Arch 302
Prof. Jimenez
Architecture and Globalism: Cultural Center of the Americas, Mexico City, Spring 2011
Michael Matthews
Stitching the Void
Courtyards are a strong fixture in the built landscape of Mexico City. They recur in a variety of buildings with very different programs, from churches to hotels to markets to infill buildings. However, despite maybe a change in scale, there is a strong uniformity to the configuration of these courtyards in regards to the relationship between the massing and the void. This is especially true for the historical sections of Mexico City, such as the site of the project at the Zocalo. The consistency of the site plan demonstrates that the many courtyards nestled within the density of the Zocalo are relatively of the same regularity of size, shape, and isolation from one another.
The project seeks to reinterpret the relationship of the massing to the void in the courtyard. It creates spaces inspired by the surrounding courtyards, but transcends the typology. It creates an infill of four courtyards that interlock with each other, thus freeing themselves of the inward orientation of the other surrounding courtyards. The end effect is a collection of dynamic spaces that provide the necessary relief of density but without being completely introspective and isolated. At the same time, each courtyard has its own distinct character through different violations of the courtyard typology.
The first courtyard is extruded upwards and reverses the inward orientation for an outward one which creates views onto the city. It is the most public area of the building and houses the reception. The second courtyard is also public and houses the cafe and theatres. It is a series of perforated layers which result in a central, terraced void. It reprograms the courtyard from a void of absence to a void of activity. All lines of sight converge on the central area of a very public stage intended for lectures and demonstrations. The third courtyard is a gallery space where the courtyard massing is severed to create strong linkages to other program. The gallery space wraps around the neighboring courtyard to tie program together on multiple levels. The fourth and last courtyard is the densest and most private. It contains the program related to production such as offices and studios. Here the void is pushed to the edge of the massing, to allow the voidspace to serve as a boundary from the rest of the building and to allow light into the concentrated spaces.While each courtyard is distinct in massing and program, they are tied together through a continuous circulation system. Ramps and pathways stitch the massing together to allow fluid movement between program. The stitching wraps around the voids in a figuire-eight, allowing for movement across the building from street to street and allowing for a public space of intersections at its center.