EXHIBITIONS I | FIAMMA PIACENTINI
As part of this project’s experience design, MRM is in the process to develop an exhibitions program in which Mexican artists will create special interventions in the space.
The opening exhibition presented the work of photographer Fiamma Piacentini, whose shots of the newly rehabilitated Monument were presented in large-scale format prints throughout the building’s entry floor.
The exhibition, curated and produced by MYT Marketing, aimed to introduce the visitors to the different spaces that comprise the building and to give them a sample of the views that can be seen from the observation deck, which for a long time remained inaccessible to the public.
The exhibition design was inspired by the Monument’s colors and materials in an effort to pay tribute to its impressive architecture and to state its gleaming new condition.
http://www.fiammapiacentini.com
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ARCHITECTURE I | ELEVATOR
The new glass elevator, located on the Monument’s central axis, takes visitors from its now visible foundations, past what would have been the Parliament Building’s original lobby, and into the majestic - stone and copper - double vault dome, 57 meters above. The elevator leads to an observation deck that offers breathtaking 360-degree views of the city. more»
INTERIOR DESIGN III | FURNITURE DESIGN
In addition to the operation of the new glass elevator, observation deck, coffee shop, gift shop and multimedia space, Grupo MYT was commissioned with the design of the project’s interior spaces and the Centenario furniture line.
Benches and other elements were created following the same techniques as the ones employed to produce train-station furniture during the industrial period except for the use of recycled materials such as aluminium cans. The melted pieces are then cast in moulds and joined by extruded metal profiles.
INTERIOR DESIGN II | ORIGINAL STRUCTURE
One of he biggest accomplishments in the Monument’s rehabilitation consists of the newfound possibility to see its original cast-iron structure. Visitors can access the spectacular inner beams and trusses by taking a special tour through a spiral staircase that descends into a lower level where the restrooms are located. more»
ARCHITECTURE II | PLAZA DE LA REPUBLICA
As part of the titanic effort to rescue this significant building, AEP designed and implemented major improvements to the structure, which was brought back to life – in a symbolic, but also in a physical sense – as a vital node within the city’s grid.
At an urban scale, improved vehicular circulations were planned around the square, turning it into a hub where revitalized public transportation means converge.
In an architectural sense, the building went through a major restoration, it’s industrial steel foundations now exposed as a gateway into the museum and a new glass elevator inserted through its central axis to allow visitors to travel into the majestic double vault dome, 57 meters above.
As part of the Monument’s revolutionary transformation, AEP invited Grupo MYT as an advisor in the operation of the spaces resulting from the project’s new public program. MYT was commissioned with the operation of the glass elevator, observation deck, coffee shop, gift shop and multimedia space and helped resolve some of the functional and design issues related to visitor spaces, security, public admissions, etc.
Our main objective, and responsibility, was to surgically introduce specific ideas that would help it run as a public facility while at the same time paying utmost respect for the original structure and its new additions. more»
MONUMENTO A LA REVOLUCION MEXICANA
In 1936, Mexican architect, Carlos Obregón Santacilia, rescued the structure and invested it with a whole new meaning by turning it into a Monument to the Mexican Revolution.
CREDITS
Location: Mexico City
Original architectural project:
Emille Benard (1902)
Existing Monument architecture:
Obregon Santa Cilia (1936)
New architectural intervention:
AEP (2010)
Interior architecture, branding and product design:
MYT Diseño (2010) Andrés Mier y Terán / Carlos Mier y Terán / Gabriel Lopez Morton / Dulce Cruz / Regina Galvanduque / Carl Forssell / Fermnaria Castañeda / Julio Martinez / Ingrid Gil
Aliare Furniture design:
MYT Diseño + Rojo Studio (2010)
Photography: Fiamma Piacentini (2011)
New elevator, observation deck, café and gift shop management:
Grupo MYT
ARCHITECTURE III | OBSERVATION DECK
After leaving the elevator, visitors arrive to a loggia that descends into a second plane through a spiral staircase affixed to the stone vault. This second mezzanine is contained within the dome; however, vertical punctures on the vault begin to partially reveal the, thus far screened, views to the city.
The spiral stair finally lands onto a third platform, completely opening up to an exterior Observation Deck that is taken over by the stunning views of Mexico City’s skyline.
Along with their entrance tickets, visitors receive a map of the city’s views that show the surrounding relevant buildings and makes reference to specific markers on the skyline, allowing them to gain a better understanding of the city’s configuration. more»
ARCHITECTURE. IV ASPILLERAS – CAFÉ MIRADOR
Known as Aspilleras (loopholes) because of the circular punctures on the vault, this mezzanine houses a new cafeteria that offers amazing views to the city, while being the only exterior space that is sheltered from the wind and the sun.
This is a place for contemplation and for taking in the experience of the building in relation to the city. more»
INTERIOR DESIGN I | ORIGINAL STRUCTURE
One of he biggest accomplishments in the Monument’s rehabilitation consists of the newfound possibility to see its original cast-iron structure. Visitors can access the spectacular inner beams and trusses by taking a special tour through a spiral staircase that descends into a lower level where the restrooms are located.
Lighting design plays an essential role in this moment of the visitor’s experience, when the building’s colossal 19th Century structure is revealed. more»
BRANDING I | ORIGINAL ELEVATOR LOGO
The doors of the original industrial elevator are engraved with the letters RM, which stand for Mexican Revolution; typeset in an art deco style, the inversed R became the inspiration for a new logo that is paired up to the monument’s silhouette as the counterpart M. more»
BRANDING II | VISUAL IDENTITY
Inspired by the building’s rich and ever-transformative history, MYT Marketing has been in charge of designing a visual identity for it’s different elements, including signage, tickets, visitor guides, stationery, website and exhibition design.
ARCHITECTURE IV | OBSERVATION DECK
In consonance with Mexico’s sculptural and architectural tradition, the project integrates sculptural elements as part of its fundamental expression thanks to the valuable collaboration of Mexican sculptor Oliverio Martínez.
Martínez’s work achieves the cross-pollination of pre-Hispanic art and cubism. The themes for the four sculptural groups that crown the monument’s four columns are the Independence and the laws of Reform, Agriculture and Workforce.
ARCHITECTURE III | LIGHTING
A new fountain in the refurbished esplanade features a light show designed by Citelum, which goes on for 15 minutes every hour.
The building’s illumination changes every hour from 7:00 pm until midnight. more»
PRODUCT DESIGN | GIFT SHOP
Grupo MYT is responsible for the operation of the gift shop concession and is in the process of designing a new line of Revolution-inspired memorabilia.
As the official testimonial to the Mexican Revolution, the Monument aims to become a specialized center on all things connected to this period of the country’s history. The product selection to be offered in the gift shop represents a challenge in terms of curating a collection of books, posters, postcards and related souvenirs that are iconic, accessible and refined.
