What to do in public space during the pandemics… 

Whatever the answer, we continue to believe in architecture as an instrument capable of activating public space through the transformation of its form.
The proposed project reflects the uncertainty of these times through the construction of a “fragment”, a small walled garden, an ambiguous space devoid of an “inside” and an “outside”, a “front” and a “back”. Its parts fulfil these roles simultaneously, generating open relationships between them, suggesting but letting users decide possible actions to be taken.

The space is made up of a few elements:
– A curved elliptical wall that generates a particular acoustic effect known as a “whispering gallery” in its concavity, allowing two people to stand in the focal points of the ellipse and speak to each other while keeping a distance.
– A second lower wall, perpendicular to the first, wraps around a small circular and intimate space, a hiding place where the only visual relationship is with the sky, while a small hole in the wall allows one to hear (or be heard) outside.
– In the corner between the two walls, a rotating cylindrical element is placed that works like the lathe rotary  of a cloistered monastery, allowing those on either side to exchange objects without coming into direct contact. It can be used to activate a book crossing dynamic or simply as a game between friends or strangers.
A long, uninterrupted bench completes the design, testing the desire to sit close or far away.

Competition entry for Pabellón Mextropoli 2021 competition, Mexico City