“It is ridiculous, absurd, an absolute shame,” says Mexican architect Isaac Broid, “that, as a society, we can’t coexist on a day-to-day basis with our pre-Hispanic spaces.” In southern Mexico, many ancient ruins survive as tourist attractions for archeology enthusiasts and little else. Visiting these sites usually requires a pilgrimage to an area safeguarded from the bustling urban scenes that characterize major Mexican cities. The main pyramid of Teopanzolco, however, is one of the few exceptions.
Wrapped tightly in the urban fabric of Cuernavaca, capital of the state of Morelos, the crumbling Aztec temple stood in stark contrast to its modern surroundings for decades. In 2014, Broid teamed up with Mexico City–based firm Productora to design an auditorium located just across the street from the archeological zone. The site presented…
