The open-air tianguis of Tepito have defined its cultural identity since its Aztec beginnings. Yet, government sponsored gentrification schemes have forced many locals to reconcile this imminent threat to their community, in order to preempt the destruction of their traditional ways.  Other community leaders note the increasing willingness of local vendors to seize space in the public domain, and seek a new system of organization that balances private (vending) and public space. This system of informal economic ingenuity must be preserved yet modified to mitigate future spatial conflict. The emergent and self organized properties of this economic system has the potential to influence an architecture defined by informality, rather than imposing upon it. While past government proposals have focused upon aggressive relocation strategies to concrete-cast vendor stalls in barren plazas, this proposal creates relational nodes of commerce situated within the streets.