The National Social Distancing Campaign (Jornada de Sana Distancia) in Mexico began on March 23, 2020. However, a couple of weeks earlier, even despite the Federal Government's recommendation to continue activities as normal, social media was already filled with people choosing to replicate the European model and self-isolate. Immediately, some architecture practices decided to close their physical offices and transition to a remote work model, while others took several weeks longer. Yet, this period of social and physical (spatial) distancing is experienced differently in every household. In the months since this pandemic unfolded, it has laid bare not only the inequality in basic needs within dense urban areas but also the fragility of the social order itself. Whether at a macro or micro scale, all these experiences occur within and are influenced by the built environment, making architecture both judge and jury in this equation.
At ArchDaily, we have been tracking projects, initiatives, and articles linking COVID-19 and architecture. We believe this pandemic can yield positive, concrete actions across various theoretical and practical lines of work—including housing, public space, and participatory processes—within the architectural field. Therefore, as part of a collaboration with Mexican architects Mariana Ríos and Leticia Lozano of MACIA ESTUDIO , we are launching the series COVID-19 Reflections, focusing on Mexican women architects. This initiative aims to understand how architectural practice in Mexico has transformed over recent weeks in response to this situation, and what personal reflections will translate into collective efforts to shape a new normal for the profession. In this installment, we feature the insights of Aisha Ballesteros, partner and project director at JSa, a Mexico City-based architecture firm with a strong focus on housing.
