Architecture + Design

Urban Folie

Morelia, Mexico

Morelia´s historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its architectural buildings of pink stone create a unique cultural aesthetic. The cultural core is surrounded by industrial corridors. To the north “Avenida de Héroes de Necupétaro” is envisioned by FM to become an Eco Boulevard. The aim is to transform and regenerate this corridor to a pedestrian friendly avenue that connects to the historic centre whilst densifying activity to create complementary new economic hubs for Morelia.

The vision includes a strategy of inserting seed projects along the corridor to start the regeneration process. The first project, an urban Folies (Fomento de Lugares de Innovación Económica y Social) is the symbol to transmit the values of the regeneration project and the Eco boulevard. Three cubes intersect to create active public space in the perimeter allowing spaces of circulation and spaces to rest and interact. The relation of the exterior and the interior working areas is mediated by a public program that gives opportunities of exchange. The façade materiality reuses the traditional pink stone a reminiscent of cultural presence and combines it with perforated new materials to transmit innovation and future.