Last month, the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP) announced the four finalists for the MCHAP.emerging award: the Maria Montessori Mazatlan School by EPArquitectos and Estudio Macías Peredo, the Children Village by Rosenbaum and Aleph Zero, the Embodied Computation LAB by David Benjamin, and Common Unity by Rozana Montiel Estudio de Arquitectura.
Recently, the jury—composed of Ricky Burdett, Jose Castillo, Ron Henderson, Rodrigo Perez de Arce, and Claire Weisz—announced Common Unity by Rozana Montiel Estudio de Arquitectura as the winner of the 2018 MCHAP.emerging award.
The transformation and rehabilitation of the public space has had a direct impact on the area's safety, activating a space that had been abandoned for decades. This was achieved by integrating a square area that appears to float above the ground, incorporating existing trees and concrete structures, and creating boardwalks under the shadow of a lightweight steel structure that blends with the tree canopy. This spatial gesture makes the area feel more expansive, accommodating both small gatherings and individual activities. The intervention is at once an active, valuable public space, and a program that did not exist before. It is a design about social process—all in a single project. — Read on for the project description by designers Rozana Montiel and Alin Vázquez Wallach.
In Mexico City, the demand for housing is immense, with over 25% of the population living in housing units. Consequently, residents face issues with social integration due to a lack of adequate public space. Furthermore, these housing units have historically been fragmented by barriers erected by the residents themselves. “Common Unity” (Común-Unidad) is an intervention designed for a housing complex in San Pablo Xalpa, located in the north of Mexico City, home to approximately 7,000 residents. Contrary to what one might think, setting up barriers actually increases insecurity: gating becomes a barrier itself.
Instead of fences and barriers, we designed elements that allow for interaction and create a meaningful place for the community. One of our key strategies was to redesign public spaces using vertical elements (railings, walls, gates, and fences) and connecting them to reintegrate the community and encourage interaction. Horizontal elements are no longer just roofs; they encompass canopies, shelters, floors, and walkways. By using compact, multifunctional structures, we expanded potential activities within the shared realm, bringing various programs together under one roof.
The outcome of this new spatial programming was clear: residents voluntarily dismantled 90% of the barriers. Reclaiming the public space restored community use, transforming the housing unit into a “united community” (común-unidad). The rehabilitated public space in Xalpa now serves as an extension of each apartment while retaining its public character. Thanks to the added value of community life, property values have doubled. Safety has also improved by design. The focus was on creating a space that could expand both temporally and multifunctionally, turning it into a place with a distinct identity. This kind of architectural design is ultimately understood as a social construction.
Click here to learn more about the project.
This article was written by Mónica Arellano. The translation is powered by AI.
