PILARES Iztapalapa is part of an initiative promoted by the Mexico City government and coordinated by Carlos Zedillo to provide educational and cultural centers to the city's most underserved neighborhoods. It is located in an area with high levels of insecurity, situated behind the Reclusorio Oriente prison, one of the largest and most populated prisons in the country (with 12,000 inmates). 

The architectural program includes workshops for carpentry, gastronomy, and body arts, a cyber school, and a reading room, as well as an open forum for multidisciplinary activities, all on a single floor. The building was designed with views inward, thus concealing any view of the prison and disconnecting the community center from its harsh surroundings. This is achieved through four central courtyards and two gardens on each side that allow for cross-ventilation and natural light in all spaces. The courtyards serve as connectors between the different classrooms and create a covered walkway that eliminates the need for corridors. 

The construction system is based on exposed elements, such as exposed concrete, slabs, columns, block walls, and polished concrete floors. All materials used are affordable, durable, and easy to maintain. The structure contrasts with an undulating clay lattice facade that lends the project a unique character. Local materials and construction methods were used to revitalize them and allow the building to blend seamlessly with its surroundings.