The Mexican architecture scene is increasingly shaped by young architects committed to holistic, globally conscious design. One such firm is LANZA Atelier, which will present three of its projects at SFMoMA on March 31.
This will be the first solo exhibition in the United States for the firm, founded by Isabel Martínez Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo. The Spanish-Mexican duo demonstrates a keen interest in the historical weight of Mexico City's architecture. This is reflected in their efforts to build community through architectural interventions that adapt existing infrastructure for the benefit of users.
Mesa Nómada
This structure is composed of 13 tabletop sections at different heights, ranging from 60 centimeters to 1.20 meters, which support one another through a system where each piece rests on the adjacent one. The table features 26 chairs and 13 different heights (it was originally created for chef Emmanuel Prieto of Mesa Nómada). In this way, it invites diners not only to eat and drink but also to experience their own bodies in relation to the furniture and their fellow diners.
Seated at the lowest end, one sees what appears to be a sloping table where guests seem to float. Conversely, from the higher end, a cascade of plates, flatware, and glasses seems to spill all the way to the floor.
Shared Structures
Shared Structures builds on the work of Fernanda Canales on collective housing, using graphic analysis to examine the densification process of various cities. The project compares some of the most representative residential buildings from the 20th century to the present day.
S / N (Without Number)
Finally, this piece repurposes the city's "Security and Citizen Participation Modules," converting them into functional urban installations.
Explore more projects and news from this firm here.
LANZA Atelier was founded in 2015 by Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo. The firm was nominated for the 2016 Ibero-American Architecture Biennial Works Prize and the Mies Crown Hall Award for Emerging Architects from IIT Chicago. The studio also received an Honorable Mention in the 2016 El Eco Museum Pavilion Competition and won the 2017 Architectural League Prize from the Architectural League of New York.
This article was written by Mónica Arellano. The translation is powered by AI.
