Public space and urban transit crisis. High rail at the Bosque de Chapultepec

Abstract

The Bosque de Chapultepec is, by far, the most important of all the public open spaces in Mexico City. Spread over its three sections, it also offers often the cheapest and most varied attractions of the city, making it a very valuable option for most families that want to spend time together during weekends and holidays. Out of its three sections, the one with the easiest access is the first. It includes the Zoo, the Chapultepec Castle, the Botanical Garden, and a children’s playground. La Feria, the Technological Museum (MUTEC) and the Papalote Museum for children are in the second section. The third is a natural reserve and is the less visited of them all, while also being the most abandoned. The scarce and most often awful state of the conections between the sections make it almost impossible to walk around, the park. This is why we have come up with the idea of a high rail circuit with six stations that, in less than ten minutes, would cover the approximately three miles of the park, from the Auditorio subway station to the Colegio de Arquitectos (Mexican equivalent to the AIA or the RIBA). The location of every one of these stations has been chosen for its significance as an articulating knot, which should help in perceiving the park as a sole entity. As Mexico City’s most important example of public space, Chapultepec's interests should be considered a matter of social responsibility. Therefore, the actions undertaken for its transformation should be a result of this age, so as to underline its role as a dynamic and social melting pot, where sustainability is the norm.