ThisprojectwasbornfrommyfascinationofElCentro,thetownsquare,andthewayitisutilizedduringtheFeria.Itmorphsintoaweeklymarketplace(plaza),acarnival,adancehall,apublicparkandashoppingcenteralmostseamlessly.Itisalsoslowlygrowingintoapermannentmarket(mer-cado).Andduringthefairitisanextremelyflexiblespacethathastheabilitytoaccomodatetheneedsoftwodifferentworlds:thetownspeoplewholivehereyear-roundandthereturningpopulationduringthefestival. Theinformationforthisprojectwasobtainedthroughdirectobservationandinteractionwiththespaceofthetownsquareandthosewhouseit.

El Centro ProjectPiaxtla | Puebla | Mexico

Map of Piaxtla with the main square (El Centro) and main highway highlighted.

A) Map of Mexico showing the location of the state of Puebla. B) Map of Puebla showing the location of the municipality of Piaxtla.

Photograph taken in 1942 from the northern mountain. It shows the most important elements in a Mexican community: 1) the church 2) the Market place 3) the public park 4) and the Municipal building

The plaza is a weekly market where vendors gather to sell their goods in Piaxtla. This event enables townspeople to do their shopping of fresh pro-

duce along with most items needed throughout the week and eliminates the need for supermarkets or large retail stores.

The festival is a celebration devoted to the Virgin of the Ascension and many ceremonies and events are held. Many carnival rides and booths are

invited to participate, and this gives the town a nocturnal quality that doesn’t exist throughout the rest of the year. Whereas the market place and

the plaza are used by locals and visitors for necesities, the feria serves mostly recreational purposes.

This phtograph taken from the southern mountain 70 years later shows that the town expands concentrically around El Centro. The four structures have remained important.

This photgraph shows the market place (mercado) in use in 1942, where vendors could gather to

sell their goods. This commercial method has been in use since precolumbian times.

This fountain was constructed near the church and was meant to represent the core of the town. Still a very important structure, the market place (mercado) has grown exponentially to acco-

modate a growing population. This shed is used for the weekly Plaza market and for important

events and gatherings especially during the festival (feria). It is also slowly transforming into a

permanent market place like those found in larger Mexican cities such as Puebla and Oaxaca.

The fountain has been replaced by a “kiosko”, a small pavilion for taking refreshment.

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El Centro | TheSquare

La Plaza | TheWeeklyMarket

La Feria | TheFestival

Nataly Rojas M.Arch,

Independent Study

Faculty: Howard Davis

University of Oregon

Summer & Fall 2012

PiaxtlaisatownlocatedinthesouthoftheMexicanstateofPuebla.AlargepartofitspopulationhasmigratedtotheU.S.tofindworkandmoneyandabetterlife.Manyofthemsendmoneybacktotheirfamily.Theseremit-tencesfuelthelocaleconomyandhaveanimpactonthesocialandphycsicalstructureofthetown.Perhapsthebesttimetoseethisimpactisduringthefestivaldevotedtothetown’spatronsaint.InPiaxtla,thetownholdsayearlyeventtopayhomagetoLaVirgendelaAsuncion,VirginoftheAscension. Thefestival(laFeria)isthemostimportanteventinPiaxtlaandrunsthroughthemonthofAugust.ThisisthetimethatmanywhoarelivingintheU.S.returntoPiaxtlatospendtimewithfamilyandreconnectwithtraditions.AsmoremoneyissentfromtheU.S.thefestivalbecomesmoreandmoreextravagantwhichinturnmotivatesim-migrantstoreturntoexperiencethecelebration.

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Antonia Manuel German & Juana

Symbol Key

Mobile Stalls: Vendors whose wares are small enough to be carried through the market place. Some examples are blankets, wire mesh stands and small carts.

Booths: Assembled structures that protect vendors and their goods from the elements and act as shelter through the month.

Rides: Amusement rides that include a carousel, bumper cars, ferris wheel, tilt-a-whirl. Also arcade houses and trampolines.

Table Stalls: Stalls created by joining tables for displaying goods. Primarily found within the shed which provides cover.

El Mercado: The shed (el jacalón) at the center of town has been used primarily to hold major events and the weekly plaza. It has begun to be used by resident vendors to sell produce, food and other goods on a daily basis.

La Plaza: The plaza is a traditional “farmer’s market”. Every wednesday local vendors set up in the town square to sell everything from household items to livestock. This lasts from sun-up to sun-down.

La Feria: The fair is an annual festivity held during the month of August. Vendors from all over Mexico are invited, along with carnival booths and rides. They are primarily out-of-towners whose booths serve as their shelter for the duration of the fair.

Color Key

August 8th 2012First Plaza of the month.

Vehicles: Many of the vendors transport their goods using cars and trucks. These fill space around the main square.

AntoniaisaresidentofPiaxtlaandavendorthatsellsgrilledcorn

inthezocalo.Shetoldmethatcomparedtootherpeopleshehad

theluxuryofgoinghomeeverynightandsleepingonherownbed.

Howeverifthiswasnotthecaseshewouldnothaveaproblem

stayinginthezocalosinceshebelievesittobesafeandaproduc-

tivewayofkeepingthemerchandiseinoneplace.Atnightshelocks

everythingtothebenchsheusesashervendingpostandreturns

thenextdaywithcornforgrillingandthetraditionaltoppingsof

chilepowder,limeandsalt.Herstandisapublicbench,asmall

tableandasmallcharcoalgrill.Thisisherfirsttimesellingcornin

thezocalo,andknowsthatthefestivalisagreattimetomakeextra

money.ThoughshehaschildrenwhoareworkingintheU.S.she

doesn’tliketojustsitandwaitforthemtosendhermoney,asshe

believesmanyinthetowndo.AtthebeginningofthemonthAn-

toniawasinthezocalobyherselfandlatershewasjoinedbyher

husbandandgranddaughterwhowouldkepthercompany.Since

Antonialocksherpropertytothemetalbenchithascreatedasmall

circlewherepeoplethatsheknowsgather,thisisalsoenforced

sinceherfriendhasalsosetupshopinfrontofher,sellinggumand

candy.Theyenjoyedbeingabletochatinthetimebetweensales.

Manuelsellssmalltrincketslikethepopularturtlebobble-heads

madeofsmallgourdsandwoodfor25pesos($2.00).Hecameto

PiaxtlawithhismotherwhohasbeencomingtotheFeriaforthe

last5years.Manueltoldusthattheymoveallyearround,selling

knickknacksandcrafts.Theirtripbeginsintheirhometownand

takesthemallaroundMexico.Theyexplainthattheyusedtobeable

totravelbybusbutthatisnowdifficultbecausebuslinesarenot

beingasaccommodatingduetotheirlargequantitiesofmerchan-

diseandtheirboothcomponents.Nowtheymusthiretruckdrivers

thattakethemtotheirdestinationforafee.Forthedurationofthe

festivaltheyliveintheirboothtokeepaneyeontheirmerchandise.

German&Juanacreatepersonalizedbraceletsbywrappingcolor-

fulthreadtoastripofplastic.Thecouplemadethemselvesstand

outfromothersofthesametradebytheirquicknessanddesigns.

Theyholdacustom-madestandthatholdspre-madebraceletswith

popularnamesandcolors.Theirstandiscomprisedofthreehinged

boardsthatcanbefoldedandeasilycarried.Whenacustomerap-

proachesthem,theysetdowntheirboardtodisplaytheirwork.

Theyhaveasmallnotebookwheretheywritetherequestednames

orwordsstrugglingabitwithspelling.Thecoupleplacethemselves

inthezocalonearthekioskoandawaitforpasserbys.Theirthree

childrensitpatiently,usingcardboardtomakethecementsofter

andcooler,astheylearnthecraftsoftheirparents.Theyexplain

thattheyhavelearnedmanycraftsandskillsintheircityofTaxco,

locatedintheneighboringstateofGuerrero.Butthebraceletsallow

themtotravellightandareverypopular,especiallywiththeyoung

peoplethatarevisitingfromtheU.S.Otherthantheirdisplaythey

haveabackpackinwhichtheycarrytheirmaterialsandonebench

forJuanatositon.Theyalsocarrywiththemaplastictarpthatthey

useasaprotectivecanopy.Theirestablishmentreliesontheirplace-

mentsincetheyareintheverycenterofthezocalotheycanuse

thecementbenchofthezocaloasasittingplace,eatingplaceand

restingarea.

Vendors

Vendor Stalls

Section: North to south. Mercado and kiosko

LupeisoriginallyfromChinantlaanearbytown(it’sdividedfrom

Piaxtlabyastreet).ShemovedtoPiaxtlabecausethereshehadthe

opportunityofputtingupherownbusiness.Shedecidedthatveg-

etableswouldbethebestproducttosellsincethetowndoesnot

haveasupermarketandhasaccesstofreshproduceonlyduring

thePlazaonwednesdays.SincethemercadoinPiaxtlaisanopen

shed,itwaseasyforhertoset-upandinthisyearherbusinesshas

grownfromhavingatableofproducetohavingsixtablesstacked

withfruits,vegetablesandflowers.LupetravelstoAcatalntofind

freshproduceonceaweekandreliesonherchildrenorhusbandto

takecareofthestand,whichhasbecomeapermanentfixtureofthe

mercado.

Lupe

Mariawasveryhappytobesellinginthetown,shewasastrong

believerofthequalityofthesweetsthatshesells.Sheofferedall

kindsoftraditionalMexicansweets,suchaschilcacayote,ared

candiedsquashandfamoussweetpotatotreatknownascamote.

Sheencouragedhercustomerstosamplehermerchandisetoprove

itsquality.Shebelievedthatthefreshnessofhersweetswerewhat

maintainedhercustomershappy.Shetookturnswithherhusband

andsontravellingbackandforthfromhertowntotransportfresh

productswhensheranlow.MariaarrivedinPiaxtlaaftergoingtoa

festivalinthecityofAcatlanandwasplanningtostaythereforthe

remainderoftheweekwithhersonwhileherhusbandlefttosetup

forafestivalinCholula.Theysleptintheirbooth,whichmeasured

tenfeetinlengthbyadepthofsixfeet.Shewaslocatedinthewest-

ernedgeofthezocalo,surroundedbyotherboothsthatalsosold

sweets.Shefeltthatthecompetitionwasessentialformaintaininga

highqualityproduct.

InesisaresidentofPiaxtla.Butcheringandmeatsellinghavebeen

herfamily’stradeforgenerationsandtheyarealsoknownfortheir

pozole(awhitehominysoup)andtheirtacos.Shecanbefound

sellingfoodinthemercadoonsomedaysandsellingmeatdur-

ingthewednesdayplaza.Sheexplainedthatthenewpresidenthas

helpedthemerchantsorganizeinthemercadobypavingthefloor

withbricksanddemarcatingpathwaysforcustomerstotraversethe

marketplacewithease.Thepathwaysalsomarkdifferentsections

ofthemarketduringtheplaza,sothatmeatsellersareallinone

place,thebakersinanother,etc.WhiletalkingtoInesothervendors

askediftheycouldsettheirestablishmentnexttoherssinceitwas

emptyandsheexplainedtothemthatthislocationwasformeat

sellers.It’sanewsystemthatalsohassomepoliticalcomplexity.An

associationofvendors,ofwhichInesisamember,pooledmoney

togethertohelpimprovethemercadoandtheshed.Shebelieves

thatthisgrantsthemmorerighttohavetheirbusinesshousedwith-

inthestructureoftheshed.

Ines Maria

Vendors

Stage

August 15th 2012Second Plaza of the month.

5 am

7 am

11 am

1 pm

3 pm

5 pm

PLAZA TIMELINESPLAZA TIMELINE

The weekly market is held every wednesday, though most vendors arrive the night before to set up. The plaza sprawls accross the square and takes a di�erent shape every week. This timeline shows the duration of the plaza from 5 am where the vendors wake to display their merchandise until 5 pm when the square is thouroughly cleaned by municipal waste management.

Elevation: South facade of mercado.

Felipeandhisbrotherwereonlyinthetownforthemainweekof

thefestival.TheycamefromthecityPueblaandoncetheywere

doneinPiaxtlatheyweregoingtoanotherfestivalinCholula.Fe-

lipewasresponsibleforonelargeboothandhisbrotherforanother.

Eachhadacombinationofhandmadewoodenitemsrangingfrom

spoonstobackmassagers.Theyexplainedthattheydidnotfindthe

festivaltobeasprosperousasithadbeeninpastyearsandthata

lotlesspeopleseemedtobeinPiaxtlacomparedtoprioryears.Like

therestofthevendorsthatwerestationedinthezocalotheyslept

intheirboothsandfoundthatthiswasthebestwaytosavemoney

andprotecttheirmerchandise.WhenIaskediftheyfoundthisway

oflivinguncomfortabletheyrespondedthatitwasfinesincetheir

booth,measuringtenfeetinlength,offeredthemmuchmorespace

thanotherpeoplethere.

SantosisparticipatinginPiaxtla’sfestivalforthefirsttime.Heisa

memberoftheOtomitribefromthenorthsectionofthestateof

PueblafromatownasremoteasPiaxtla.HeendedupinPiaxtla

becauseafriendwhohasparticipatedinthefestivalinvitedhim.

HiscraftisatradehelearnedinhishometownintheSierraNorte

ofPuebla.Theregion’sartisansarewellknownforcreatingintricate

andbeautifulobjectsusingbeadworkandbarkpaper.Hefounditto

beverypopularinPiaxtlaandbecauseofthisheplanstocomeback

nextyearandbringothersfromhistown.Santosexplainedthatafter

monthsofsavinghewasfinallyabletopurchasehisstall,which

wasdesignedbyhimandconstructedbyametalsmithinhistown.

Santosexplainedthathedecidedonthemeasurementsbasedon

themoneythathehadatthetime,“ifonehadthemoneytohavea

biggerstalldone”heexplained“thenonecould”.Healsotookinto

considerationtheamountofspacethatheneededforhisworkand

thefactthattownslikePiaxtlachargevendorsafeerelativetothe

dimensionsofthestalls.Theboothisametalframedstructuremea-

suringfivefeetinlengthandadepthof6feet.Thetabletopwhere

heplaceshismerchandiseisthreefeetdeepandrisesthreefeet.

Thetotalheightoftheboothissevenfeetwithagableroof.Putting

thestalltogetherisverysimpleandsincehismerchandiseissmall

hedoesnotusemuchofthespaceunderneathotherthantohave

somepersonalitemsandextramerchandise.Santosexplainedthat

hisboothdidnothaveboardsrisingbetweenthetabletopandthe

floorthatmanyusetosleepon.Insteadhesethisboothagainstthe

thepark,sothathecouldsitontheledgeduringthedayandsleep

onitatnigh.SantoswasoriginallyplanningtostayinPiaxtlafor

twoweeksbutoncehewasthereherealizedthatstayinguntilthe

endofthemonthwasbeneficialsincemanyofthethatweregoing

backtotheU.S.weredoingsoatheendofthemonth.Thisisthe

timethatmanyusetobuylastminutegiftsandsouvenirs.

MartaisfromAcatlan,acityanhourawayfromPiaxtla.Shewasin

townforthedurationofthefestival,sellingclothingfromdifferent

regionsofMexico.Shewasintownforabouttwoweeks,duringthe

firstweekhersonkepthercompanyandinthelastweekherhus-

bandarrivedwithnewmerchandise.Sheexplainedthatsheneeded

helpfrombothofthemassembleanddisassembleherestablish-

mentbecausethemetalbarsaretooheavyforhertodoitalone.

Oncethefestivalisovershewillhiresomeonefromthenexttown

tomoveherthingstothenextfestival.Inpreviousyearsshehad

reliedonpublictransportationbutthishaschangedsincebusesno

longermakeasmanylocalstopsandlimitpickups.Liketheoth-

erswhocomeforthefestival,shesleepsinherboothandrelieson

beingwithhermerchandisetoprotectit.Thebenefitstosleepingin

herbootharenothavingtowastemoneyforhotelsandnothaving

tomovehermerchandise.

Vendors

Felipe Santos Marta

August 22nd 2012Third Plaza of the month.

Elevation: North facade of zocalo and kiosko.

5 am

7 am

11 am

1 pm

3 pm

5 pm

PLAZA TIMELINESMARKET TIMELINE

Though the weekly plaza is organized in a very organic manner, there are new attempts to make business within the shed more orderly. Pathways were made to create sections for di�erent types of vendors. So the meat sellers are grouped together in one section while the baked goods are in another. The mercado is also used during other days of the week though not in the same scale as the weekly market. The schedule is similar however, with people setting up fruit stands and makeshift kitchens for selling food. It is a known fact that in most Mexican cities it is in the market places that you find their culture. The best food, the local styles, regional goods and crafts. And as Piaxtla grows, El Mercado must also adapt.

Theareahassomepermanentconveniencestoresthatareopenall

weeklong.Howeverthelackoffreshproducemakesthemercado

essential.Someoftheretailerscomplainthatthemercadoandthe

plazaweretakingcustomersawaybutwhenobservingtheitems

thataresoldineachestablishmenttheyarenotcompetingwith

eachotherbutcomplementthemselves.

Thechurchisanessentialparttothetown’sorganizationandde-

velopment.SincethemainreasonforthefestivalistheVirginofthe

townthechurchalsogoesthroughsometransformationstoaccom-

modatetheincreaseinpopulation.Whenlargereventsareprepared

inthechurchalargetentisset-uptogooutsidethechurchcreating

a“new”churchinthefrontpartofthechurch,thiswaythefacade

becomesthealtarandthepathtoenterthechurchbecomesthe

centralaisle,whennolargereventsareplanthechurchreturnstoits

commonstate.

August 29th 2012Fourth Plaza day of the month.

Elevation: North facade of the church

Throughoutthemonthaseriesofeventsinpeopleshouseshappen

tocommemoratetheVirgin,Howeverthebiggestandmostim-

portantistheprocessionthathappensonAugust14th.Onthisday

eachyearadifferentpatronfamilyorganizestheeventssurrounding

theVirginandareresponsibleforlayingafloorpatternonthepath

thatwillbeusedbytheprocession.Beginningatthepatronfam-

ily’shometheprocessiongoesthroughmainstreetsandendsatthe

churchwherealargergroupofpeopleawaits.

La Procesion La Iglesia Tiendas La Quema

AbigpartofthefestivalistheQuemawhichisasequenceof

fireworksthatoccurincelebrationofthevirginandthepeo-

plethatwillsoonbereturningtotheUnitedstates.TheQuema

happensinbetweenthemercadoandmunicipalbuildings.

AdditionalObservations

Textures

Tarpsthatprotectmarketstandsfromtheelements.

Detailfromthechurch’sfacade.

Detailfromthemarketplacefloor.

Inadditiontothesocialtextureofthemarket,thetown’scen-

terissurroundedbytexturesandpatternsthatgivethetown

astrongidentityassociatedwiththefestivitiesofthemonth.

Forthemarkettobesuccessfultheremustbeactivitiesoccur-

ingatdifferenttimesofthedaythatsolidifytheidentityofthe

townwhenthemarketisnotinplace.