The ancient art of fabric making in Mexican culture, through the weaving of threads to create intricate patterns and textures, is a significant artisanal practice ingrained in the cultural collective memory. The pavilion “Urban Tapestry” explores the idea of urban space-making by identifying traditional fabric-making elements and reinterpreting them on a different scale and within an urban context.

The wooden structure of the pavilion represents the primary frame of the traditional loom, referencing both the form and function of the rods and defining the spatial boundary for the play of light and color. The secondary elements of the pavilion are the “threads” intricately woven through the primary structure to create the “fabric”, in this case, the special enclosure with varying levels of porosity.

As visitors wander through the sensory experience of the pavilion, they encounter vignettes of the city represented through different densities of threads, superimposed on the “fabric of the city”. The special enclosure created by woven threads blurs the boundaries between the city and the pavilion through the dynamic interplay of porosity and solidity. The audience is immersed in a journey that mirrors the process of weaving itself, with changing patterns and tactile textures that stimulate the senses, fostering a connection between the visitor and the cultural heritage of fabric-making practice.

“Urban Tapestry” weaves together the past and present, tradition and contemporary, city and audience, while inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the fabric-making culture of Mexico, represented and woven into every thread of its design.