The National Social Distancing Campaign (Jornada de Sana Distancia) in Mexico began on March 23, 2020, but a couple of weeks prior—even as the Federal Government recommended continuing normal activities—social media users were already opting to replicate the European model and self-isolate. Right away, some architecture firms made the decision to close their physical offices and transition to a remote work model, while others took a few more weeks to do so. However, this period of social and physical (spatial) distancing is experienced differently in every household. Over the months that this pandemic has unfolded, it has exposed not only the inequality regarding basic needs in dense urban areas, but also the fragility of our established social order. Whether at a macro or micro scale, all these experiences occur within and are influenced by the built environment, making architecture both arbiter and active participant in this equation.
At ArchDaily, we have been closely tracking all projects, initiatives, and articles linking COVID-19 and architecture. We believe this pandemic can yield positive and concrete actions across various theoretical and practical lines of work—including housing, public space, and participatory processes—within the architectural spectrum. That is why—as part of a collaboration with Mexican architects Mariana Ríos and Leticia Lozano of MACIA ESTUDIO—we are launching the series Reflexiones COVID-19 (COVID-19 Reflections) aimed at Mexican architects, which seeks to understand how architectural practice in Mexico has transformed in recent weeks in response to this situation, and what personal reflections will carry over into the collective effort to shape the new normal of architectural practice. In this edition, we share the reflections of PALMA, an architecture practice based in Mexico City.
