Alameda Mextropoli Pavilion

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Alameda Mextropoli Pavilion

Firm

Graillet, Simg & Araiza

Type

Cultural › Pavilion Sculpture
Landscape + Planning › Public Park

STATUS

Concept

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

BUDGET

$0 - 10K

The main intent of public space is to democratically guarantee a free and accessible place to gather, to foster social interaction, to provide areas to rest and contemplate, and to guarantee that us as individuals have a place to freely express ourselves. This cosmos of natural and built elements becomes the foundation for building community and human bonds within our cities.

As the oldest park in Mexico City, Alameda Central stands as both a symbolic space and historical witness of cultural diversity, a testament to times of prosperity but also those of decline, much like Diego Rivera portrayed in his mural “Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central”.

Following the proportions and guiding lines of the Alameda's urban layout, our proposal abstracts this ensemble in a figurative and symbolic way, creating a microcosm through its interstitial spaces.
Through this intersection of planes, elements of “Mexican identity” are referenced: Barragán's walls and those of the ancient ball courts. Also, our proposal references the tonality of tezontle, a once-cherished volcanic stone that went from covering palaces to being hidden as fill material.

The duality of interior and exterior spaces allows one either to engage and interact, or to retreat and contemplate. An oculus, revealed upon entry, frames the treetops and the sky, imbued with the symbolism of the circle. The pavilion gathers and activates the possibilities that public space should offer; it is both object and space.

Its construction and disassembly are made possible by a lightweight, prefabricated system, manufactured off-site, manageable by basic labor, and produced by a renown multinational company. This enables the pavilion to be itinerant or to later be reconfigured and donated for a social purpose.