mexican 'kkiioosskkoo' proposal reinterprets a kiosk both as a newsstand and a pavilion

‘kkiioosskkoo’, designed by pedro ceñal murga, roberto michelsen engell and adrián ramírez siller, is the winning proposal of the kiosk pavilion, initiative promoted by alumnos47. the project synthesizes the tectonics and materiality of a kiosk understood from its two architectural configurations — newsstand and pavilion — and then translates them into a new context: a flat garden surrounded by trees with voluminous crowns and flanked by an old house. aided by a public program, this new landscape component in mexico city performs as a meeting point between a series of exhibition elements — publications, objects, pieces of art, commissioned works — and diverse audiences.

‘kkiioosskkoo’ is the winning proposal of the kiosk pavilion, initiative promoted by alumnos47
image © manuel becerril

the boundaries of mexican designers murga, engell and siller‘s ‘kkiioosskkoo’ within the garden are confusing and unrecognizable. its skin follows the plasticity of the ground of the land, it is an extension of the same, and it rises gradually culminating in a slope of overwhelming scale. instead of interrupting the green space, this slope reorganizes it by enabling with its same material a fifth facade whose geometry invites to sit, recline and interact with other people and wherein an isoptic is generated that facilitates dynamics that range from contemplative to ludic behavior.

the project synthesizes the tectonics of a kiosk understood from its two architectural configurations
image © manuel becerril

the platform is supported by a structure that doubles the living space by containing an internal garden that is at the same time a kind of light and permeable cavern. composed of materials and prefabricated that are commonly used in gardens and public parks, each of the perimeter columns supports rotating cyclonic mesh panels that allow a multitude of modulations inside, over and outside the edges of kkiioosskkoo and that give programmatic flexibility. these also work as a support to display material — publications, art pieces, varied objects, references for presentations, among others — which, when organized on surfaces, creates solid planes that give the impression of being suspended and juxtaposed in different forms, showing the content of the foundation’s program.

this new landscape component performs as a meeting point between exhibition elements and diverse audiences

the volume of murga, engell and siller’s kkiioosskkoo uses ¼ of the width and half of the length of the space of the garden. the garden becomes ubiquitous: one lives on, under, in and around the kkioosskkoo pavilion. the neutrality of it also allows publications to come to life in and with him through varied activities. by operating its panels, users turn it into a space for exhibitions, meetings, presentations or into a completely new one, which is why they are key agents in determining the design and evolution of kkiioosskkoo. at the end of its cycle in alumnos47, kkiioosskkoo can be relocated to another site, with the possibility of keeping a record of its first location — the grass surface — and leaving a trace of its presence in the garden. in each new site, after carrying more elements, adopting new extensions and wearing new skins, it becomes a testimony of its genesis, as a ruin in constant contingency.

the volume of kkiioosskkoo uses ¼ of the width and half of the length of the space of the garden
image © arturo arrieta

composed of materials and prefabricated that are commonly used in gardens and public parks
image © manuel becerril

the garden becomes ubiquitous: one lives on, under, in and around the kkioosskkoo pavilion
image © arturo arrieta

by operating its panels, users turn it into a space for exhibitions, meetings, presentations
image © arturo arrieta

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: apostolos costarangos | designboom