Mexico's University City: Architectural Landmark

University City: A Milestone in Mexican Architecture

The construction of University City is a major milestone in the history of contemporary Mexican architecture; it was opened in 1952. For the Mexican state, this great work meant a reaffirmation of its organizational capacity, technical and financial assistance, and for architecture, the validation of building theories that had been tried since the thirties.

The development of the project was under the responsibility of Mario Pani and Enrique del Moral (authors of the master plan and the overall layout). Both the technology and the design and construction of the premises were in the hands of Mexican professionals from various disciplines, mostly graduates of the UNAM.

Design Principles and Influences

The designers were organized into teams responsible for the particular solution of the various buildings, operating within a broad, purposeful freedom margin, while adhering to general principles that prevented formal dispersion. Key influences imposed by Le Corbusier stand out:

• Low free-standing plants supported by columns as structural support.
• Horizontal windows covering the entire facade.
• A sense of horizontality, constant spatial relationship with the exterior and interior.
• Use of expensive local, traditional, and modern materials.

Functionalist and Plastic Integration Examples

The line that adhered most insistently to functionalism can be seen in:

• The Faculty of Chemistry (Arch. Enrique Yáñez).
• The Tower of the former Faculty of Sciences (Arch. Raúl Cacho).
• The set of Humanities (Arch. Enrique de la Mora).

These buildings define a prevailing condition through the volume characterized by glass surfaces, through which space is modified by its quality without losing continuity.

The best representatives of plastic integration flow are found in:

• The Central Library (Juan O'Gorman).
• The Faculty of Medicine (Roberto Álvarez Espinosa and Francisco Eppens murals).

Other Significant Trends

Another trend was expressed in the Olympic Stadium (Arch. Augusto Pérez Palacios) and the pediments (Arch. Alberto T. Arai).

Olympic Stadium and Prehispanic Influence

In the Olympic Stadium, the purpose was to adjust to the topography of the site and the formal nature of the volcanic cones of the Valley of Mexico. Arai, a prominent theorist, offered an essay interpreting the plastic prehispanic forms using embankments and stone walls reminiscent of the volcano.

Outstanding Individual Styles

Three outstanding works showcase great individuality of style:

The Tower of the Rectory

(Enrique del Moral and Mario Pani, with murals by David Alfaro Siqueiros).

The Faculty of Architecture

(By José Villagrán García).

Cosmic Ray Hall

(From Jorge González Reyna and Félix Candela).