Ferrocement vault with skylights for illuminating the inside of the houses at Conjunto Satélite
So named after the Quetzalcóatl—half indigenous quetzal bird, half serpent, a chimeric Aztec deity and patron of agriculture, rainwater and science—Parque Quetzalcóatl was conceived by local architect Javier Senosiain as an independent site for ecological preservation, environmental regeneration, and communion with nature.
Located on a quiet residential street in the municipality of Naucalpan de Juárez on the outskirts of Mexico City, Mexico, in the year 2000 construction began on El Nido de Quetzalcóatl, a serpentine structure housing ten private residential apartments situated adjacent to the intended site of the park. Embellished with colourful mosaics and ceramic beads reminiscent of the feathered serpent’s striking avian plumage and iridescent reptilian scales, its architecture represents a fantastical expression of biomimicry and environmental idealism. Hypnotic, mesmeric and curious, while its disorienting serpentine structure occasionally emerges from a dense forest of lofty oak trees, its lithe body slithers and winds around the site’s steep slopes, deep ravines and collapsed caves, only gently caressing the undulating terrain to avoid, where possible, interference with its precious ecosystem. Guided by the principles of organic architecture, elements of Senosian’s design of El Nido de Quetzalcóatl mirror those of his earlier works such as Conjunto Satélite, a complex of four partially-subterranean houses that he designed and completed in 1995. Organic and sculptural, both architectural projects have been constructed using non-invasive building techniques, natural building materials, and irregular spatial arrangements. With bold ferrocement vaults punctuated by porthole windows and skylights, their interiors are surprisingly minimalist—but for the original retro-futurist furniture designed by Senosiain himself.
Since its inception more than two decades ago, Senosiain has acquired plots of land adjacent to El Nido de Quetzalcóatl in order to continue to expand Parque Quetzalcóatl. Strongly influenced by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and, like his masterpiece the Sagrada Família, still under construction, Senosiain has consistently implemented an eclectic array of artistic, architectural and landscape interventions on the site—from an ornamental cave, a kaleidoscopic greenhouse with stained-glass atrium, and a gleaming tunnel embellished with multicoloured trencadís mosaics to neatly landscaped amphitheatres, terraced lawns and ornamental flower beds. Elsewhere, a man-made pond intended for rainwater collection, irrigation and humidity regulation co-designed by Senosiain and landscape architect Kees van Rooij is juxtaposed with an arid desert garden of cacti, spiked agave plants, and a whimsical slide designed by landscape artist Guillermo Ashida. Accessible by private tour and not yet open to the general public, although joyous, playful, and welcoming, Senosiain’s impetus on environment sees the park’s delicate natural landscape prioritised and strict limits likely to be placed on public access when it eventually opens its gates to visitors in the years to come.
Dining table in Conjunto Satélite designed by Javier Senosiain
Living room of one of the four houses in Conjunto Satélite complex, which was constructed by architect Javier Senosiain in 1995
Green auditorium or amphitheatre built for concerts and social gatherings at Parque Quetzalcóatl
Snake fountain created with piecework stones at Parque Quetzalcóatl
Multicolour greenhouse in the shape of a snail created at Parque Quetzalcóatl
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