Text description provided by the architects. It is a rehabilitation project for the public space for the San Pablo Xalpa Housing Unit in Azcapotzalco. The unit was divided by walls, fences and barriers that the inhabitants had built themselves over time and that did not allow a free use of the public space available.

4 Courtyards Plan

+ 24

The main objective was to transform a “sectored housing unit” into a “Common-Unity”, designing with the community and not only for the community based on the implementation of different actions. The strategy of the project was to work with the barriers created by the inhabitants: permeate them, democratise them and re-signify them to generate UNITY in the neighbourhood

Previously, the inhabitants of different sectors of the neighbourhood recurrently implemented temporary structures in the public area for events and meetings, thus extending their private area; working with them, we rescued the idea so that there would be areas of recreation and coexistence.

Before

Interventions

Before

Modules that are more than just a roof were installed. The modules facades are equipped for different activities (blackboards, climbing walls, handrails and nets) and a multipurpose room was built, this room is usually occupy by children as a library. The recovered public space becomes an extension of each department.

Axonometric

The strategy proved that was effective: people came together to contribute to the redesign of their unit; and a change in the perception of the public space was achieved, the neighbors themselves requested the removal of fences. The space itself spoke and the inhabitants of the unit made the decision to eliminate the barriers and take advantage of their outdoor spaces filling them with public and common life.

© Sandra Pereznieto

• Architects

  Rozana Montiel | Estudio de Arquitectura

• Location

  Av San Pablo Xalpa, Ciudad de Mexico, D.F., Mexico

• Category

  Renovation

• Architect in Charge

  Rozana Montiel

• Collaborator Architect

  Alin V. Wallach

• Area

  5000.0 m2

• Project Year

  2016

• Photographs

  Sandra Pereznieto