The Land, the urban garden that educates about sustainability

El Terreno is a garden, a community urban garden, and an educational center that was started during the COVID-19 epidemic. The project was designed to stimulate young people's interest in environmental issues by providing them with a closer connection to food production cycles and sustainable living.

A fully recyclable pavilion

The studio VERTEBRAL has created a sustainable pavilion using recycled materials recovered from their previous constructions. The result is a 100% recyclable building that not only minimizes environmental impact but also explores new construction processes in the architectural projects. Every element, from structural modules to compositional units, has been designed with an innovative approach, leveraging advanced design techniques to optimize the reuse of available resources.

An architecture that interacts with the landscape

El Terreno is a multipurpose pavilion designed to harmoniously integrate into the hillside. Thanks to its shape, the building gradually opens up towards the garden, fostering a direct connection between architecture and nature. The structure is made with sections of iron rods, which have been bent and welded to form a sturdy frame, later filled with stone walls obtained from the excavation of the site. The roof, on the other hand, is composed of wooden trusses, previously used as formwork for concrete pours, demonstrating a perfect example of creative reuse of materials.

A model of economic and environmental self-sufficiency

Thanks to the vision of the founder Michelle Kalach, El Terreno is not just an architectural work, but also an example of economic and environmental self-sufficiency. The garden surrounding the pavilion has been designed as a productive ecosystem, where plants and vegetables are grown through educational programs and then sold to local cafes and shops. This system allows the project to sustain itself independently, creating a virtuous link between architecture, urban agriculture, and education.

Sustainable management of water and energy

Natural resources are managed with great care. Rainwater is collected through a capture system that utilizes the green roof of the pavilion, and then reused for garden irrigation. The energy needed for the complex is provided by solar panels, reducing the consumption of non-renewable sources. Additionally, organic waste from the composting of toilets is transformed into natural fertilizer, contributing to soil regeneration and closing the sustainability cycle.

Gallery

PEOPLE

Vertebral

North Rome, Mexico City