Jardines Centrales de Jojutla

After the devastating 09/17 earthquakes inMexico, Jojutla was one of the most affected communities in the state ofMorelos, suffering damage in multiple structures and public spaces. To rebuildan identity that uses public spaces as its media, while obtaining thecommunity’s approval was the major challenge for developing Jardines Centralesde Jojutla. There was a close interaction at all timeswith the inhabitants of Jojutla. Their advice and participation were key in theconception and development of the project. Community leaders, historians,architects, government and the population were all actors of an open andparticipative process, which Estudio MMX materialized through the designprocess. The core idea came from the trees. Uniqueelements that survived the earthquake standing without damage, therefore, in asymbolic stand, the Civic Centre of Jojutla was bound to become the “CentralGardens of Jojutla” evoking the concept of resiliency by means of thevegetation. The arcades that coexist next to thegardens are structures that reinterpret the region´s traditional architecture. They serve as frames for the civic and leisure events required by the city. Theselected materials were artisanal ochre brick, basaltic grey stone forpavements and an extensive array of local flora species. The generation of acivic square with a new identity was only possible by understanding andordering the previously disarticulated spaces and giving each of the spatialelements a new role while keeping a strong relationship between them. Different spatial and experience qualitieswere achieved for each of the spaces. Leisure and meeting points for thecommunity, a civic square and open-air forum. Spaces that recognize and fortifythe transit, pause, leisure and encounter of their users. The use of thoughtful architectural andlandscape design, generates shaded areas on the open plaza, creating diverseatmospheres throughout the gardens, ranging from a dense vegetation zone, withstone benches under tree shadows, to a civic square with hard pavements thatholds its own social dynamics. Project name: Jardines Centrales de Jojutla (JCJ Gardens) Company name: Estudio MMX Website: Contacte-mail: estudiommx@mmx. com. mx Project location: Jojutla, Morelos, México CompletionYear: 2019 Building area(m²): 9,144m2 Photocredits: Dane Alonso