Silent Stones, Dynamic Future
Siddhi Gosalia, Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning
Collaborators: Ishan Saksena, CoE; Nikunj Dholay, Taubman; Erika Moreles and Sergio Gomez, Archaeologists from INAH-Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia organisations based in Mexico
Faculty Advisors: Dawn Gilpin, Lecturer IV, Taubman; Robert Adams, Associate Professor, Taubman
This research explores how arts and culture can transform Mexico City’s ruins into dynamic public spaces that foster expression, community engagement, and urban resilience. Through site-specific interventions, it repositions Mesoamerican spatial and material legacies within the modern city, ensuring their relevance. Beyond preservation, the architect’s role is to activate these sites as living, participatory spaces where history is reinterpreted and reimagined.
The proposed prototype will be designed for Teotihuacan, Tlatelolco’s Plaza de las Tres Culturas, and the Cuicuilco Pyramid.
Interdisciplinary Framework
This interdisciplinary research merges architecture, archaeology, urbanism, and digital technology to restore and speculatively revitalize Mexico City’s architectural ruins.
This approach is essential because it goes beyond conservation, transforming these ruins into active components of the contemporary urban fabric rather than static relics. By integrating these disciplines, the research fosters a dynamic dialogue between past and future, ensuring structural viability, cultural relevance, and social accessibility.
Arts Integration
Through speculative design, digital installations, and immersive VR experiences, the project explores how ancient structures can be reinterpreted and animated in contemporary urban life. Artistic interventions, such as 3D printed models and interactive visualizations, allow for a deeper emotional connection to the ruins, turning them into vibrant cultural spaces that evoke both memories and future possibilities.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
This thesis collaborates with Ishan Saksena (MS Data science) and Nikunj Dholay (Regional Urban planning student) along with Erika Moreles and Sergio Gomez who are Archaeologists from INAH (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia) organisations based in Mexico and with Dawn Gilpin and Robert Adams of Taubman College of Architecture as advisors.
Timeline
Phrase 1: Research and design brief development as part of Architecture Thesis under Robert Adams’ mentorship.
Phrase 2: January 2025: Site visit to Mexico with Dawn Gilpin, exploring potential sites and conducting interviews with archaeologists Erika Moreles and Sergio Gomez for data gathering.
Phrase 3: Initial research on heritage preservation and urban integration, collaborating with Ishan Saksena and Nikunj Dholay to gather and verify environmental, historical, and mobility data.
Phrase 4: February 2025: Develop early adaptive reuse concepts based on findings and begin visualizing interventions (Siddhi’s role).
Phrase 5: March 2025: Refi ne design proposals with data-driven simulations, ensuring feasibility and sustainability. Site visit during spring break.
Phrase 6: April 2025: Prepare final thesis exhibition at Taubman College, integrating renderings, VR presentations, and interactive visualizations.
Impact
This research explores key ruins in Mexico City — Teotihuacan, Plaza de las Tres Culturas, and Cuicuilco — examining how heritage sites can evolve while retaining authenticity. The thesis proposes a prototype to revitalize these ruins into vibrant public spaces that enhance cultural identity, tourism, and education. As an architect, the goal is to activate dormant sites, honoring their history while transforming them into dynamic, living spaces.
Methods Toolkit
- Siddhi Gosalia (M.Arch): Designs interventions that honor Mexico City’s ruins while redefi ning their urban role. Leads the fi nal exhibition, including design, models, drawings, and VR presentations.
- Ishan Saksena (MS Data Science): Applies GIS, environmental modeling, and predictive analytics to assess climate risks, seismic threats, and mobility patterns for adaptive reuse using Python, NumPy, and geospatial analysis.
- Nikunj Dholay (MURP): Specializes in heritage zoning and adaptive reuse, addressing legal constraints under INAH regulations.
- Erika Moreles & Sergio Gomez (INAH Archaeologists): Provide expertise in conservation and excavation, uncovering the structural and cultural significance of the ruins.
- Dawn Gilpin & Robert Adams (Taubman College Professors): Guide the project with expertise in digital design, speculative urbanism, and VR technology to reimagine ancient ruins in the urban fabric.