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This thesis explores the concept of the urban void in Mexico City, somewhere that can be understood as the leftover space resulting from the chaotic accumulation of layers of rapid obsolescence. By reflecting on the existing tension between the ephemeral daily use of space and the rigid infrastructure that allows it, the project proposes an alternative to current unsuccessful renovation schemes and intends to address local sociocultural necessities by providing new spaces that seek to reactivate urban life.
The study recognises the park as a space that constantly invites citizens to occupy, adapt and modify according to their everyday needs and desires, becoming the ground for temporal and informal activities to appear and disappear.
The site of López Velarde Park was home to the National Stadium for twenty-five years before it was replaced by the Centro Urbano Benito Juárez complex in the 1950s.
The lack of urban regulation has left a void that is filled by informal activities that sustain the life of the park. Such activities have emerged in response to some of the local community's most immediate needs, becoming indispensable to the space.
The design proposal addresses local social and cultural necessities through two types of urban interventions: punctual and subtle. Punctual interventions manifest as flexible pavilions accommodating new and existing uses.
Subtle permanent interventions address bigger and longer needs by restructuring the physical configuration of the area to reinforce everyday street use. Pictured in the view is a space for recreation, interaction and enjoyment for children.