Social Ensembles

Social Ensembles ”Ensambles Colectivos” is the name of the project directed by Estudio Lavalle+Peniche, which was presented at the 2016 mexican pavilion edition of the Venice Biennale of Architecture. Bienal Comunicación as support team, developed the branding and audiovisual that included a select group of architects, photographers, documentary filmmakers and plastic artists.

The project analyzes the platforms developed and performed in the state of Yucatán; documenting the way, the assembly process and the interdependent relationships between manufacturers and users. This is an investigation that records the different types of these structures, the purpose is to give back value to these social and cultural phenomena, preserving the Mayan building techniques and passing this knowledge to future generations.

The platforms are modular structural systems, whose ephemeral location active in the peninsular Mayan communities, year after year open public spaces. The transmission of building knowledge with Mayan origin, in syncretism with traditions incorporated as result of the cross-cultural heritage, therefor a tangible architectural action of the religious festivities. The reflection of community participation and social structure, a building system that incorporates sensitive material selection and full understanding of the environment in different scales.

Altogether, 106 towns were mapped in Yucatán where the platforms are built and along with this the people responsible for the construction; the “palqueros” were interviewed. Their work was filmed and in parallel the team built a detailed scale model of a section of the platforms and produced a time-lapse video of the assembly and disassembly of the platform in Tunkás, Yucatán.

Work Team:

José Carlos Lavalle Alonzo
Luis Alejandro Peniche Arroyo
Eduardo Adolfo Calvo Santisbón
Jorge Alberto Bolio Rojas
Mauricio Gallegos Esquivo
Carlos Patrón Ibarra
Onnis Luque Rodríguez
David Emir Cervera Castro
Bienal Comunicación