VECINDAD VIVA: A REGENERATIVE COHOUSING PROJECT IN MEXICO CITY

Abstract

The continuous growth of Mexico City has made the city a vibrant, complex, and unstable place. As infrastructure becomes stressed, it is important to realize designs that respond to the needs of both the people and the environment. In the case of Mexico City’s Centro Histórico, the three main areas of interest are addressing water concerns, providing affordable housing, and preserving historical site significance. Each of these factors contribute directly to the conceptual design of the proposed project. Vecindad Viva is a mixed-use residential project that focuses on revitalizing Mexico City’s historic network by providing a commercial ground floor with various amenities to bring people into the site. The three upper stories contain residential cohousing elements that provide much needed affordable housing to the area while also encouraging the traditional close-knit relationships commonly found in Mexican households. The structure evolves the form of the typical Mexican vecindad, or “neighborhood,” typology by providing dynamic stacked courtyard spaces. Lastly, the materials and the outdoor plaza address environmental issues such as water scarcity, flooding, and pollution through methods of water collection and carbon sequestration.