A Design History of Mexico City’s Vecindades | Bloomberg CityLab

These grandiose buildings featuring a central courtyard were originally built to house European aristocracy in the Spanish colony beginning in the 16th century. In the generations since, these residential designs unique to Mexico City tell a story about the city’s development into a megalopolis and the country’s economic and political shifts. The buildings were eventually transformed into multi-family complexes by the Mexican working class with the shared courtyard becoming the communal heart. These relationships gave the vecindades a place in popular Mexican culture from film, to literature to music. Today, the old buildings that remain continue to form a nostalgic, but essential part of what it means to be Mexican.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-01-10/how-vecindades-design-shaped-mexico-city-life-history

To understand a city, start with the foundation. Floor plans from homes around the world explain how the way we live has shaped the design of urban neighborhoods — and vice versa. This video is part of a special series that explores iconic residential architecture in cities around the world. Read more and sign up to get the next story in this series sent to your inbox: http://bloomberg.com/home-design-history
——–
Follow Bloomberg for business news & analysis, up-to-the-minute market data, features, profiles and more: http://www.bloomberg.com
Connect with us on…
Twitter: https://twitter.com/business
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloombergbusiness
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloombergbusiness/

More from: Bloomberg Politics