The firm JSa – Aisha Ballesteros, Benedikt Fahlbusch, Javier Sánchez – has turned a deteriorated forest into an urban park that features an ecotechnologies center for Xalapa-Enríquez, the capital of the Mexican state of Veracruz.

Under the auspices of SEDATU (Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial, and Urban Development), the project respectfully integrates architecture into the surrounding nature, preserving the general layout of the forest with its endemic flora. Paths formed by passers-by over decades are paved, leading to pavilions positioned between preexisting clearings in the woods. They provide public toilets, office spaces, and four multipurpose rooms envisioned for environmental and artistic workshops, sports classes, and community meetings.

A skin of black terracotta tiles acts as a breathable layer, ensuring cross ventilation and visual permeability for all the pavilions. These are raised over the ground to guard against floods during monsoon seasons. The site’s natural slope is used to device a system for collecting, filtering, and storing rainwater in underground tanks. Finally, the landscape will feature a series of plazas with benches and playground equipment.

© Cortesía de SEDATU