus on transparency, Canales designed the reading rooms to be safe, public spaces that provide shelter and retreat for locals.

Each open-air structure features concrete lattice work on most sides of the façade — a design trait that Canales uses in her various housing and cultural projects. This feature blurs the line between the interior and exterior of her humble but bold buildings. At night, the reading rooms double as beacons of light for their communities. Canales’ design enhances visibility and activity in the neighborhood.

So far, 15 reading rooms have been built in 15 states throughout Mexico in various climates. Some of the structures are single-story buildings, while others have two floors. In addition, some spaces are equipped with bathrooms, computer facilities and exterior furnishings, depending on the needs of the surrounding community. The reading rooms are designed to withstand 1 meter [3 feet] of flooding without damage.

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All images courtesy of Fernanda Canales