The hardest ticket to acquire in Texas architecture this year was admission to the TxA Design Conference in Mexico City. Selling out in less than 10 minutes, you had to be quick or find yourself on the waiting list. This is the first time the annual event moved beyond the U.S. border. The lucky 100 that nabbed a ticket were rewarded with an amazing, non-stop experience on February 20–23.

The conference theme, “Textura,” was an almost perfect title. Textures of every imaginable type greeted us at each step. I might simply add a subtitle of “Chroma” to create the finishing touch to the title. Eclectic use of materials, the resulting textural compositions/juxtapositions, and the bold use of color was on full display. The architecture made me wonder — why are we so hesitant to use such vibrant colors in our work in the states?

DAY ONE
Architecture of Care 

The conference opened with a bang – a marquee lecture conducted by Tatiana Bilbao Estudio (Alba Cortes/Mariano Castillo) followed by a tour of the studio. The talk highlighted a common theme to follow: the inclusion of rich cultural references within each project. It did not seem to matter if we were looking at small pieces of furniture or large-scale urban projects, the city and region informed everyone’s work. Bilbao’s projects showed poignant social conscience resulting in character-driven designs that seemed bold and yet humble in spirit. A highlight of the lecture were the collages that are a key task in Bilbao’s ideation process. 

An afternoon lecture by Productora Studio (Natalia Baidia/Carlos Bedoya) capped the day as we spent time in a project they designed and occupy as well. A project from the lecture sketched by attendee Brandon Young, AIA, was particularly impressive in its bold sculptural moves and creation of dramatic interwoven public plazas.

Painted on the wall where we attended the lecture was a saying by renowned performance artist Marina Abramović:

“Objects can transcend utility to become conveyors of energy and creators of emotional links, reflecting our ability to transform materials with purpose and sensitivity.”

Thinking back on the trip, the quote is a fitting description of the many “objects” we discovered and sometimes became enamored. It made me think of all the objects Barragan had on display as personal collectibles demonstrating his spirituality, of all the pieces and parts being used to make collages and models at Bilbao’s studio, and the pieces on display at Diego Rivera’s studio (fun fact: at the time of his death Rivera had approximately 60,000 objects collected). In summary, it made me think that Abramović’s text fits our architectural “objects” we all design with such passion. Mexico City was such a great place for all these material objects of energy that created individual emotional links we will likely cherish for years.

Day Two
“What Nobody Asks For”

This was the title of the lecture by MMX studio (Emmanuel Ramirez/Ignacio del Rio) that opened Thursday’s events. The central idea intended by the title is that our design projects often create opportunities to create outcomes that provide more than what is requested. The extension of programmatic elements and the addition of qualities possibly unforeseen by the client, create a final result that is more impactful and memorable. The theme is easily transferred to the conference itself as each moment surpassed what could have been imagined, it simply was magical and went beyond anyone’s expectations.

The lecture was also an example of kismet as Marina Abramović made another appearance in the lecture. An image of her unnamed performance piece from 1978 was displayed while discussing spatial interactions and spaces for people. It is always interesting how common themes reveal themselves on these trips. I was also reminded of last year’s lecture by Robert Ivy where he described “threads” that weave through our lives, highlighting how for me these conferences build upon each other, time after time, giving more and more than asked for!

We then toured a library (Biblioteca Vasconcelas by Alberto Kalach) whose scale defies description — the images will have to tell the story.

After the gargantuan scale of the library, the tours turned more intimate with stops at Casa Siza, a portrait in minimalism and solace by Alvaro Siza and Casa Wabi Sabino, again by Alberto Kalach with Studio Bosco Sadi, whose ceramic artworks blended beautifully with the shell created with the architect. The day ended at the Icehouse (Fabrica de Hielo) which is a warehouse complex adaptively reused as the JSa studio.  A lecture by the partners (Javier Sánchez, Aisha Ballasteros, and Benedikt Fahlbusch) and a book signing reception with good food and drinks capped a tiring but wonderful day.

Day Three
¡Viva Mexico!

The last day started with a fascinating and informative overview of Mexico City and the city’s impact on architecture presented by architectural historian Kathryn O’Rourke. It was particularly interesting to hear specific elements of Mexico’s history, see this history visually incorporated into Juan O’Gorman murals and main library building at UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico), and then experience the buildings in person.

Finally, we toured the Mayan and Aztec-inspired Museo Anahuacalli by Juan O’Gorman and the luminous addition by Mauricio Rocha — a jaw-dropping project which words fail to adequately convey. Maybe like the overall trip the only word is:

Wow.