#PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS
enrique norten arranges centro university's new campus around a green plaza
mexico’s centro university has inaugurated its new campus, designed by enrique norten of ten arquitectos.
built on mexico city’s avenida constituyentes, the project covers over 5,000 square meters and comprises three interconnected buildings organized around a 2,000 square meter communal green space. at the heart of the scheme is an 450-seat auditorium that can be adjusted according to the needs of a specific event or performance. equipped with advanced acoustics and lighting, the venue also serves as a forum for student collaboration.
other noteworthy aspects of the campus include: a monumental external staircase designed by dutch-born artist jan hendrix, a 4-storey media library containing a vast specialized collection of books, magazines, films and digital archives; a state-of the-art film studio where film and television majors can produce, direct and create stage-sets for their projects; and a series of workshop studios that range from textiles and fashion to industrial design to jewelry and ceramics.
‘abraham (franklin) and I founded centro with the mission to reimagine creative education by raising the professional standards of disciplines that prepare our students to establish successful careers within the fields that they are most passionate about,’ explains the school’s cofounder gina diez barroso. ‘it has been a great pleasure to collaborate with enrique norten, who so clearly understands and embodies our vision, on a new home for centro. with this new campus, we look forward to expanding both our course offerings and the number of international students we can accommodate, and to continue to provide an atmosphere that challenges, surprises and nourishes our students.
’‘I feel honored and thankful for the responsibility and the trust that centro has placed in ten arquitectos by offering us the new campus commission,’ adds architect enrique norten. ‘it has been a privilege to spend time with gina and abraham and see their vision grow and flourish; a vision that has given the design, art and cultural communities of one of latin america’s most important academic institutions, an unquestionable global reference point.’
