Once an Aztec city that occupied artificial islands in Lake Texcoco, Mexico City today struggles with chronic water shortage. This metropolitan water problem can, in part, be traced back to the Conquista, when Spanish engineers drained the lake to provide more space for the growing colonial capital. In the present day, discrimination against indigenous populations remains part of the postcolonial city, where water distribution patterns form a map of water access and denial.

A main hub for migrant populations traveling north, Mexico City is in many ways a “host city.” How can a city struggling with the needs of its citizens provide free and clean water for stateless travelers?
The project proposes a distribution of new spaces in neighborhoods with reliable access to water, where public buildings would lend their unoccupied rooftops to these travelers. This network of rooftop rest areas is linked to several metro stations, and offers an environment temporarily removed from the busy life of Mexico City. Within subterranean metro stations, water would appear using various light and reflective effects, helping to inform refugees about the rest spaces above. On the street level, the project would appear in the shape of desert flowers only blooming in the times of rain, reminding the citizens of the vital role of water. On rooftops these structures would consist of water storage tanks and a rainwater capture system for refugees to bathe and refill their water. Each rooftop would operate independently or in combination with other spaces in the network. The rooftops would also provide water storage for their host neighborhoods offering a new amenity for citizens.