Projects
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1968 Mexico City Olympics: A Mirage of Peace, Progress, and Prosperity
In 1968, Mexico stood at a crossroads. Under the illusion of a vibrant and proud nation preparing to host the world’s most celebrated athletic event, internal conflicts continued to fiercely arise. The Mexican government, which was increasingly corrupt and authoritarian, faced the force of students, workers, and everyday citizens who demanded systemic change. Students protested, leading to the tragic Tlatelolco Massacre. The protests were handled corruptly by the government as it was stated that “when told that the students wanted to steal the Olympics’ limelight, the reader is already conditioned to sneer at this interpretation because he or she knows the ‘truth…’ the vulnerable are being attacked because the attackers…
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The First National Parks in South America
On March 1, 1872 the United States Congress passed an act establishing Yellowstone in Wyoming as the first national park. It was not the first time a government had enclosed an area through legislature, but it was the first time a government had designated an area as a ‘National Park.’ In describing the geographical boundaries of Yellowstone, the 42nd Congress wrote that the land was “… hereby reserved and withdrawn from settlement, occupancy, or sale under the laws of the United States, and dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people…” Yellowstone would be the first of an eventual…
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Designing the stage for tragedy: A case study of Ciudad Tlatelolco, Mexico City.
In the heart of Mexico City, just north of its historic center, Ciudad Tlatelolco stands out in its monumentality and historical significance. Spanning 950,000 square meters and made up of more than 100 tall buildings, some over twenty stories high, it remains one of the largest housing complexes in Latin America. Its towering concrete structures, defined by precise lines and Modernist ambition, sharply contrast with a sixteenth-century colonial church, the ruins of an Aztec pyramid, and a 125-meter-tall, pyramid-like tower made of reinforced concrete, glass, and aluminum. Despite this eclectic blend of architectural styles and periods, Tlatelolco’s design rarely dominates casual conversation. More than 60 years after construction concluded, its…
