Located in a luscious public park in the heart of Mexico City, the new home for Latin-America’s first design collection Archivo Diseño y Arquitectura introduces a new building typology in the Mexican capital. The 3000 m2 building brings life and regenerative energy to an undiscovered part of the capital, challenging the trend for enclosed facades and stimulating the upcoming neighborhood through culture and design. The space offers visitors a variety of functions and activities beyond the permanent collection of exclusive design items. Spaces for social events, talks and commercial use have been prioritized to create a more dynamic atmosphere, facilitating dialogue and critical cultural exchange.
 
The 6-story raw exoskeleton opens up to the generous surroundings welcoming the visitors inside. The structure of the building consists of a vertical core and horizontal floor plates that branch out into the garden, creating an unusual mix of indoor and outdoor spaces. A spiraling staircase expands and contracts along the perimeter, leading the visitors efficiently from ground floor, through the exhibitions inside and outside, all the way up to the public roof terrace to enjoy spectacular views of the city. The staircase serves as an outdoor exhibition space or simply as an informal meeting and resting area, ideal for Mexico’s year-long moderate climate. The clean structure is completed by glazed facades set back from the slab edge to provide shade and privacy, whilst the more public functions are placed along the active edges. A spectrum of communal life forms around the building are an integral part of the project. Multi-functional spaces for workshops, dance classes and socializing, as well as outdoor areas for urban gardening surrounding Archivo will serve as a destination for the local community and visitors of Mexico City.