The Hñähñu Multimedia Center project consists of creating a multipurpose room to provide technological services using the upper floor of a rural house. The architecture seeks to create a public place to gather people of different ages around its media activities: cyber café, gaming, and cell phone services; the program also includes an apartment with independent access, the ground floor housing was wrapped with a lattice as a base for the building.
© Marcos Betanzos
This work is located in the Ex Hacienda Ocotzá neighborhood in the community called Julian Villagran, Ixmiquilpan municipality, Hidalgo State. This rural settlement in the Mezquital Valley has an indigenous Hñähñu population (Otomí) and has less than a thousand inhabitants, most of them migrants in the United States. The concept is a terraced gazebo with curtain walls to take advantage of the views and the climate of the valley, the architecture is domed with semi-circular arches in memory of the colonial remains.
© Marcos Betanzos
Experimental construction systems were developed for Catalan vaults, brick walls, and lattices armed with concrete nodes; hybrid construction mixes artisan masonry with a metal structure to integrate cultural themes into the productive life of the inhabitants, this modest destination seeks to put the laggard community on the map to rescue the old hacienda that has not yet been registered.
© Marcos Betanzos
© Marcos Betanzos
Project Info
Architects: Aldana + Sánchez – Ingenieros Arquitectos
Area: 92 m²
Year: 2019
Country: Ocotza, Mexico
Photographs: Marcos Betanzos
Manufacturers: GRAPHISOFT, Interceramic, Moctezuma
Lead Architects: Miguel Aldana, Patricia Sánchez, Thania Palma
Design Team: Diana Díaz, Andrea Molina, Alberto Landero
Clients: Exatech
Engineering: Juan Aras, Claudi Jean Baptiste, Alberto Hernández.
Collaborators: Sandra León, Jessica León, Edgar Álvarez.
Madeline Brooks is a Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she has been shaping and refining architectural content since March 2024. With over a decade of experience in editorial work, she has curated, revised, and published an array of projects covering architecture, urbanism, and public space design. A graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Madeline brings a strong academic foundation and a discerning editorial eye to each piece she oversees. Since joining Arch2O, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial direction, with a focus on sustainability, social relevance, and cutting-edge design. Madeline excels at translating complex architectural ideas into clear, engaging stories that resonate with both industry professionals and general readers. She works closely with architects, designers, and global contributors to ensure every project is presented with clarity, depth, and compelling visual narrative. Her editorial leadership continues to elevate Arch2O’s role in global architectural dialogue.