Archivo Pavillon - Federico Colella

The wardrobe is filled with linen / There are even moonbeams which I can unfold. André Bretón

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A lot of contradictions enrich Mexico D.F. and make that we love this city, Barragán’s gardens show double nature of the capital. A space for meditation next to one of the most chaotic roadway in the city. For Luís Barragán cultural heritage is a basic element to understand Architecture. And Nature is an inspiring source of knowledge. We think that these two factors, culture and nature, could produce a regeneration in a neighborhood community for a new development of the city. This new cultural institution “Archivo de diseño y Arquitectura” would offer services and a place to meet, to socialize and to share, increasing level of citizen consciousness. Natural environment and beauty of Gardens before everything; project doesn’t consider this space as an empty to fill, but as an alive place. We think that beauty of this space could increase socialization and the participation. We chose to transform pavilion into a little part of the garden, like a Xochítl, a flower that opens up in the tomorrow’s first hours and closes itself at the night. Pavilion wants to be ephemeral and totally rejects the idea of becoming an added architecture or an amplification. First of all temporary and light, and also flexible. It is very interesting in a city like Mexico give us a chance to generate spaces that are ephemeral, but outstanding and useful for community.

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We try to design a building which helps citizens to recognize the space of garden and to change it for different way of use. We convert garden in a domestic landscape. Project also consider exterior as an interior space through processes of colonization. A central nucleus, a “yellow room” is built with a special care in materials, lights and colors. This shelter is protected by an external metal skin that wraps space and that could be opened to exterior. Space among the two boxes contains technical systems and facilities to develop different activities. Pavilion becomes an infrastructure offering services and experiences, a small Wunderkammer, one of these fantastic spaces full of objects that amazed people of Renaissance age. Pavillion offers its services through its contraction and dilation mechanisms, facilitating at the same time until six types of different activities. building can also reduce its size and occupy a surface of only forty-five square meters establishing a more intense dialogue with the environment like a “small toy in the Forest.” the beautiful paint of Alberto Savinio. A very strong contrast between the artificiality of the object and the amazing Mexican nature, an overgrowth in which pavilion wants to get lost. As soon as this building totally opens it allows to be crossed creating a continuity with exterior space. As in the streets of Mexico sometimes, a small food kiosk generates around a very interesting and full of life spatiality where people can feel closer. Recreating in the garden this beautiful sensation of “informal freedom” would help to increase participation and socialization. Closed, as much in the night as in the day, pavilion becomes a “lantern”, a light effect generated by perforated wooden panels: a contemporary frieze inspired by nature, and the geometry of flowers.