Manuel Cervantes Céspdes / CC Arquitectos

Our work forms part of a constellation of Mexican architects belonging to the same generation, late heirs to Mexican Modernism and an architectural tradition that can be traced back to the first prehispanic settlements. Our architectural language and work is suffused by the history of these forms and functions. Established over ten years ago in Mexico City, CC Arquitectos has overcome economic crises and operates in a country where, as in many others, architecture is not simply a question of providing a place in which to live; our work is also affected by political and economic forces that, as architects, we cannot ignore. This situation makes us plan more rationally and in harmony with our surroundings. We also seek to create atmospheres: our designs incorporate natural lighting, shadows, ventilation and vegetation, all of which we consider to be essential elements of architecture. Our method is about stripping away all that is unnecessary in construction: from our first sketches we are already on our way to defining the structure once complete. Our architectural work is the result of editing a selective and reflective thought process. This approach releases us from external factors and allows us to develop the sufficient awareness for the team´s work to respond to its social, economic and natural context. We want architecture to be a conscious extension of where it is placed; it should establish a clear dialogue with users, and allow us to produce spaces that remain useful and valuable in the future.