The Dove Project: Architecture for Activism

Abstract

Freedom of expression is fundamental to our daily lives because the act of it awakens people who participate and witness it. It has the power to create positive change because of the message it delivers. Many countries are in the political position they are today because of mass demonstrations that have happened in their history. Mexico is notorious for its federal government’s political corruption and abuse of power. In many cases, problems get ignored, issues remain unresolved, and people do not get closure. As impunity continues to be a federal response towards instances of mistreatment, the gap of inequality through the social strata widens, causing a rise of social movements and activism to fight for human rights, equality, and justice. Although architecture cannot provide the answer to country-wide issues of inequality, it has the ability and the power to support those who continually protest and demonstrate for a better way of life. Protests against the federal government are not uncommon in Mexico. As the capital, Mexico City is the hub where people from all over Mexico travel to stand up for what they believe. The people behind the protests are the voices that truly define the underlying character of Mexico. This thesis is located at the Glorieta de Insurgentes, a site that exemplifies the government’s hell-bent effort to promote a false, fabricated Mexican narrative created during the 1968 Olympics. It attempts to explore ways to challenge authority and power through architecture, investigate qualities of safe public spaces for protest, and examine how architecture can protect and support protesters and activists tectonically. Based on a fictional narrative, La Paloma Proyecto, or ‘The Dove Project’ is a collaborative facility between seven of Mexico’s most active human rights NGOs that aim to commemorate, remember and support the victims of inequality. By establishing a space that provides support services, The Dove Project is a place that people can depend on and continue to speak out and fight for what they deserve.