Multiple Cataclysmic Events Shape and Define Mexico City's Unique Character
Metropolitan Haven: Fernando Sordo Madaleno Continues to Thrive within Cityscape
Mexico City, with its complex and intriguing landscape, is a testament to a series of cataclysmic events that have melded history, culture, and urban development. Fernando Sordo Madaleno, an architect from the prominent Sordo Madaleno family, has elucidated the profound impact these events have had on Mexico City's unique, multi-layered cityscape.
In an exclusive interview, Sordo Madaleno discussed the significant catastrophes that have left distinct marks on the city, resulting in its memorable, even whimsical charm. Among these events include the arrival of the Spanish in 1521, who destroyed the astonishing city of Tenochtitlan, an urban center built on a lake in a volcanic valley. Another notable occurrence was the 1985 earthquake, which claimed the lives of over 5,000 individuals and collapsed more than 400 buildings. Going further back, the asteroid impact on the Yucatan Peninsula, believed to have led to the extinction of dinosaurs, also left indelible traces in the city's history.
On a tour of Mexico City, one can still sense the echoes of these transformative events that have reshaped the cityscape. The dynamic interplay between past and present can be observed everywhere—beneath the streets, as well as above. For instance, when street names in the city begin with "Rio," one becomes aware of the rivers that once flowed freely but were later channeled into underground pipes in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Additionally, the added steps to the entrances of historic buildings reveal their gradual sinking, echoing the sinking of iconic structures such as the Cathedral, which once stood on the great lake the Spanish drained. Terminal 2 of Mexico City's airport is another example of the city's consistency of inconsistency, having been built less than 20 years ago and already experiencing sinking due to the shifting landscape.
As a result of these cataclysmic events, Mexico City offers a captivating urban experience where elements of contemporary lifestyles intermingle with hints of the "Wild West." This discrepant juxtaposition can be witnessed in neighborhoods such as Colonia Juárez, where opulent colonial houses house modern-day artists or low-income families, and trendy cafés and shops are nestled among illegal street markets and noisy streets. Sordo Madaleno highlights the vibrant energy that permeates this megalopolis, which is twice the size of London.
One of Sordo Madaleno's favorite architectural gems in the city center is the building that houses the Franz Mayer Museum. Initially built as a 16th-century flour warehouse, it has since served as a hospital, a women's hospital, a post office administration building, an artisan market, and, since the mid-1980s, as the home of Franz Mayer's decorative arts collection. This testament to the city's adaptability and resilience embodies many aspects of Mexico City that attract and intrigue Sordo Madaleno.
The museum lies in the beautiful Plaza de la Santa Veracruz, adjoining the oldest public park in the Americas, Alameda Central. Dating back to the vecindades, narrow streets lined with 18th-century collective housing inspired by pre-Hispanic living can still be found behind the square. Although some of these dwellings are undergoing gentrification, others remain severely impoverished, with many serving as settings for popular telenovelas.
Sordo Madaleno expresses his dream of visiting Tenochtitlan before the conquest, when the city's harmony with nature was still intact. Though Tenochtitlan is forever preserved beneath the modern city, the city above continues to evolve in a fragile equilibrium with the raw forces of nature, offering an ever-fascinating, restless, and compelling urban landscape.
In the heart of Mexico City, history intertwines with lifestyle, creating a captivating fusion that can be seen in the azure-tiled roofs of buildings like the Franz Mayer Museum, originally built as a flour warehouse in the 16th century.The city's rich history, punctuated by cataclysmic events such as the arrival of the Spanish and the 1985 earthquake, has given rise to a unique home-and-garden environment, where contemporary urban design coexists with lingering remnants of the past, much like the verdant plants that have claimed the crevices of ancient streets and buildings.
