In the Santa Fe district twelve miles southwest of Mexico City, this former quarry was carved into the western hills of the Valley of Mexico. Initially established in the mid-1900s to extract sand, gravel, and sandstone, the quarry closed following the impacts of the earthquake of 1985. After years of debate between advocates and authorities, a developer was engaged to construct the 99-acre project with 70% dedicated to public parkland and 30% to housing, related infrastructure, and urban development. The parkland was developed first; designed by landscape architect Mario Schjetnan of Grupo de Diseño Urbano (GDU) with the architecture firm Víctor Márquez Arquitectos (VMA), it opened in 2017.
Principal pedestrian access to La Mexicana Park (Parque La Mexicana) is provided by two broad allées of trees at the northeastern end that leads to bright pink entry gates inspired by architect Luis Barragán. This gateway connects with a paseo/promenade that runs the length of the park, as well as a separate recreational loop for walking and biking. Another access point is from an underground parking garage, from which an elevator transports visitors to a restaurant terrace on the park’s eastern side. A central plaza is nestled between the terrace and paseo, featuring an angular splashpad.
Lush, native grasses, flowering shrubs, and deciduous and evergreen shade trees characterize distinctive areas, such as the terraced “Hidden Gardens” that take the form of oval lawn depressions, and a sloping amphitheater that wraps around the southern-most lake with an angular, red acoustic bandshell (by architect Omar Saad). On the park’s elevated western edge, amenities are screened from the paseo, including a dog park and skate park, while at the park’s southwestern edge, a roller-skating park, athletic fields, and nature preserve are sited atop a partially underground supermarket. Avenue Luis Barragán separates the latter section but accommodates access via a pedestrian bridge.
