PORTFOLIO

ALBERTO MEOUCHI

LUIS ALBERTO MEOUCHI VÉLEZ

portfolio

0.1 consequent city 0.2 menchaca II 0.3 casa l 0.4 sacred city 0.5 public house 0.6 earth and soil 0.7 cumaná 0.8 inside out
 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
SMArchS - Urbanism

0.1 left: a model of the site, 1 km away from the

historic downtown of Oaxaca., where the
CONSEQUENT CITY mountains star and several low income, informal
communities have settled over the years.
top right: map of the general strategy:
oaxaca, méxico, 2012 developing underused urban areas and space
instead of generating new urban sub-center;
time: architecture and the city the city of Oaxaca, historically, has centered it
development on its center areas, where much
of the social, economic and cultural growth
hast taken place. Generating a new sub-center
on this stage would undermine it’s still to be
The project, before trying to give an absolute answer to the specific site, an abandoned developed city center. Most of the city of
factory on Oaxaca, serves as a basic theoretical approach to identify the characteristics any urban Oaxaca population still lives near the center
project of this scale and characteristics should work with. Understanding the meaning of time, not and transportation/infrastructure outside this
only the physical implications it may have on the built environment, but also on the perception of perimeter does not exist yet and would componentes
be highly
expensive to generate new.
the people that interacts within the city and the social, economical and political dynamics translated
bottom:
from the construction of architecture and city. 1.the original urban grid from the downtown
18% 18% 18%
rural rural rural
of the city and the informal trace from west of 3
25% 25% 25%
Instead of executing and develop a totalitarian master plan, the strategy allows some the site determine the new urban grid on the otros otros otros

controlled “open gaps”, portions of land that are willing not to exist immediately. The recognition project. 75% 75% 75%
82% 82% 82%
of an uncertainty that happens with time, because of a multiplicity of external factors, forces the 2. water landscape and management from the
población urbana vivienda urbana
población vivienda
población urbana vivienda

idea just to design whats necessarily and give the proper mechanisms to let the project be nished on river is used for two main purposes; re-imagine
its own way. the former use of water on the site and provide
condición
new aislada
green and open spaces with a natural
preexistencia
source of water.
The site is an forgotten piece of the city, it does not appear on the zoning plans, whats left
of the old wood factory are most of the main walls and structural elements; and some trees, that
are now of an important size and presence, due to more that 30 years that the building has been
unattended.

The two main physical characteristics of the site are: its proximity to the river, due to its
strategic position when the wood factory was operating and the second one, is that is located right interrumpción del tejido continuación del tejido
on the limit between the historic center of Oaxaca, mostly identi ed in Latin America by the regular
trace of its streets; and others traditional neighborhoods, built on top of one of Oaxaca ́s most
characteristic mountains.

The river is intended to be, not only a phenomenological happening on the site, but also a
resource that could be used for di erent purposes like harvesting or the returning of some species to
that portion of the river.
borde natural integración del río
The master plan makes a hybrid, out of the two urban traces nearby, and connects the city
between each other, keeping some of both characteristic street morphology.
Different types of uses and buildings are proposed, focusing on making the housing units
“open-able” to incentive a more urban and collective day a day living.

team:
Julianne Carvahlo
Adriana Rodriguez
Martha Villarreal

2
 2013 2015 2020 bottom: one of the two main resources utilized on the project is
cota 0.00 right: diagram of the general space integration on
time. The graphic representation of the project is often a scheme the project. From the small to the large scale built
of “before and after” which does not only underscores the physical elements are arrange in a way the potentiality
elements being constructed, but more important, the social carry activities and interaction between their
interactions supposed to happen after the project is finished. uses. Common and public spaces are privileged
over private spaces as a way to increase the social
dynamics over time.

2030 2035 2040

4 5

top: the open plan, time as a 2050 2055

resource of building memories and

experiences, it is proven that social
dynamics, essential to an adequate
function of the city, cannot be
formed on a shot period of time.
bottom: image of the site, an old
wood factory. landscape as the space
director. The project appropriates top: context floor plan showing built spaces, open or agricultural
the old factory and organizes it with areas, water management areas and the relation between the
water management and agricultural project and its context urban grain.
uses. left: view over time from across the Oaxaca river. The project
tends to merge with the context’s height on its perimeter, while on
the center the height of the master-plan rises.
bottom right & left: images of several program capabilities of the
public space. Before and after.
 views from the inside of a unit left: llustrations of public interaction and gathering
within buildings
right: views from common spaces inside housing
buildings

6 7

top left: most dense buildings on the project.

center left: image of a nearby neighborhood with intense
common spaces.

edificio sur
bottom left: floor plan of one of the most dense buildings.
right: views of the permeability of the project.
 before after

8 9

Forty different typologies were developed for all of the buildings. All
of them praise the public/common spaces over the public areas.
 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
SMArchS - Urbanism

0.2 the site for this urban mid-scale intervention is

located on Epigmenio Gonzalez, a county that
MENCHACA II has historically been occupied by informal set-
tlements because of it relatively close to the city
of Queretaro historic center. As it happens in
querétaro, méxico, 2012 the majority of these settlements, the population
growth happens in a rapid manner, not allow-
public space as community cathalyst ing government agencies to provide them with
enough infrastructure of any type. Scarcity of
water, paving roads, electricity, and gas are a con-
stant among these communities, not to say public
spaces. When people arrive to these communi-
ties they settle anywhere they can or are allowed
to and what becomes of public domain are the
portions of land that nobody occupy because of
different factors. That is the case of a big open
area that used to be a “tepetate” (type of soil used
for construction)mine. After several years of being
exploited, the mine closed and became a point of
conflicts, drug use and robbery. The government 11
The intervention is located in Menchaca, an underprivileged community that has had some acknowledge the issues and filled back the mine to
relevant differences between the members and the community leaders. With a simple movement, a series provide the community with a soccer field, but it
of roofs made out of pallets standing on rocks from the site, the project tries to bring back the collaborative still was underused. Some people gathered on the
relationship between the community by creating two main types of spaces, one for sitting and watching soccer field during the weekends, but it was almost empty
games during the weekends and another one made to incentive other types of weekdays activities, such as on the rest of the week. When those gatherings
events, meetings, kids areas, training spaces, among others. happened people brought their own shadow ele-
ments to protect to the rough atmosphere of sun,
The site ́s surroundings has a strong particularity, mostly all of the built elements are somehow hiding wind and soil.
from big piles of rocks and some other natural elements, such as trees or bushes. This condition is taken to
construct the general scheme of the project, taking the existing resources of the site, re- arranging them on
the ground and building above them with “foreign” materials, or resources that are not necessarily taken
directly from the site.

Menchaca is known to be one of the neighborhoods with higher criminality rates and even then, the
project is almost as it was when it was finished, showing that people have done their best to
take appropriate care of it.

team:
Hans Duer
María Robles

10
12 13

small retail on the area open spaces and small public spaces public transportation access unoccupied buildings/houses

informal settlements (not yet legalized) crime focal points squares with no public lighting sidewalks with poor conditions

left: the first map above represents the closeness of the site green areas, L. employment rate, M. education access, N.
with the center city of Queretaro. The second map represents education level, O. insecurity. Epigmenio Gonzalez county A. B. C. D. E. F. G.
in red: areas with high marginalization, in green: open areas is low on education, employment, internet connectivity,
(not necessarily public spaces), in blue: occupied areas by infrastructure, open green areas among others. It also has a
housing. As noted on the second map, there is a wide lack of high insecurity and unemployment rate.
sports and/or recreational infrastructure on the on Epigmenio far right: urban elements were studied to measure the
Gonzalez county. right: on blue: the six other counties of the rates of marginalization inside the county. Menchaca II,
city of Queretaro, in red: Epigmenio Gonzalez. The fourteen the neighborhood where the site is, had a high number of
columns of the diagram represent: A. marginalization index, unpaved streets, low areas for recreation, sidewalks with
B. public infrastructure, C. electricity services, D. water services, poor conditions, unoccupied buildings/houses, among
F.gas services, G. internet connectivity, H. phone connectivity, other factors. While it contains a big number of small retail
I. public transportation access, J. paving roads, K. open and population density. H. I. J. K. L. M. N.
 left: the scarcity and marginalization of Epigmenio
Gonzalez and Menchaca II and other conditions
led to choose two main programs for the project.
Firstly, a shaded area that could be used for
expectations during the soccer games that take
place mostly during the weekends. This soccer endemic plants
endemic plants
soccer practice
soccer practice
multi-use plaza
2
games were organized and held by members of
Mencahca II and nearby communities and the way 3
the tournament was organized, was a true surprise. 1
The tournament was very successful on a couple soccer practice 3
of levels, including the social interaction between
shaded areasshaded areas playgrounds playgrounds

1
endemic plants
shaded areas soccer practiceplaygrounds multi-use plaza
soccerendemic
practiceplants

members of different bands and the economic 4 1

resources the tournament itself generated. The 3
fact of taking into consideration the soccer
tournaments was also a tool to reach sensible 2 soccer practice access

members of the community that, otherwise, would

shaded areas playgrounds soccer practice shaded areas
4
not allow easily a project on that specific location.
Secondly, there was a need to take into account 1
other members of the community that would not 3
14 be interested on the soccer games. Right behind endemic plants
endemic plants
soccer practice
soccer practice
multi-use plaza
15
the places where people seated to watch games, an 1
area for children was put together. 3
The stones were taken from the same site and 2
reclaimed pallets were used to create sun shadow soccer practice
during the games. endemic plants
shaded areas
shaded areasshaded areas
soccer practiceplaygrounds
playgrounds playgrounds
multi-use plaza
soccerendemic
practiceplants

right: the floor plan is divided in two areas. On the

west an area from stones serving of benches for
spectators of the soccer game. On the east, a place soccer practice access

where all the other members of the community shaded areas playgrounds soccer practice shaded areas

could held several kinds of events. This is Why

the project is exclusive in the way it manages to
reunite the once divided community and takes into
consideration all sides.

1. reclaimed pallets for sun shadow.

2. stone benches for soccer games and children
3. games for children
4. multipurpose room
16 17
 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
SMArchS - Urbanism

0.3
CASA L
querétaro, méxico, 2016

critical contextualism

19

On a corner site with significant zoning restrictions, the proposal with a clear introvert scheme, aims
for the presence of gardens all over the house. The concrete monolith is penetrated by patios of different sizes
and opens directly to the back yard, keeping the privacy with the neighbors through vegetation filters and a
concrete structure on the first level.

Situated on a corner site subject to significant zoning restrictions, Casa L is characterized by an

introverted scheme that incorporates gardens within the house. The perimeter walls of the house consist of
three layers: concrete on the interior and exterior and a structural layer of red bricks in between. This type of
construction regulates the temperature within the rooms.

Patios and courtyards of different sizes penetrate the house and connect the interior directly to the
backyard. Interior spaces were designed with the basic climatic standards in mind. Filters of vegetation at the
ground level and a cantilevered concrete structure in the first floor maintain privacy from neighbors.

team:
Alfonso Garduño

18
 several schemes were validated, a common denominator these two visualizations represent the duality of a concept. top left: ground floor plan with
was a rough appearance on the exterior and the presence The interior is characterized by the presence of lighting public program
of inner “patios” or courtyards. This decision was made and vegetation, a soft, kind ambiance; the exterior bottom left: elevation to one side
in order to control several factors such as views, lighting, becomes rough and blind. There is a need to view within of the street
climate control and privacy. the house, instead to the generic, sterile context. top right: first floor plan with
private program
bottom right: elevation to the
other side of the street

20 21

Diferentes estudios de una casa-patio.

Relación interior-exterior.
 left and far right: the concrete model represents waterproofing membrane
one of the two items of the duality of the
project, the roughness or unkind treatment of the pre-cast concrete slab
geometry towards its context full of neo-historicist
houses. The neighborhood encourages designs plaster on mesh
to be on certain styles, many of them imported
from other latitudes, on an aim to establish a solid red brick walls
common ground. Instead of cherishing diversity
among the neighborhood, the same design styles
are repeated continuously by the same architects
c.i.p. concrete
which has generated an increasingly generic
closed gate. Instead of replicating architectural reinforced steel structure
styles an abstract geometry becomes an element
of identity to the family. plaster on mesh/c.i.p con-
crete
right: the detail section of the project exposes
its materiality while generating layers to have an
1/2” rigid insulation when
optimal energy management noted

22 23

plastic vapor barrier

1/2” gap

water tramp

led stripe per lighting plan

plaster over mesh

reinforced concrete slab

3” black aluminum frame,

double pane window when
noted

c.i.p concrete slab

reinforced concrete superfi-

cial foundation

c.m.u block foundation wall

plastic vapor barrier

c.i.p. concrete foundation

natural soil per study

 different design elements become together on the
interior of the house; lighting, vegetation and soft
wooden pieces follow the duality of the concept.
on the other hand, the exterior is more expressive
on its roughness throughout its exposed concrete
and geometric ceilings. In order to soften the
exterior, layers of vegetation are arranged from
colorful to highness. The access serves as the
only material element that expresses the interior
atmosphere, the wood gives a hint to what the
interior of the house shows.

24 25
 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
SMArchS - Urbanism

0.4 top left: the site is located inside what is now called “Queretaro
Financial District”. Although it is not completely financial,
SACRED CITY there are many closed gated high-income neighborhoods as
noted in the north of the site. The Catholic church got it
from a donation from several businessmen about ten years
querétaro, méxico, 2018 ago. The site was not very suitable for construction for it´s
type of soil and strong slope.
towards a new spiritualism bottom left: diagram demonstrating all the different
functions the program of the New Cathedral required. The
program was not only extensive but complex in the way it
needed spaces with an extremely private nature and massive
gathering areas for large congregations.
The competition for the new Cathedral of the city of Queretaro was organized by the Bishop at mid right: an architectural system which “consecrates” the city,
2018. Queretaro has always been a central city for the Catholicism in Mexico. Even on recent years almost by bringing the altar towards every portion of the site as a
90% of the population of the city identify with Catholic religion. As important as Catholicism is, the has metaphor of the Catholic religion being near the people.
never been a proper cathedral in the city. Typically in Mexico, and Latin American cities, the cathedral is
located right next to the main plaza, in the historic downtown, among the other civic buildings. San Francisco
church, which would naturally comply with these conditions, is managed by the Franciscans, and after several
lawsuits, the Secular Clergy has never been able to obtain the right to name it the city´s Cathedral, and have
had to use a small, modest church a couple of blocks away from San Francisco, San Felipe Neri. 27

The new Bishop, since he got the position about 10 years ago, has managed to do all necessary
due-diligence to get a new site and build a formal Cathedral. But there are no available land with the space
classrooms
needed in order to comply with the requirements for a complex with the required conditions. Therefore a
group of local businessmen gathered together to acquire a lot on Queretaro´s financial district. The location auditorium
of this lot has not been considered in any way ideal to build a complex for its distance from the city, public class-
transportation access, soil properties or topographic slopes, but since the Bishop´s power is almost as strong as rooms
the Major´s, all the licenses were given to the Secular Clergy.
education
In a way, the Church in Queretaro understands that a rigorous-historic program for a Cathedral would
be completely outdated. Therefore, they decided to build some kind of urban sub-center. Even if the main
program consists on religious spaces, the competition required areas for regular community events, such as
multipurpose rooms, auditorium, exhibition spaces, public restrooms, libraries and cafes. The Cathedral has
historically been the place where powerful people host their religious events, but there is an understanding
that a development of these dimensions should be a piece of the social grid, instead of a place only to be used
on Sundays.

Another important feature of the design of the Cathedral was to take into consideration the gathering
pilgrimages that happen several times of the year in the center of Mexico. Queretaro has recently been a
central point where the pilgrims from the north of Mexico and US stop to get rest on their way to ¨Basilica
sachristy
de Guadalupe¨ and other churches in Mexico City. The project intends to make the New Cathedral not only atrium
a resting point, but another religious node that will potentially become an touristic/economic resource for all
the Bajio Region.

chapels
church

team:
Alfonso Garduño
Jesús Vassallo
Alfonso Jiménez

26
 left: floor plans. the total area of
the program was approximately
the double of the area of the
site, condition which required a bell tower and open
large portion of the areas to be chapel
underground. The decision of
bringing program underneath the
main church also left more open
space suitable for large pilgrim and
public celebrations.
right: axonometric view of the
different areas of the program
far right: the several functions of
the project are treated more like
an urban element instead of an
architecture object, both pedestrian main church and inside
and transportation flows and patterns chapels
are studied to integrate the complex
-2 basement floor plan
to the city. As a large portion of the
28 city, many elements of infrastructure 29
where carefully studied, such
as pedestrian drop-offs, public
transportation drop-offs, disposal
areas, etc. Another important feature
of the program requirements was to blue: sacred program, green: pedestrian dropoffs pedestrian accesses to areas pilgrims’ promenade exterior altars pedestrian access to main Bishop’s exclusive access public transportation
understand and solve for the special mausoleum, red: public church dropoff
dynamics of the clergy. Private zones congregation and program
should always be distant, at least on gathering areas
their connections, from public areas. Bishop’s exclusive clergy exclusive access from clergy accesses to mausole- clergy accesses from clergy accesses from clergy accesses to Bishop’s exclusive access
On that same sense, the Bishop entry to main
church controlled areas dropoffs the street um residencies to main church parking residencies from street
should have its own and exclusive
access to each part of the project,
including the main church, dressing
areas and common areas. classrooms and
multipurpose spaces
-1 floor plan
main access from
street
basement: car access and
parking

basement:
parking

0 ground floor plan

 left: section through common top: section through altar left: view and section of the mausoleum
spaces and section through atrium bottom: view to the altar entrance covered atrium right: view from altar to baptistery
view

30 31
 top left: diagram of sacraments taking place. The nature of bottom right: view of the open chapel on a massive congregation.
the Cathedral is to have the capability to manage and impart Many Catholic pilgrims pass through Queretaro every December on
several sacraments simultaneously. Queretaro never had a their way to Mexico City. When they stop on a main city, big masses
formal cathedral, so the new infrastructure complex is seen by are held to thank Virgen the Guadalupe (Virgin Mary) for a safe trip
the clergy as an opportunity to share the religion as a renovated home.
practice.
bottom left: a carefully arranged floor-plan of the presbytery
inside the main church, where several priests potentially
celebrate masses.
bottom left: image from the entrance atrium to the main
church. The covered atrium acts as a medium between the city
and sacred spaces.

32 33
 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
SMArchS - Urbanism

0.5 from left to right: while there are many open and
public spaces among the site, most of them are
PUBLIC HOUSE for sports and recreation activities porpoises. But
the community aimed for special places to hold
community meetings and events.
madrid, spain, 2018 the program is divided into public, on the ground
floor; and formal library program. The two programs site original sidewalk the sidewalk expands green open areas
community, diversity and culture merge in section, but always keep separate from each
other, because of the nature and use of both.
The project starts by expanding the original sidewalk,
creating a wide shadowed public space

The city of Madrid organized a competition for three new libraries on semi-suburbia neighborhoods. bottom: main elevation of the library and its
The main topic for the project was a library, understanding the roles this typological element has taken on the relationship with the immediate context. three plazas the plazas are programed services pedestrian permeability
Digital Era. Community gathering spaces were a fundamental part of the requirements, as well.

The project surges from a new way to conceptualize the public library, a revised library, further than merging of
merely complying with the basic contemporary library spaces, adds spaces to empower and engage the the common
community’s gathering and cultural development. spaces (ground
floor) and 35
The proposal sections and divides the programmatic components into two: library program, where library spaces
more functional, acoustic and technical control is needed (first floor) and the common programs, where are (first floor). shadow areas visual permeability main access to first floor private car access
capable to gather, develop (ground floor). Both parts of the program interact by interior/exterior gardens and
double-high spaces.

The project intends to create a space that promotes freedom, diversity and inclusion, for that reason it
is driven by the following premises:

1. The project is accessible at all times, night and day

2. Shadowed and covered space to facilitate and promote social gatherings, specially on rainy or warm
days.

3. Different and differential proportions on spaces to have several events with a wide diversity of users
occupation.

4. Visual permeability to and from the streets, properly illuminated, promoting security at all times.

5. Public spaces with small facilities to provide the possibility of more activities.

Three themed plazas are created on ground floor to provide identity and drive its potential uses: 1.Kids
Plaza, 2.Community Plaza, 3. Cultural Plaza.

On the first floor the program requires to comply with library processes, such as acoustic-fire-
temperature insulation, access controls, emergency exits. This floor takes special consideration to the
temporary and permanent users, providing ideal atmospheres for the library management and use.

team:
Alfonso Garduño
Luciano Alfaya

34
36 37

The ground floor is designed to

be capable of admitting a wide
variety of events, community
meetings, performances.
Basically almost any mid-scale
meeting between the members
of the community.

8
9 4
7

12
10 5 6

3 1

11 2
13

ground floor plan first floor plan

 1. chimneys designed to control lighting and 4. controlled main access 7. less public areas/reading rooms slate flashing
temperature 5. open theater 8. interior/exterior courtyards steel frame 50x50cm cal. 12

2. external beams to mitigate direct sunlight 6. private parking on basement 9. heights connecting exterior to interior plastic waterproofing

3. public program for multipurpose use on ground floor level 1.5% concrete slope

plan
double foam rigid insulation. 50mm, RSI-1.8
steel platform
steel frame I, 450x175mm

1
foam rigid insulation

slate placed with steel screws

1

Steel flashing, 12x12mm, 3mm

wood frame, 2x4” (50x100mm)

double foam rigid insulation. 50mm, RSI-1.8

38 39
double foam rigid insulation. 50mm, RSI-1.8
2 7 8 2
outdoor sheetrock
steel frame 25x25mm cal. 14
steel frame 25x12mm

slate placed with steel screws

4

concrete floor

9 steel platform
steel beam I, 450x175mm

double foam rigid insulation. 50mm, RSI-1.8

3

double foam rigid insulation. 50mm, RSI-1.8

double foam rigid insulation. 50mm, RSI-1.8

outdoor sheetrock
steel flashing, 12x12mm, esp. 3mm
wood frame, 2x4” (50x100mm)

6 5
concrete floor
reinforced concrete slab
foundation per structural

GSPublisherVersion 0.54.100.100
 top left: contrary to the ground floor plan, the first
floor plan locates the program that tends to be more
¨formal¨. Book storage, reading rooms, children
rooms, youth places, audiovisual meeting rooms are
all arranges between interior courtyards.
bottom left: rear elevation of the project showing its
materiality, small pieces of slate. Slate is historically
used material in Spain and in Madrid in particular.
One of the main issues of the slate is that very mine
wastes around 90% of the material trying to get large
pieces, the project uses small pieces, so the waste of
the product would be close to zero.
top right: the potential different uses of the ground
floor plan. The way the community appropriate these
spaces would vary from population group, gender,
etc., always keeping a diverse and inclusive public
space.
bottom right: view from the reading rooms to the
interior courtyards which are also intended to be
40 reading and relaxation areas. 41
far right: a view of an event taking place in the ground
floor of the project.
 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
SMArchS - Urbanism

0.6
EARTH AND SKY
mexico city, méxico, 2018

universal memory of the lost

the earth took you,

I remember you looking downwards,
the sky called you,
we raise our look.

two tunnels reconciled and the intervened landscape,

evoke the memory of the victims through a connection
between the tectonic force and the duel of whom remain. 43

between the Earth and Sky.

The competition asked to design a memorial for the victims of the earthquakes in Mexico on
September, 2017. The site was given by the coordinates where one of the two earthquakes happened 18.40
N, -98.72 W. The design proposal is generated by two universal conceptions. First of all the believe that the
passed constantly take are of us, watching us from above, the sky. Secondly, the representation of the Earth’s
forces below ground. These two premises, conformed together, gave place to the articulated scheme as follows:

1. A Tunnel to the Sky left: the landscape of the path

2. A Tunnel to the Earth. to the memorial is modified
3. A platform to look up and look down with the soil taken out from
4. A “New Mountain” conformed by the soil excavated from the Tunnel to the Earth. excavating the tunnel off the
ground. This represents that
The path to the memorial starts anywhere, the New Mountain appears on the landscape and changes the result of the earthquakes
it; as a metaphor of the scars left by the deceased to the alive, an interior atrium or threshold; to prepare for modifies the landscape of
the interior, and the platfor to Look Up and Look Down, to remember. our paths and at the same
time changes the way
from the jury: ¨pilgrims¨approach to the
object. There is not a defined
“The jury assess the overwhelming experience of the proposal of the union of two solid tunnels, way to get to the tunnels, but
presented as an enigmatic figure between the depths of the sky and the Earth. It is, on the same way, strongly the size of the new mountain
interesting the experience to transit over the mythological or sacred mountain, created from the residues is always a mark on the
of the excavation. The rotundity of the project leaves a profound footprint on the path people travel to the landscape.
memorial and the recalling of their lost ones. right: several ways to bring
light into the tunnels were
studied. In the end, the
circular floor plan casted
team: different types of shadow,
from straight lines, ovals and
Joaquín Aguilar full light on certain days of
Santiago Esquivel the year.

42
44 new mountain from the excavated 45
soil

original ground line

Tunnel to the Sky and New Mountain from the excavated

Tunnel to the Earth soil

left: the site is among small ponds, large portions of forest vegetation and mountains, where
the two tectonic plates meet. There are no urban settlements or constructions a couple of
miles away so even tough the project is approached with a large scale object, its abstraction on
geometry and materiality aim to be understood as a part of the original landscape of the site.
right: section detail of the Tunnel to the sky, the Tunnel to the ground and the new mountain.
 Tunnel to the ground: a view to the earth´s force. There are many
ways to enter the first atrium of the memorial. But there is only one
entrance to the center of the project. Where the ¨pilgrims¨ look up
to remember the lost ones and look down to make a reflexion on the
force of nature.
A
d b

c
46 47

A
A

b
c

c
b d

A
 Tunnel to the sky: a metaphor to remember
our lost ones.

A
d b

c
48 49

A
A

b
c

c
b d

A
 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
SMArchS - Urbanism

0.7 After cleaning intensively the chosen site, which was filled with

recreation facility
garbage and rubble, the team executed the project by following

main courthouse
public university
CUMANÁ

main city piers

public beaches

public beaches
historic center
the context of the site, without plans or pre-established ideas.

private clinic
public clinic

public clinic
fishing piers
civic center
Located in Valentín Valiente, within the city of Sucre, the site

navy piers
is a large area with steep slopes. Previously used as a drive

airport
cumaná, sucre, venezuela, 2015 through movie theater, only the giant screen remained. The
space’s former use was re-scaled, creating a sort of central
transformation of knowledge amphitheater with its own “human-scale” screen – flanked by
a shaded space/park; a revived court and covered bleachers
culminating in a multipurpose room.

The project is located in one of the most underprivileged communities in the city of Cumaná, Valentin
Valiente. The specific area of the intervention is at the west side of a mini soccer-basketball court.
51
In most of these poor neighborhoods in Venezuela, the community members have to and are actually
organized to get support and resources from the government agencies, from cement bags to sewer, water or
electric lines. When the members are not organized in a formal “Comuna”, they become basically invisible for
the governmental subsidies, which was the case of this particular community.

Design, on most of the cases, has the potential to transform, not only the physical environment of a
portion of land, but the social dynamics of the people that use that space, to make a place, in this case, to
incentive the community meetings and the organization of the neighbors.

The space functions for community meetings, but also for more activities for a daily basis, such as a
place to sit and watch a soccer match, a stage for local performers or a shadow for an afternoon.

The hills around the community are conformed of a soil which can be used to make bricks for
construction, without using barely any cement to fabricate them. Some of the people had different notions
and methods on how to use the soil for construction, but by bringing all that knowledge together, the project
was able to make the process more efficient and fabricate the bricks in a simple- quick way. This task would
not only work for the construction of a small public classroom at the south of the site, but also to make people
aware of the diversity of uses of the soil below their feet.

team:
Alfonso Garduño
Leticia Aguilar

50
 location of the site public infrastructure flooding risk areas buildings with poor conditions demolished buildings/infrastructure left: a basic urban analysis, to understand the main issues and
implications of the intervened area. Since we were invited, it
was necessary to compare and analyze local traditions, culture
and conditions in order to make a contextual intervention and
not to get viced with the conditions in of these types of com-
munities in Mexico.
bottom: the site is located next to a court, field used mainly for
playing soccer.
right: the building techniques proposed were always simple,
easy-to-learn and utilized materials that are easily found on
near supply stores. It was important to not only leave the proj-
ect and leave, but also generate knowledge that can be used by
the community for future self-managed public space projects.
The project was presented to the community as a series of iso-
lated pieces, to leave an easy understanding of all the pieces
and potentially used these typo of items on their own.

52 53

insecutiry points high voulnerability areas regional connectivity local connectivity high miarginalized areas
 left: axonometric view of the project. The sun shadow devises
multipurpose room built green yard for sun shadow areas for benches made out of
are capable to be used as both people watching a sports game,
with bricks made out community agriculture community meetings local rocks
or the other way around, as a podium, where people could sit
from site soil and sports attendants
on the court and watch a performance above.
right: section detail of a portion of the project
wooden lattice
far right: images of the project after finalized. The community
understood and used the project just as expected. The court
is now used for several community matters which proves the stainless steel screw
capability and versatility of the project to hold various types
of events. structural welding

stainless steel nut &

washer
structural steel beam
stainless steel screw

structural welding
54 55
stainless steel nut &
washer

structural steel post

steel plate

structural welding

foundation rebar
connection

concrete foundation
 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
SMArchS - Urbanism

0.8 left: concept drawing revealing the bronze

interior piece covered by pre-cast concrete.
INSIDE OUT bottom: the piece is experienced from the
outside and from the inside, movement has
to happen to get a glance of each the “mo-
nyc, united states, 2016 ments”.
right: axonometric explaining the assembling
experience from within of the pieces in order to be carried inside
the airplane. Oak pieces are put together by
large steel screws and bronze washers/nuts.
Concrete pieces are assembled by their own
geometry.

57

The house, or better said, its experience or home, is defined by Juhani Pallasma as the space through
which we relate to the world, where we can accommodate ourselves in space and time, and where family and
individuals gather and compose themselves.

Inside-out, an installation designed for the (im) permanence exhibit, addresses the “interior” as a
fundamental aspect of the home. Light and matter are employed, in an abstract way, in the construction of an
internalized experience.

After foam and MDF prototypes were developed, a final piece was casted on bronze. After embedding
this piece in the predefined concrete column, we decided to cast and exhibit a second piece, which reflects the
external aspect of the interior study.

team:
Alfonso Gaduño

56
 the way the piece was arranged around the
exhibit rooms allows the visitors to go around
it from every angle. The illustration is a
floor plan demonstrating several paths of ex-
position.

58 59

CAST BRONCE PIECE

the bronze piece was firstly
modeled in house on foam. Then,
a professional bronze caster
modeled it again on clay, then
modeled the negative to finally
cast the piece.
the casting technique used is
specially performed in the center
part of Mexico, and is utilized to
shape from small jewelry to large
scale objects.
to reveal the nature of the
technique, no other particular
finishes where given to the piece.
It is shown almost the way it went
out from the casting process.
to accurately achieve the complex
geometries of the piece, both of
concrete and wood, 1:1 scaled
templates were given to the shop
workers.
in order to meet the weight to
carry the concrete pieces on the
airplane, foam balls were casted
inside.
 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
SMArchS - Urbanism

Extraction from and to the New Airport Original condition of Tezontle and basalt New condition of the
0.9 Tezontle, basalt and cement extraction
the airport site mines unfinished airport site

INFRASTRUCTURE AND EXTRACTION Soil extraction Soil extracted

7million cubic meters of
The soil extracted was wasted
Tezontle and basalt extraction Implications
7million squeare feet of soil were extracted from
Approximatly 6 million cubic meters
of tezontle were extracted on over
explotied mines around the area of the
on nearby communities the site of the airport in order to repace it with new new airport.

2657 housing units on a 3km radius

15 - 25 acres
soil suitable for the construction of the Terminal, 6.3 million cubic meters of concrete
soil were extracted from the site After the beginning of the works the runways and the Control Tower. were pourend on the foundation and

research by representing externalities of the airport in order to repace

This soil, which is high in sodium, was wasted on
nearby communities and towns.
the slab.
Around 3 million cubic meters of basalt
5 - 15 acres were extracted from sorrounding
it with new soil suitable for the mines in the area.

texcoco, mexico, 2019 Foundation

Mines Sizes
0 - 5 acres construction of the Terminal, Slab

the runways and the Control Extracted soil

-1.5m

Ecologies of de-territorialization Tower.

from the site

and extraction in the cancelled construction of the new airport of Mexico City This soil, which is high in Forest and agri- Tezontle and
sodium, was wasted on nearby cultural land basalt
Pervious soil
communities and towns. Foun-
dation
-6m Rainwater piles -6m
flows
Soil suitable for
Natural
agriculture or
forest areas
The project for a new international airport in Mexico City has been a subject of political and social Rock

debate for almost 23 years. The airport has been cancelled two times, although there is a significant difference
between the first cancellation and the second one. The first time the project was cancelled, no site works had -16m

happened at all, while the second one occurred when a significant process of the construction was completed.
This research will develop on the outcomes of the cancellation of the New Airport of Mexico City, focusing
on how the specificity of “being cancelled” has played a broader socio-ecological role, both in the construc-
tion site, but specially in a wider context, connection and relation of the site and its surroundings. -22m

The following research report is structured in five main chapters. First of all, an overview of the -28m

global phenomenon of cancelled infrastructure and the history of the New Airport of Mexico City will serve

Soil extraction from the airport

as an introductory chapter. Secondly, we will study the implications of the cancelled and temporary water
Wet season
and drainage systems in the construction site. The third chapter develops of the extractive industries which
re-shaped the territory in order to provide resources to the construction process. The fourth chapter, ties the
Drainage Mines Rainwater Rain
three previous ones together, describing the overlapping characteristics, issues and outcomes. Finally, the con- Water Treat-
ment System
Neighborhoods
Contaminated Water get Water flows
clusion chapter summarizes and states the current status of the site, and its relations to the urban realm. Water with soil
residues goes
Polluted water
runs inside the
water runs
though the
inside the
mines, getting
down from
mointains in
to water treat- drainage sys- neighborhoods, contaminated the east
ment facilities. tem potentially leaving waste with soil.
Those facilities blocking it. on houses and
are usually not streets
Tepetlaoxtoc Papalotla San Andres de las Peras San Miguel Xolco
supposed to
1295 housing units on a 3km radius 879 housing units on a 3km radius 1578 housing units on a 3km radius 698 housing units on a 3km radius
treat tezontle and
m m basalt.
3k 3k

Cancelled
Infrastructure
Projects
Amount of
cancelled Projects in the
last 20 years around the
world. The particularity Tezoyuca Papalotla San Pablo Tecalco San Miguel Tlaixpan
3450 housing units on a 3km radius 919 housing units on a 3km radius 2657 housing units on a 3km radius 1269 housing units on a 3km radius
of this projects is that
m
they were cancelled 3k
m
3k 3k
m
3k
m

when some portion of it

was already built or even
operated. Mexico is the
country with the most
cancelled projects (16)
as well as the resources New Airport site

destinated to such
projects.

60
 Drainage systems Water Extraction Tezoyuca Mine
Open Drains
built A total of 36 km of
un-built open draing were
reconfigured, reha-
bilitated or built to
drain the water from
the airport and the
sorrounding areas

Interconection of Water Wells

Rio Teotihuacan and Around 110 water wells in the Texcoco area have
Rio Papalotla been overexploited to comply with the water
6.44 km of a new demand for the construction of the New Airport. This
connection between has led to water shortgages on nearby communities
two important river and neighborhoods.
bodies was planned
to mitigate flooding
in the New Airport
and in Texcoco. 0%
completed
Tunel Emisor
62 Oriente
14 km of a 7m diam
63
drainage tunel were
built to drain the wa-
ter from east Mexico
City, including the
New Airport
Local Neigbor-
hood Drainage
Originally 143 km
would collect rainwater Temporary water network
from sorrounding during construction period
neighborhoods. Only
33% are finished.

Temporary water tank

Water extraction pump

Permanent water
tank

Water Regulation Bodies

Used to regulate the water flow from
Creeks Drain
the east side mountains. A total of
System
five regulation basins were originally
43.7 km of creeks
projected while only 4 of them are
finished.
were planned to Tizayuca
be redirectioned
into pipes to Several of the mines used to extract
control the water
flow.35% of these materials for the New Airport are
works are com-
pleted. right beside neighborhoods. In the
case of Tizayuca, the extractive
heavy activities have damaged
houses, streets, and produced high
Superficial aquifer
Superior aquifer noise levels, disrupting the life of
300-500m deep
100m deep these vulnerable communities.
 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
SMArchS - Urbanism

0.10
Gold on Silt

kolkata, india, 2020

Kolkata was built by the river, both in terms of its geographic location and the foundations of its eco-
nomic power. The
silt of the Ganga river system, today an impediment to trade, is integral to the productivity of the
agricultural hinterland. Located on a wide-sweeping delta, Kolkata’s urban development has been one of in-
tervention in the deltic system, one that attempts to counter natural flows while simultaneously depending on
them. In this project, we attempt to harness some of the wasted energy of resisting the river in order to create
new landscapes of urban life along the river’s edge.

For the purposes of the project, it is useful to begin at the scale of the Ganges river.
Rivers are dynamic landscape actors, and the dual geological processes
of erosion and sedimentation translate into movements that in turn influence human patterns
of development. Natural and agricultural products of the river are brought downstream and industrial
products trace the path of the river back inland from the port.
The Gangetic plain is the agricultural hinterland of not only Kolkata but
of greater India. This land is largely made fertile through the transmission of siltation over the plains
during cycles of monsoon and drought. These same processes build new land throughout the river system.
The Hooghly branch, where Kolkata is located, is subject to these productive forces in two directions -- daily
tides bring sand in from the sea while alluvial flows deposit silt from the Himalayans.
The river itself is federal property which, due to the changing nature
of the river’s edge, is simultaneously an incredibly formal and an incredibly ambiguous condition.
Land ownership along the river
bank reflected in different characters of edge conditions in how private property meets this ambiguity.
A number of programs are captured along the edge, bringing industry and people out and down to the water.

Fluctuant
Boundaries
The ebb and flow of the
Hooghly river through cycles of
monsoon and drought. These
processes result in a changing
boundary condition between
river and land, as well as the
production of new land through
team:
processes of aggregation and
Xio Alvarez retreat

64
66 67
Cottage industry-
scale jetties focus on
navigation channel
and water’s edge
access

Property System
Subleasing of the
land abutting the
river occupies the
territory of the
changing river
boundary and the
jute mill. Jute mill
owners manage
the agglomeration
of leases; different
operations require The aggregation of jetties on the river’s edge increases the
different portions of surface area in terms of spaces for silt and people.
land, but because it Industrial-scale As the river rises and falls through tides and monsoons, the
is merely a lease they jetties are scaled to characters either close for a dry spell or extend out and down to
are constantly being mechanical tools reach the changing edge.
reconfigured of dredging and The characters of these businesses on the riverfront and the
logistics infrastructure they leave behind creates a new urban space.