«Hasty transformation»

«Hasty transformation»

Published in the November 2021 issue of werk, bauen + wohnen © werk, bauen + wohnen

Publiziert im Dezember-Heft 2020 der Zeitschrift werk, bauen + wohnen © Laure Nashed

› 2021, article in the print magazine of werk, bauen + wohnen.

 

› Politicians in Mexico recognize architecture as an important vehicle for social change. Government Sedatu projects are improving the poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods – at lightning speed. Not everything is successful, not everything is just propaganda, and hopefully it will last longer than one presidential term, because sports and culture get people off the streets.

 

The full text can be found in the «Learning from Mexico» section. An excerpt is presented here.

Text excerpt:

A big roof that does it all

It is precisely in these disadvantaged areas that Meyer Falcón’s PMU program is aimed at «counteracting violence and strengthening the social fabric,» as stated. The ambitious project aims to reach as many deprived people as possible. Quantity is therefore at the top of the agenda, and with it comes a high degree of time pressure. According to the Mexican mentality, fully thought-out projects and perfection are not the goal, nor are they feasible given the tight time frame. Instead, the guiding principle is Vamos pues! («let’s get started!»), and corrections are made in the process if necessary.

 

A collective of five architects founded specifically for the new possibilities of public architecture in Mexico, calling itself «Cósmica, 7ógica, 3ficiencia, 3conomía» («cosmic, logical, efficient, economical,» with the initial letters upside down) or Colectivo C733, has been involved in the PMU projects from the beginning and has since been able to secure long-term collaboration through direct commissions. In 2019 and 2020, the architects had only three months from the first sketch to the start of construction. In order to nevertheless achieve the highest possible quality in each case, the collective opted for a simplified, systematized architecture that it uses for its projects spread throughout the country. In short, these interventions are always a big roof that covers everything.

› 2021, article in the print magazine of werk, bauen + wohnen.

 

› Politicians in Mexico recognize architecture as an important vehicle for social change. Government Sedatu projects are improving the poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods – at lightning speed. Not everything is successful, not everything is just propaganda, and hopefully it will last longer than one presidential term, because sports and culture get people off the streets.

 

The full text can be found in the «Learning from Mexico» section. An excerpt is presented here.