Last Fall Break: Mexico City (Part 1)

All stars are aligned, and they are pointing at Mexico City. 4 out of 6 projects I'm currently working on are all related to Mexico City so it's time to visit my friends, Steve and Victoria over there. Mexico City is a wonderful place mixed with cultures, music, art, and architecture. It also has the most museums in the world! Without further ado let me jump right in!

 Centro Histórico (Downtown)

During the Aztec period, Mexico City (then Mexico-Tenochtitlán) was initially built over a lake, the Lago de Texcoco. Aztecs built an artificial island by dumping soil into the lagoon. Later, the Spaniards erected a second Mexico City atop the ruins of Tenochtitlán. (Mexico City, Distrito Federal,  https://www.history.com/topics/mexico/distrito-federal) The majority of the historical buildings were built around 16th to 20th century. 

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City is sitting north of the Plaza de la Constitución, aka the Zócalo. The first church was built around 1525 and then the construction went on for about two centuries with different architects so the Cathedral is actually mixed with Baroque, Renaissance, and Neo-Classical style. 

Next to the Cathedral is the Templo Mayor archeological site and museum of the Aztecs. We can see some cultural events and religious practices next to the Temple Mayor. 

I apologize for the vertical filming...

 Museo Nacional de Antropologia  (National Museum of Anthropology) / 1964

Designed in 1964 by Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, Jorge Campuzano, and Rafael Mijares Alcérreca. The museum has a vast collection of Mesoamerican artifacts from multiple civilizations. The layout of the building is symmetrical with a pillar supported canopy in the center of the courtyard. The interesting design of the museum is that the exhibitions and circulations don't just exist indoor, but also extend to the outdoor landscape as well. 

The central canopy that's supported by only one pillar.

Beneath the canopy.

Image Credit: https://www.archdaily.mx/mx/627588/clasicos-de-arquitectura-museo-de-antropologia-pedro-ramirez-vasquez-rafael-mijares-jorge-campuzano/542076c1c07a800de5000001-clasicos-de-arquitectura-museo-de-antropologia-pedro-ramirez-vasquez-rafael-mijares-jorge-campuzano-planta

Mesoamerican relief

The Mesoamerican architectures in the exhibitions are very advanced and impressive. The designs adapted the site and the construction technique was well developed. The juxtaposition between the buildings is particularly fascinating. 

Mesoamerican housing detail!!!!

A truly amazing vernacular architecture that adapted the environment and started to explore ornamentation and aesthetics. 

Museo Rufino Tamayo / 1981

The original museum was designed in 1972 by architects Abraham Zabludovsky and Teodoro González de León. After various hiatuses at the planning stage, construction began in 1979 on a plot of land donated by the government in Chapultepec Park; the building was completed two years later. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museo_Rufino_Tamayo,_Mexico_City)

The overall layout can be interpreted as two volumes with diagonal grid in between. The diagonal grid creates void spaces that allow natural lights to pour into the central atrium. First level and lower level are exhibition spaces. Second floor is for offices.

Image Credit: https://arquitexto.com/2014/04/ampliacion-del-museo-tamayo/

The exhibition space has little to do with the diagonal grid. The circulation starts at the ground level and slowly ramps down to a lower level and then ends at the central atrium. 

Lower level exhibition space

Exhibition ends at the central atrium space

Biblioteca Vasconcelos / 2006

The megalibrary in downtown Mexico City was designed by Mexican architects Alberto Kalach and Juan Palomar. It is known for the impressive structures that hang the bookshelves. The library provides amazing public spaces that allow the citizens of all ages to come study, social, and relax. 

This is just part 1 of the Mexico City blog post series. Stay tune for part 2!