Spatial transparency translates to truly accessible community spaces at these two public centres in Mexico City.

Key features

The municipality of Mexico City sought to develop 26 new community centres as part of its PILARES initiative (an acronym for Points of Innovation, Freedom, Art, Education, and Knowledge). Among the development are two public, multi-use spaces collaboratively designed by WorkAc and Ignacio Urquiza Architects. For the PILARES Azcapotzalco and PILARES Lomas de Becerra Model centres, the designers were briefed to create spaces that consider the geographic and social context of each site, incorporate the community’s specific needs and follow programming guidelines. Each location is designed to support cross-generational use through different types of community programming, including classes and workshops for helping to build skills or host cultural activities.

The buildings occupy similar sites – publicly facing corner lots – and were constructed around existing trees. The orientation of each volume was placed to create a small, adjacent public square that serves as a transitional area to the community centre. At the Loma de Becerra location, an accessibility platform doubles as an auditorium. The ground floor is organized in an open layout with lightweight glass façades that extend outwards to expand the interior and blur it with its surroundings. Both buildings have three floors with four platforms centred around a main staircase. The openness allows natural light to filter through and enables ventilation. Different spaces are designated for different uses, from fixed studios and computer rooms to open-ended spaces that accommodate physical activities and classes like martial arts, dance and yoga.

FRAME’s take

It’s logical that the community centres would be designed to build and maintain a sense of community. The PILARES spaces, however, transcend their role of merely providing Mexico City residents with a place to learn new skills or exercise but do so with the underlying goal of creating connection. The interior layouts are conducive to this by not only flexing to accommodate different types of programming but maintaining a sense of openness to one another, while still allowing users to focus on their intended activities. This transparency is immediately clear from the outside because of the use of public space to create a natural magnetization towards the centres from the street. The presence of public space serves the interaction between locals using the community centre as well as those indirectly utilizing the space, truly making the PILARES locations available to all.