radiating bricks, species, colors and aromas enclose mexico city flower festival oasis

in honor of spring, FYJA polanco en flores once again delighted flower festival visitors in mexico city. bees, butterflies and family-coexistence were celebrated this year from april 4 – april 7. one installation in particular, NÚCLEO, drew festival goers and pollinators into its radiating hallways of flora and spat them out into to a tiny brick oasis, enclosed by 360 degrees of tropical species, colors, patterns and aromas.

image courtesy of zaicks moz

the ephemeral floral pavilion, NÚCLEO, was designed by ana nuño and luis young in collaboration with flores cosmos (alberto arango and ramiro guerrero), located in mexico city’s parque lincoln, as part of the 2019 FYJA polanco en flores festival. NÚCLEO presents an invented ecosystem, alive with diverse plants, shapes, textures, colors and aromas, all jumbled together with the radiating patterns of bricks and smiles and buzzing of bees.

image courtesy of zaicks moz

the outside of the pavilion is lined with the same species — statice flowers — in a swirling dance of different colors. a subtle opening is easily missed if you’re not looking for it and inside this opening, a narrow hallway leads you around into another world.

image courtesy of luis young

on the inside, radians of bricks flare outward geometrically and seamlessly and stacks of loose bricks form a perfect place to admire the diverse enclosure of plants. sitting on this bench, visitors might have had a perfect vantage point for watching pollinators fly about, or for basking in the spring warmth, or getting lost in the hypnotizing bricks, or just enjoying the little oasis as a place to sit, a break from the noise and excitement of the festival.

image courtesy of luis young

image courtesy of luis young

image courtesy of luis young

image courtesy of luis young

image courtesy of luis young

image courtesy of luis young

image courtesy of zaicks moz

project info:

location: parque lincoln, mexico city

festival: FYJA polanco en flores

designers: ana nuño and luis young

in collaboration with: alberto arango and ramiro guerrero of flores cosmos