mirrored installation by mta+v reflects día de muertos traditions in mexico

mta+v presents mirrored altar for Día de Muertos in mexico

Architect Miguel de la Torre of mta+v architectural group unveils Unexpected Reflections, a Día de Muertos interactive installation in Mexico City that revisits this cherished Mexican tradition within a mirrored altar. Through its reflective surfaces, the project bridges the realms of the living and the departed, inviting visitors into a contemplative space where life meets death. A central mirrored wall serves as a threshold and bridge, where guests face their reflections as they step into a shared space of memory and connection.

all images by Jaime Navarro, courtesy of mta+v

the installation keeps expanding as visitors add wooden blocks

After entering the installation by the Mexican architecture firm mta+v, visitors are handed small wooden blocks to write the names of loved ones. The blocks enter the mirrored realm one by one, creating a mosaic of memories that keeps expanding as people add to it. Placing each block allows participants to transform the installation, infusing it with shared reverence in a celebration of remembrance.

When the exhibition wraps, the blocks come together as one big, final artwork—an enduring tribute to the lives and stories honored within this space. Through this evolving altar, Unexpected Reflections becomes an invitation to honor tradition and celebrate memory, reaffirming the timeless bond between life and death.

Miguel de la Torre of mta+v architectural group unveils Unexpected Reflections

the installation reinterprets this cherished Mexican tradition within a mirrored altar

through its reflective surfaces, the project bridges the realms of the living and the departed

visitors enter a contemplative space where life meets death

visitors face their reflections as they step into the space

visitors are handed small wooden blocks to write the names of loved ones

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a mosaic of memories that keeps expanding as visitors add to it

placing each block allows participants to transform the installation

when the exhibition wraps, the blocks come together as one big, final artwork

project info:

name: Unexpected Reflections

architect: Miguel de la Torre mta+v | @mta__v

location: Mexico City, Mexico

photographer: Jaime Navarro | @jaimenavarros_estudio

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: thomai tsimpou | designboom